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foreveryoungadult's review against another edition
Graded By: Maria
Cover Story: Face Blindness
BFF Charm: Yay
Swoonworthy Scale: 0
Talky Talk: About the Subtitles...
Bonus Factors: Crossdressing, Women in Power
Anti-Bonus Factor: Patty Chase Award for Awful Parenting
Relationship Status: Loyal Subject
Read the full book report here.
Cover Story: Face Blindness
BFF Charm: Yay
Swoonworthy Scale: 0
Talky Talk: About the Subtitles...
Bonus Factors: Crossdressing, Women in Power
Anti-Bonus Factor: Patty Chase Award for Awful Parenting
Relationship Status: Loyal Subject
Read the full book report here.
livthebooknerd's review against another edition
5.0
I'm pretty sure this was the first of the Royal Diaries that I read. I used to own it, but the friend that I had lent it to KEPT IT! I'm still salty about it. I loved that book. I'll have to read it someday.
nicolebookish's review against another edition
3.0
You know, this was the last in the series so I read it in high school. I liked it because it was the continuation of the series of fictionionalized diaries of important royals in history, although each was in a way a stand alone book.
I didn't like it as much as the others & I took it to a used book store which I didn't do with the others.
This entry is about the life of Catherine the great of Russia when she was engaged to be married & had to move to Russia.
I have to reread this series and give my adult post graduate degree perspective but what I remember liking was:
-the characters in this series were roughly my age when I read the books (YA)
-it gave you an idea of what life may have been like back then
-they did have an afterword with historic information that gave you more context on their real lives and often photos or paintings
I didn't like it as much as the others & I took it to a used book store which I didn't do with the others.
This entry is about the life of Catherine the great of Russia when she was engaged to be married & had to move to Russia.
I have to reread this series and give my adult post graduate degree perspective but what I remember liking was:
-the characters in this series were roughly my age when I read the books (YA)
-it gave you an idea of what life may have been like back then
-they did have an afterword with historic information that gave you more context on their real lives and often photos or paintings
miathebooknerd's review against another edition
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
hopeylope's review against another edition
4.0
This book is what got me into the royal diary series! It was sooooo good! I read it all in one afternoon. I think one thing that was really good about it was that I could imagine myself in her shoes and I could envision what she saw very easily. It also helped that it was snowing and everytime I looked out the window I could imagine myself in Russia with Catherine.
smashy's review against another edition
3.0
3.5✪'s
I found this really interesting. I have read a few from this series and this is one of my favourites.
I found this really interesting. I have read a few from this series and this is one of my favourites.
booknerdlyn's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
katiedavis's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
annabellee's review against another edition
3.0
The entire Royal Diaries series is near and dear to my heart as I grew up reading most of them. Recently I discovered that there were four that were published after I moved on from the series, and I have acquired them to read for nostalgia's sake (and, as a member of the Pokemon generation, have the compulsive need to complete my set). That said, I was disappointed with this novel.
This young-adult/children's novel follows the story of Catherine the Great, starting from her home in Prussia and following her through her journey and subsequent year in Russia. It ends shortly after her engagement to the man who would become Peter II.
The novel does a good job finding a voice for Catherine, who views all of the characters through the eyes of a teenager. The key characters, specifically Catherine's mother, Peter, and the Empress Elizabeth (who is, frankly, the most interesting character in the story, historically, besides Catherine herself) are characterized through her eyes and follow their historical counterparts well. However, the method of writing does not manage to immerse the reader as well as other Royal Diaries books have done, and the ending, most of all, was disappointing. Most of the other books tend to end at at a strategic point, as though this "episode" of that ruler's life had ended, and where it made sense to end the novel. Not so for this one; the story just kind of trails off into the sea. In this I was disappointed.
Additionally, the book touched on several subjects that I would expect ought to have been more fleshed out. For instance, Catherine's name change, or her decision to convert from Lutheranism to Orthodoxism. Her struggle with the date changes, etc. Catherine mentioned each of these things so lightly that it seems as though they have no impact on her, though they must have as a person and certainly would have as a teenager. One thing that managed to stay within the bounds of the historical character was Catherine's eagerness to please and ingratiate herself into the court from the beginning, as well as her quest to learn Russian and her dislike for her future husband. These things I am satisfied with about the character.
I would recommend this book for upper elementary and middle school readers. There is no graphic sex, of language, and though there is some violence, it is not terribly graphic. Three stars.
This young-adult/children's novel follows the story of Catherine the Great, starting from her home in Prussia and following her through her journey and subsequent year in Russia. It ends shortly after her engagement to the man who would become Peter II.
The novel does a good job finding a voice for Catherine, who views all of the characters through the eyes of a teenager. The key characters, specifically Catherine's mother, Peter, and the Empress Elizabeth (who is, frankly, the most interesting character in the story, historically, besides Catherine herself) are characterized through her eyes and follow their historical counterparts well. However, the method of writing does not manage to immerse the reader as well as other Royal Diaries books have done, and the ending, most of all, was disappointing. Most of the other books tend to end at at a strategic point, as though this "episode" of that ruler's life had ended, and where it made sense to end the novel. Not so for this one; the story just kind of trails off into the sea. In this I was disappointed.
Additionally, the book touched on several subjects that I would expect ought to have been more fleshed out. For instance, Catherine's name change, or her decision to convert from Lutheranism to Orthodoxism. Her struggle with the date changes, etc. Catherine mentioned each of these things so lightly that it seems as though they have no impact on her, though they must have as a person and certainly would have as a teenager. One thing that managed to stay within the bounds of the historical character was Catherine's eagerness to please and ingratiate herself into the court from the beginning, as well as her quest to learn Russian and her dislike for her future husband. These things I am satisfied with about the character.
I would recommend this book for upper elementary and middle school readers. There is no graphic sex, of language, and though there is some violence, it is not terribly graphic. Three stars.