Last Empress, the -

I just could not put down this book. It is exceptional. THis should be required reading for any history course on Alexandra and Nicholas. What I liked about it was how the author made history interesting and gave life to the people he wrote about. He brings compassion to the subjects and really explains the complexities of WW1. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in the last tsar and tsarina of Russia. It is a very intriguing read.

This book is the BEST biography on Alexandra Feodorovna. Very detailed information. I've been a Romanov fan for a long time and when I got this book, it had information I had never heard of before, from her childhood to her bloody end. This is a MUST-HAVE book if you're interested in Alexandra Feodorovna OR the Romanovs. Well done, Greg King!!!

In this wonderfully nuanced book, Greg King explores one of the most complex and contraversial figures in Russian history. Alexandra Romanov was universally reviled by the Russian people and scorned by the Russian aristocracy. King does an excellent job of exposing the woman beneath the legend. One the one hand you see the exceptionally devoted wife and mother who desperately fights to preserve her family and their heritage. On the other hand, you see an unyielding and essentially stupid autocrat who is unable and unwilling to accept wise counsel or clearly see the dangers all around her. The story of Rasputin is the perfect example. She remains desperately devoted to the Russian holy man because of her belief that he can save her hemophiliac son despite the overwhelming evidence that he is a serious threat to the empire. Alexandra is a fascinating subject, and King's balanced analysis of her character and her impact on the history of Russia is excellent. King combines excellent research with complelling story-telling. This book leaves you with a sense of sympathy for such a misunderstood woman and a simultaneous frstration that she was so stubbornly misguided in her attempts to influence political events.

My personal interest in the Romanov monarchy is relatively recent. Mr. King's book was the first of many that I have read regarding the subject of the Romanovs, particularly Empress Alexandra. I believe that the forenote by Nicholas Romanov says it best; That she must be viewed as two different women, the first as Empress, the second as wife and mother. I enjoyed this book so much that I have since read it 3 times, and on each occasion acquiring something more about her tragic past and upbringing. The direct influence of the British monarchy in the prior 2 generations had so much bearing on the developement of Alexandra's personality. Although her thought processes become somewhat twisted in adulthood, and her behavior having been so influenced by Rasputin, she was a desperate mother praying for a desperate answer. Even though there was so little information at that time regarding hemophilia, her self blame and lack of understanding led to her fanaticism with her faith. Nicholas simply was not the assertive man that she desperately needed and yet she pushed him so hard and isolated him from the people of Russia, that he knew no other way to lead, hence a tragic outcome. This text has a permanent place on my bookshelves. Excellent!

If you are fascinated by late 19th century Russian History...then this is the book to read. Mr. King does not merely present facts and end results. He delves into personal issues (e.g., upbringing, personalities, fears, and pride) and reveals that it was the Emperor and Empress' humanity that led to their ultimate demise