ANASTASIA AND HER SISTERS

Anastasia and her siblings may be kept in ignorance about most of the tragedy and upheaval affecting Russia in the early 20th century, but that doesn't stop them from worrying about the world beyond their daily lives.

The czar's family is kept in luxury, but Anastasia, Olga, Tatiana and Marie Romanova still complain occasionally about their lives, either in their secret diaries or to one another. And they do have reason for complaint. They are expected to sit for long state dinners and formal parties, and even worse, they can’t decide for themselves whom they will marry. As World War I and subsequent riots begin to erode the only world they've ever known, they try to protect themselves from the growing threat. Even as the people they thought loved them disappear or join the rebellion, they still have one another. Meyer weaves historic details with precision and flair, creating a private world for Anastasia and her sisters that any teenage girl will recognize, one fraught with longing, demands for independence and romantic regret. Those readers who are already familiar with the family’s final destination will be able to catch moments of foreshadowing and get the most out of the tale.

A richly detailed introduction to the tragedy of the last royal family of Russia.