Anastasia's Secret - Softcover

Grade 9 Up—Dunlap's novel combines life in imperial Russia during World War I and young love. Anastasia encounters an adolescent royal guard named Sasha, and the two become friends and lovers. The guard educates her on life outside of the palace walls, and, through Anastasia, Sasha sees the humanity of the royal family. The writing is quite atmospheric, providing a sense of the physical, political, and historical environment at the time. It also conveys an incredible amount of detail about the Romanovs' daily lives before and during their captivity, humanizing even the tsar and tsarista. The author articulates the emotions of the characters well, and Anastasia grows from a naive duchess to a young woman attuned to the social and political situation of the day. The romantic relationship, which is consummated and continues while the family is under house arrest, is less believable given the security surrounding the royals. A list of the family members, primary servants, and head guards precedes the story. Dunlap also provides an epilogue that details the conclusion of the Romanov dynasty.—Hilary Writt, Sullivan University, Lexington, KY
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