A review by imalwayswrite
The Last Tsar: The Life and Death of Nicholas II by Edvard Radzinsky

2.0

What made this book interesting is that Radzinsky uses tons of primary resources, specifically Nicholas II’s diaries, which the tsar started keeping at age 14 up until he was executed at age 50. Radzinsky quotes letters, other people’s diaries and memoirs, and official reports; he uses interviews he conducted himself from witnesses, descendants and an unnamed “guest.” What I didn’t like so much is all the speculating and emoting that he does. There’s a lot of material that is repeated and though the first part moves pretty quickly, as soon as Nicholas abdicates, the rest really drags. If you aren’t well versed in the history of the Revolution, things get confusing. It assumes you know the difference between a Chekist and a Bolshevik, which I didn’t and still don’t. After reading some of the letters Radzinsky quotes that Nicholas and Alexandra wrote to each other during World War I, I couldn’t help thinking: “OMG. These people are running the country???” lol