The Family Romanov by Candace Fleming

The Family Romanov review by Sarah Bartholomew

 1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Fleming, Candace.The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion & the Fall of Imperial Russia. New York, NY: Schwartz & Wade Books, 2014.

ISBN 9780375867828

2. PLOT SUMMARY

This novel follows Tsar Nicolas II’s reign as emperor of Russia. Family Romanov covers beyond life in the palace; documenting the turmoil that the country endured and eventually rebelled against during the early 20th century. It follows the fall of the monarchy and the beginnings of The Soviet Union. 

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This book should be read with parental guidance. The majority of this book is kid-friendly, however, there are sections that discuss sexual promiscuity, substance abuse, and graphically describe violent events that may be disturbing for youth below a certain maturity level. The Family Romanov is a wonderfully written piece, detailing the lives of the Romanov family and the lives of their subjects. Fleming supported the story with several quotes, diary entries, and other primary sources to give the reader a better idea of what royals, peasants, and factory workers thought of Russia at the time. These sources help to emphasize just how oblivious the royal family was to the class division in Russia. The style of the book allows for it to be read like a work of fiction. The book would have been more intriguing had the author supplemented the text with pictures of the people and family at the time. There were several pictures included in the book. However, they were all bunched together in the middle and end of the book. This work would be much more appealing if the pictures were embedded in the text. 

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

2015 ROBERT F. SIBERT INFORMATIONAL BOOK MEDAL WINNER

2015 ORBIS PICTUS AWARD WINNER

From School Library Journal: “The narrative alternates between a straightforward recounting of the Romanovs' lives and primary source narratives of peasants' lives. The contrast is compelling and enhances understanding of how the divide between the extremely rich and the very poor can lead directly to violent and dramatic political change.”

From The Washington Post: “delivers another engaging and insightful work of history, giving young readers a clear sense of the complicated world in which the Romanov family lived and died”

From Kirkus Reviews: “Fleming crafts an exciting narrative from this complicated history and its intriguing personalities. It is full of rich details about the Romanovs, insights into figures such as Vladimir Lenin, and firsthand accounts from ordinary Russians affected by the tumultuous events. A variety of photographs adds a solid visual dimension, while the meticulous research supports but never upstages the tale.”

5. CONNECTIONS

Gather other works by Candace Fleming

Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart ISBN 9780593177846

The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh ISBN ‎9780525646549

        The Curse of the Mummy: Uncovering Tutankhamun's Tomb ISBN 9781338596618

Gather other stories about the fall of Imperial Russia