A review by jandi
Secret Lives of the Tsars: Three Centuries of Autocracy, Debauchery, Betrayal, Murder, and Madness from Romanov Russia by Michael Farquhar

3.0

A very interesting, although inconsistent account of the lives of the Romanov dynasty. It includes as much debauchery and betrayal as the title suggests, and the author conveys what could be a dry topic in a rather humorous manner. I was a bit disappointed by the uneven coverage received by the different tsars. Nicholas II and Alexandra receive a lot of attention, covering not just gossip, but the series of events and environment surrounding them that led to their downfall. Alexander I gets a very lengthy section on the Napoleonic Wars, however, his chapter ends after Napoleon's defeat. On the other hand, of Catherine the Great all we get is a (long) list of lovers, with little mention of her achievements. Peter the Great doesn't get much better either - too much debauchery and too little of what happened in his time. Worth a read tho, specially for the last few chapters.