Title: The Winter Palace
Author: Eva Stachniak
Category: Fiction
Genre(s): Historical fiction
Length: 440 pages (medium)
Source: Powell’s Bookstore in Portland, OR
Premise: A chronicle of a young Catherine the Great of Russia through the eyes of a Russian spy. A Polish girl, Barbara, moves to St. Petersburg with her parents so that her father can find more work as a bookbinder and improve their fortunes. When she is left an orphan she manages to get a job as a spy for Empress Elizabeth of Russia. The book is just as much about Elizabeth as it is about Catherine, but there is a focus on Catherine’s transformation from a helpless, broke foreign princess to a powerful empress ruling all of Russia, and the (fictional) role the Barbara plays in this.
Review: This was, from the beginning, more gritty and gut-wrenching than I had expected. The author really gets across the horrors of living without modern medicine in a very cold area with an irresponsible ruler. Barbara faces hardships from the start that just keep getting worse, but Sanchez is excellent with character growth. It could certainly be categorized as a coming-of-age story, for both Barbara and Catherine. It’s all the more poignant because it’s written in first person. I did feel it was a bit slow to start, but I encourage readers to stick with it, because the background information and setup are essential later on.
Characters: Well-developed. Everyone is morally grey, often tending towards dark grey. I didn’t particularly like any of them, but I couldn’t help sympathizing with Barbara’s often terrible situation so I was quite invested in her well-being, and through her, Catherine’s.
Plot: The beginning starts a little slow, but it’s all essential setup. Plenty of scandal.
Knowledge: Very detailed. It gives a strong sense of the period, especially in the small details, including the quite unpleasant ones. The author doesn’t sugarcoat! It’s clear Stachniak has done her research.
Dialogue: Since Barbara’s a spy, she spends a lot of time telling the Empress the information she’s discovered, which is summarized rather than written out word-for-word in quotes. This was an interesting approach that proved quite effectual. We also are privy to a lot of the inner workings of Barbara’s mind, as the book is in first person perspective.
Description: The text is detailed in a very natural way that really brings the period to life!
What I liked best: The historical details were amazing!
What I liked least: I prefer my historical books a little more…glamorous. That’s what happens when you read too many historical romances! But that’s just me, it was an excellent book.
Would I read it again? Perhaps, after it’s been long enough that I’ve forgotten the plot. It’s sitting on my shelf, after all.
Not recommended for: The faint of heart, or those who aren’t interested in historical fiction.
Recommended for: Lovers of historical fiction who want realism in their books as well as plenty of intrigue.
If you like this book, I recommend: TBD.
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