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Praise & Reviews for |
RASPUTIN'S DAUGHTER |
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In The Kitchen Boy (2003), Alexander creatively imagined an answer to the mystery of the last days of the Russian imperial family during the revolution––the question centering on whether any family member survived the slaughter in the basement of their Siberian house of exile. Now he ventures into the never-cleared-up last days of Gregory Rasputin, the monk who held sway at the prerevolution court. Employing the fast pace of a thriller and the ability to make a remote historical episode personal to the reader, Alexander views events from the perspective of Rasputin’s elder daughter, Maria. World War I rages on, and the auxiliary members of the Romanov family are fit to be tied over Empress Alexandra’s obsessive need for the ministrations of the hated Rasputin; Maria soon realizes her father’s life is truly in jeopardy. What finally happens to him involves not only conspiracy within the imperial family but also a personal betrayal by a young man Maria had fallen for. The author lends great understanding to the time and to actual historical figures. |
- Brad Hooper, Booklist |
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In an endeavor similar to his debut novel, The Kitchen Boy, Alexander couples extensive research and poetic license, this time turning his enthusiasm toward perhaps the most intriguing player in the collapse of the Russian dynasty: Rasputin. This eyebrow-raising account of the final week of the notorious mystic's life is set in Petrograd in December 1916 and narrated by Rasputin's fiery teenage daughter, Maria. The air in the newly renamed capital is thick with dangerous rumors, many concerning Maria's father, whose close relationship with the monarchy - he alone can stop the bleeding of the hemophiliac heir to the throne - invokes murderous rage among members of the royal family. Maria is determined to protect her father's life, but the further she delves into his affairs, the more she wonders: who, exactly, is Rasputin? Is he the holy man whose genuine ability to heal inspires a cult of awed penitents, or the libidinous drunkard who consumes 12 bottles of Madeira in a single night, the unrestrained animal she spies "[eagerly] holding [the] housekeeper by her soft parts"? Does this unruly behavior link him to an outlawed sect that believes sin overcomes sin? The combination of Alexander's research and his rich characterizations produces an engaging historical fiction that offers a Rasputin who is neither beast nor saint, but merely, compellingly human. |
- Publishers Weekly |
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This historical fiction is the story of the last weeks of the life of Grigori Rasputin, the mythic Russian religious healer and advisor to Tsar Nicholas and Tsaritsa Alexandra, in the years before their execution.
An illiterate and uneducated peasant from Siberia, he became both beloved and reviled by the powers in Russia, and by the people. Rasputin's daughter, Matryona Grigorievna, or Maria, was only 18 when her father was murdered. She had always adored and respected her father, but during the last months of his life, she discovered some distasteful truths about him.
She had a hard time reconciling the kind, generous man she had always seen, with the man who was sleeping with the housekeeper while his wife was at home in Siberia, and who abused some of his petitioners. Rasputin helped all who came to him, some with advice, some with one of his notes that asked that whatever the petitioner wanted should be granted; some with money. The powerful, the affluent and the nobility showered him with gifts of money and food, and they also came to him for influence.
The vast dichotomy of the disease, turbulence and poverty of the time, against the small but obscenely wealthy aristocracy living in their insular palaces and served by hundreds of retainers, is depicted perfectly.
Alexander's long familiarity with Russia, the language, the customs, and the history is evident here (he has been traveling there for nearly 30 years). Extensive research has paid off in a fascinating chronicle. Secretive, outlawed religious cults, and murderous plots by corrupt government officials and nobility are part of the narrative. Alexander has included snippets of the poetry of Alexander Blok and the beloved Pushkin, a rare pleasure. The book includes an epilogue, a chronology, and a glossary.
Armchair Interviews says: With mesmerizing characters, and an evocative atmosphere Alexander has created an informative and enjoyable book full of historical insight into a tumultuous era. This would make an interesting book club selection. |
- armchairinterviews.com |
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In this follow-up to his popular debut The Kitchen Boy, Alexander again mines the considerable lore of the Russian imperial family. Rasputin, the legendary mad monk, is also a family man raising two daughters in 1916 St. Petersburg. As he ministers to the tsaritsa and her royal brood during the last week of his life, 18-year-old Maria strives to understand the menacing aura surrounding her father. She is both loving and rebellious, but her adventures are limited to a flirtation with a young man. Alexander's wild-eyed romp through a period much studied for its contradictions and cruelties will be a staple of most historical fiction collections. |
- Barbara Conaty, Moscow, Russia (Library Journal) |
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Robert Alexander's initial venture into historical fiction was a great success. "The Kitchen Boy" sold well and appealed to both casual readers and history buffs.
He has now written "Rasputin's Daughter" in which he manages the delicate task of using what is known blended with carefully crafted fiction to create a believable and compelling tale of Rasputin's last days. The story is told through the eyes of his daughter Maria.
The book opens with a quotation from Tarlova that contests the accepted derivation of Rasputin's name. And, there is much here that will cause even the most knowledgeable to ponder just how events played out. What really motivated the individuals we all feel we know reasonably well? What plots and alliances were taking place?
A second voice is heard through the book at intervals to clarify matters that Maria could not have knowledge of-- the narrator becomes known as the tale progresses. There is a postscript with information on the fate of the more prominent characters; a brief chronology and glossary of Russian terms complete this interesting book.
The author uses great restraint and the result of this is that the individuals are believable and their actions understandable. Much information is packed in to this tale and it, as was his previous book, an excellent introduction for the novice. We all wish more people had an intense interest in history. Alexander's books make fine gifts for those who express interest in history but hesitate to make a start. And, they provide an entertaining and satisfying read for the enthusiast.
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- European Royal History Journal |
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