Russia possesses a very rich cultural history that remains largely overlooked in popular American literature. Recently though books like The Age of Ice by J. M. Sidorova and Baba Yaga by Toby Barlow have started to bring Russian fiction potential into the light, combining innovative writing styles with the rich creative resources available in Russian history. J. Nelle Patrick jumps on the bandwagon with Tsarina, a tale of conflict and magic during the Russian Revolution.
Natalya Kutepova, the daughter of a prominent Russian general, is madly in love with Alexei Romanov, the heir to the Russian throne. Even though they're form different social tiers within the Russian nobility, everyone knows they'll be married, and Natalya will be the Tsarina. One night at the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg Alexei, who has always been a prisoner of his hemophelia, shows Natalya the greatest and most powerful Romanov secret: a Fabergé egg that contains the power of Russia itself, protecting the Romanov family and those they love, and acting as a symbol that they are the true rulers of Russia. It is this power that has kept Alexei save all these years, a gift from Grigori Rasputin.
But the Russian Revolution interrupts Natalya and Alexei's fairytale romance, driving the Romanovs into hiding and eventual capture by the Reds. Natalya goes into hiding as a peasat, along with her friend Emilia. Natalya is determined to sneak into the occupied Winter Palace and find the Fabergé egg, to keep it safe with her and Emilia in Paris until the revolution dies down, thus preserving the Romanov connection with Russia itself. However, Natalya isn't the only one who wants to claim the fabled egg; a Red Party member and an old mystic both want the power of Russia for their own people too. And so across the harshly beautiful backdrop of Russia Natalya battles doubt, thugs, and even her own heart to save the man she loves and secure the future of her country.
This book makes me want to visit Russia even more. Patrick does an exceptional job describing the vibrant colors of the city and how they stand out against the landscape. She also describes how harsh Russia can be as a place, especially during the winter, by relating stories of Napoleon's army and Polish invaders. Neither force was able to withstand the brutality of a Russian winter.
In order for the concept of the Fabergé egg to really work as a vessel for the mystical energy of an entire land, there had to be a certain amount of anthropromorphization present in the writing. That is, Russia had to be a vibrant, living entity on its own to be able to use its power to willingly protect its monarchs. This concept was very skillfully worked into the writing, so that as a reader I didn't feel like it was a shock to have the idea of the land's sentience introduced. Maybe that's because Natalya always thinks of Russia as an independent entity, separate from its people.
**SPOILER ALERT** At the end of the book Natalya winds up destroying the egg, but this is not covered in the text. I felt that this was a huge mistake on the part of the author, since the egg has been the focus of most of the book's conflict. The only thing the reader is told, though, is a brief mention in passing as Natalya and Leo sit together on a train. This was a very big turn of events, in my mind, and should have had some detail attributed to it in the last chapter.
I was also disappointed to learn how historically inaccurate the story was, regarding the events of the Russian Revolution. This is something that Patrick admits freely, and doesn't detract from the story line, but to me personally it was something of a letdown. Patrick did do a lot of research though, and was able to describe in the Author's Note some of the specifics of what she changed and why. For example, main characters Natalya and Leo are both completely fictional, and the revolutions in St. Petersburg and Moscow, which were events separated by an entire winter, were pushed together for the sake of the story. While these key parts were far from historically accurate, the details in the book like clothing, weather, and expression of political attitude all felt very genuine.
Fans of Russian folktales and wartime romance will love this book, as will readers of dark fairytales (like the original stories by the brothers Grimm). While the protagonists here are around 18 years old, their challenges are so very adult that I would not just classify this as a Young Adult novel. Instead, I believe it to be equally suitable for teen and adult readers. Tsarina by J. Nelle Patrick will be available on February 27th. You can talk to your local independent bookstore to see about pre-ordering.
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