crude words and gory for a young adult read, but very well done.
Daughter of the tzar escapes and tries to get to her side while a girl from the "Reds" unknowing who she is, helps her.
We are all the same--hunger, family, wanting to do good, ...just different views of way to achieve this rather than war and killing ... ( )

I’ve always been fascinated about the life of Anastasia Romanov and the tragic end to her life. In this book, she survives and goes on the run. She runs into Evgenia, who shows a bit of empathy to Anna and they become fugitives together. Evgenia is on the other side of the war from Anna and has strong feelings. Despite those feelings, the two girls make due and vow to survive together. They make it back to Evgenia’s home town but they’re not safe. Both girls have a choice to make - do they stay by each others’ sides or must a betrayal occur? There was a knot in my stomach for most of this book. I couldn’t put it down and shed a few tears when Anna saw a moment in her past. This book was so good and I was sad to finish it. Highly recommend it for an alternative to the tragic story we all know. ( )

I wasn't expecting much from this book (I can't count how many tellings of the Anastasia story I've read), but something about this version felt very compelling. Perhaps because Anna and Evgenia felt very real and their arguments - about revolution, politics, humanity, morality, socialism - also felt very current and relevant. There's also plenty of action and a quick pace, which makes this book an engrossing read. Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction set during the Russian Revolution. ( )

I have read a number of novels about Anastasia Romanov - some good, others not so good. "Daughters of a Dead Empire" was in the former category, in fact, it was one of the best novels about this young girl and the Russian Revolution that I have read. It was full of action, emotion, humanity and historical detail. The author didn't pull any punches and there were some stomach-turning descriptions of brutality, torture and death, From the start, the reader is thrown into the action as Anna escapes from her family's execution and meets Evgenia, a young Bolshevik, who tries to save her.

The narration of the novel is shared by these two young women which provide interesting insights into the differing perspectives of the Revolution. At the start, the two girls are polar opposites in outlook and wealth. However, they are both strong characters and gradually respect and a close friendship forms between them as they interact and protect each other from the dangers they are facing. Their journey is definitely not an easy one but along the way they come across some wonderful secondary characters, especially the Czech officer, Lieutenant Jiri Valchar.

"Daughters of a Dead Empire" was a fabulous read. I was totally invested in the lives of Anna and Evgenia. I could understand their differences and I lived their development. This was an impressive, well-written debut and I am looking forward to reading what Carolyn Tara O'Neil writes next. ( )

I love a good novel about the Romanovs, and this book offers a page-turning adventure as two girls navigate the complexity of war.

Anastasia Romanov (the tsar's daughter) has fled into the forest after the murder of her entire family with a corset full of jewels. When she comes across a village, though, her clothing and speech give her away as aristocracy. But the Bolshevik Evgenia rescues her without knowing her true identity, then agrees to give her a ride in exchange for a diamond. This action-packed novel imagines what Anastasia Romanov would think and feel if she were thrust into a peasant village in the middle of the war.

As the tides of war turn, the girls experience brutality and heroism from both sides. Hunted by the evil Yurovsky, Anna - or Anastasia - brings danger and destruction to everyone whose path she crosses, especially as she works to hide her identity. After Evgenia takes her back to her house, both girls fight to have something to come home to.

The friendship forming between Anna and Evgenia, despite their differences, was the most beautiful part of the book. As they find common ground and suffer disastrous traumas, they take turns showing courageous spunk. What this book lacks in depth of character, it makes up for in offering up the horrific reality of war, which leaves no one untouched, whether your side ultimately wins or loses. ( )