Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #61083 in Books
• Published on: 2007-01-11
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback

Customer Reviews

Heart-breakingly good
This was one of the best books i have read this year.It mantains the age of the child(anastasia)well throughout the book. The pages are filled with her normal life around the palace on the first few pages and you wish that you could live the life that she is living.But then things take a turn for the worst.The one thing that shines through throughout the story is the cheeriness of annastasia's personality.When you finally think that all the heart-ache for the family is over something unbelieveable happens................
Elizabeth (11)

You have to read this book because the whole thing is just so utterly mesmorieing

Sweet but lacking energy
This is a fictionalised diary of Anastassia, the Russian duchess murdered in the revolution. It covers about six years in her life, from when she is given the diary as a birthday present to the fall of her family from power, their subsequent imprisonment and massacre (which is explained in a note from the author at the end).

It's an engaging, easy read, but my problem with it was that of pacing. I didn't feel gripped by the events and I would have liked a more frantic build up to the final few days. Perhaps the author wanted to shock her readers with the abrupt ending, but I felt that the overall narrative arc was weak. However, it's a nice little snapshot of life with Russia's royal family at a turbulent time, and Anastassia herself comes across as an engaging and honest writer.

A moving account
I bought this book for my 11 year old daughter, who is a bookworm and loves history. She finished the book within two days, but obviously found the end upsetting. I have since read this and I feel it is spot on for this age group. It deals with the situation sensitively and helps explain what happened at this point in history well, in a manner in which readers of this age will understand. Ten out of ten from me!