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Romanov #1
The Kitchen Boy: A Novel of the Last Tsar
Drawing from decades of work, travel, and research in Russia, Robert Alexander re-creates the tragic, perennially fascinating story of the final days of Nicholas and Alexandra as seen through the eyes of the Romanovs' young kitchen boy, Leonka. Now an ancient Russian immigrant, Leonka claims to be the last living witness to the Romanovs' brutal murders and sets down the dark secrets of his past with the imperial family. Does he hold the key to the many questions surrounding the family's murder? Historically vivid and compelling, The Kitchen Boy is also a touching portrait of a loving family that was in many ways similar, yet so different, from any other.
229 pages, Paperback
First published January 27, 2003
711 people are currently reading
22.6k people want to read
About the author
Robert Alexander
126books278followersRobert Alexander is the author of the bestselling novels Rasputin's Daughter, The Kitchen Boy, and the forthcoming The Romanov Bride. He has spent over thirty years traveling to Russia, where he has studied and also worked for the U.S. government. He speaks frequently to book clubs, and the schedule for his live video webcasts can be found at his website:
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,684 reviews
April 9, 2008
Hey, I wrote it, what am I supposed to say but I love it!
July 31, 2018
aaaand my massive binge read on all russian related books continues. я ни о чем не жалею!
if i hadnt already known before picking this up that it was a work of historical fiction, i would have never assumed that. not in a million years. i was blown away at how much of this read like a memoir. the story felt so personal and so realistically genuine. yes, the events that happened were unfortunately real, but wow. i believed nearly every single word of this book! and if that isnt a testament to the phenomenal quality of this story (not to mention the research done to ensure its accuracy), then i dont know what is.
i found this to be quite moving, highly informational, and truly a gem of a book on what was otherwise a terribly dark moment in history. very well done!
� 4 stars
if i hadnt already known before picking this up that it was a work of historical fiction, i would have never assumed that. not in a million years. i was blown away at how much of this read like a memoir. the story felt so personal and so realistically genuine. yes, the events that happened were unfortunately real, but wow. i believed nearly every single word of this book! and if that isnt a testament to the phenomenal quality of this story (not to mention the research done to ensure its accuracy), then i dont know what is.
i found this to be quite moving, highly informational, and truly a gem of a book on what was otherwise a terribly dark moment in history. very well done!
� 4 stars
October 1, 2021
4.5 stars *rounded up*
Many years ago, in my high school world history class, I was assigned a research project. I cannot recall how or why I ended up with Rasputin being my research topic, but he became the subject of my project. It was then and there that my strong interest in the Romanov story was born. Ever since, I have been fascinated by the Romanov family and this tumultuous piece of history. And for anyone interested in the tragic tale of the Romanovs, The Kitchen Boy is a fantastic read.
This novel, by Robert Alexander, is a fine piece of historical fiction. Told from the perspective of Leonka, a kitchen boy, working in the house where the Romanovs were imprisoned, this novel explores the last few weeks of the Romanov’s lives. Robert Alexander does an excellent job with the entire setting and feeling of this book. It feels very personal and poignant, and the flow of this novel is astounding. Although we all know what ultimately happens to the Romanov family, the build up along the way is full of tension, anxiety, and fear. There is a heaviness that accompanies this story. Not only that, there are deeper mysteries lurking throughout this novel. Connecting present with past, truths and lies and confessions come pouring out, giving the reader a very interesting mystery to piece together. I must say, I thought by the end I had it all figured out, but I did not! The last several pages had me completely on edge.
For fans of historical fiction, for fans of historical mysteries, and for anyone who is simply curious about the Romanov family, I highly recommend The Kitchen Boy.
Many years ago, in my high school world history class, I was assigned a research project. I cannot recall how or why I ended up with Rasputin being my research topic, but he became the subject of my project. It was then and there that my strong interest in the Romanov story was born. Ever since, I have been fascinated by the Romanov family and this tumultuous piece of history. And for anyone interested in the tragic tale of the Romanovs, The Kitchen Boy is a fantastic read.
This novel, by Robert Alexander, is a fine piece of historical fiction. Told from the perspective of Leonka, a kitchen boy, working in the house where the Romanovs were imprisoned, this novel explores the last few weeks of the Romanov’s lives. Robert Alexander does an excellent job with the entire setting and feeling of this book. It feels very personal and poignant, and the flow of this novel is astounding. Although we all know what ultimately happens to the Romanov family, the build up along the way is full of tension, anxiety, and fear. There is a heaviness that accompanies this story. Not only that, there are deeper mysteries lurking throughout this novel. Connecting present with past, truths and lies and confessions come pouring out, giving the reader a very interesting mystery to piece together. I must say, I thought by the end I had it all figured out, but I did not! The last several pages had me completely on edge.
For fans of historical fiction, for fans of historical mysteries, and for anyone who is simply curious about the Romanov family, I highly recommend The Kitchen Boy.
December 12, 2014
Like all well-educated individuals, I first learned about the Romanovs from the animated movie Anastasia. I know you remember it. Don't deny it.
A Brief Father Cameo
A Sweet Romance BetweenMeg Ryan Anastasia and John Cusack Dimitri
You Want a Little Sass with that Romance? You Betcha!
I am still a kid at heart and still adore this movie for everything that it is (I fear that "accurate" is not something that it is). Unfortunately, this means that myobsession interest was based on LIES. Being aware of this, I decided to approach The Kitchen Boy as a newborn babe - unaware, innocent, and wrinkly yet adorable.
You know what I loved about this book?
Well, a lot of things, but the first was that it didn't go on and on and on and on (much like this review may end up doing). It was short and precise but also very powerful.
There is a mystery/twist, but I was a little oblivious and didn't get caught up in that at all. Much of the book was the day to day activities of the Romanov family and the select servants still with them, but it didn't feel repetitive. Even the mundane "rinse, lather, repeat" days fascinated me. The mystery/twist was just a bonus.
I loved that the way the characters were presented made me grow attached to them.
Good Because: I felt connected to the characters. I felt like I was there. A fly on the wall. I felt my heart break for that poor Tsar and Tsarista because they weren't evil; they were just oblivious and ignorant and too wrapped up in their own family and four walls. And while I don't love feeling sad (ok, sometimes I do), I do love a book that can make me feel.
Bad Because: I just dreaded what I knew was going to happen all the more. I went to bed right before that part of the book because I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep if I read it then.
I loved that there was Russian throughout. It made me want to learn Russian, and I was walking around my house repeating words in an incrediblyhorrific amazing Russian accent/imitation. I felt so fancy!
I don't read a ton of historical fiction because the story I read usually gets into my head, and I confuse it with the truth. I forget that it is a work of fiction and find it difficult to detach and remember that it was written as a fictional account of events. This is why I appreciated the authors note:
...the indented passages, select notes, and letters attributed to the Romanovs, their captors, and Rasputin are all accurate and can be found in various archives.
This helped me separate the fiction from the non-fiction. Sometimes a girl needs a little help. Next time I will just pick up a non-fiction book and save myself the headache.
Still a great book and a great story.
4 Stars
A Brief Father Cameo
A Sweet Romance Between
You Want a Little Sass with that Romance? You Betcha!
I am still a kid at heart and still adore this movie for everything that it is (I fear that "accurate" is not something that it is). Unfortunately, this means that my
You know what I loved about this book?
Well, a lot of things, but the first was that it didn't go on and on and on and on (much like this review may end up doing). It was short and precise but also very powerful.
There is a mystery/twist, but I was a little oblivious and didn't get caught up in that at all. Much of the book was the day to day activities of the Romanov family and the select servants still with them, but it didn't feel repetitive. Even the mundane "rinse, lather, repeat" days fascinated me. The mystery/twist was just a bonus.
I loved that the way the characters were presented made me grow attached to them.
Good Because: I felt connected to the characters. I felt like I was there. A fly on the wall. I felt my heart break for that poor Tsar and Tsarista because they weren't evil; they were just oblivious and ignorant and too wrapped up in their own family and four walls. And while I don't love feeling sad (ok, sometimes I do), I do love a book that can make me feel.
Bad Because: I just dreaded what I knew was going to happen all the more. I went to bed right before that part of the book because I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep if I read it then.
I loved that there was Russian throughout. It made me want to learn Russian, and I was walking around my house repeating words in an incredibly
I don't read a ton of historical fiction because the story I read usually gets into my head, and I confuse it with the truth. I forget that it is a work of fiction and find it difficult to detach and remember that it was written as a fictional account of events. This is why I appreciated the authors note:
...the indented passages, select notes, and letters attributed to the Romanovs, their captors, and Rasputin are all accurate and can be found in various archives.
This helped me separate the fiction from the non-fiction. Sometimes a girl needs a little help. Next time I will just pick up a non-fiction book and save myself the headache.
Still a great book and a great story.
4 Stars
March 27, 2008
For the first 170 pages, I felt like the Alexander was beating a dead horse by focusing on the same four points over and over again. 1)Leonka was the kitchen boy, 2)Although Tsar and Tsaritsa had many failings, they were good people that deeply loved their family and Russia, 3) The conditions the Romanovs were kept in were terrible with little hope of escape, and 4)Misha hated himself for how history unfolded. Seriously, I was sick of these points being described again and again. Yet, I didn't skip a single sentence. I think that's because Alexander would unfold them in a slightly different angel every time. So... I guess I liked Alexander’s writing style.
By the way, this was our Book Club's March book. Many of my friends had finished the book before I did. They kept telling me how the end had a twist and how they were still thinking about the ending. I thought, “How could this book have a cool twist for an ending?� The book was so straight forward and dull with description that I knew I could predict the ending. So, I thought of the most wild and strangest endings I could think of—just in case it was a really crazy twist. I am not going to appear smart at my Book Club on Thursday. I was NO WHERE close to guessing the ending!!!
The last seventy pages, WOW! I couldn't read fast enough! There were so many twists and turns. And that's how I came to give this book three stars.
And guess what? Those four points is what makes the ending that much better.
By the way, this was our Book Club's March book. Many of my friends had finished the book before I did. They kept telling me how the end had a twist and how they were still thinking about the ending. I thought, “How could this book have a cool twist for an ending?� The book was so straight forward and dull with description that I knew I could predict the ending. So, I thought of the most wild and strangest endings I could think of—just in case it was a really crazy twist. I am not going to appear smart at my Book Club on Thursday. I was NO WHERE close to guessing the ending!!!
The last seventy pages, WOW! I couldn't read fast enough! There were so many twists and turns. And that's how I came to give this book three stars.
And guess what? Those four points is what makes the ending that much better.
February 9, 2020
Sem palavras!! Cheguei a meio do livro e não o larguei até terminar já de madrugada!
September 12, 2018
9,5 de 10*
Aqui está um livro completo! Não tenho nada a apontar, já que gostei de tudo nele. O tema - a história trágica dos últimos dias da família Romanov, a forma como nos é contada, com um narrador fabuloso que me agarrou da primeira à última letra, a escolha de uma forma possível do desfecho deste episódio trágico muito bem construída e ainda uma surpresa no final. Perfeito!
Comentário completo em:
Aqui está um livro completo! Não tenho nada a apontar, já que gostei de tudo nele. O tema - a história trágica dos últimos dias da família Romanov, a forma como nos é contada, com um narrador fabuloso que me agarrou da primeira à última letra, a escolha de uma forma possível do desfecho deste episódio trágico muito bem construída e ainda uma surpresa no final. Perfeito!
Comentário completo em:
February 4, 2017
I was assigned this book for school; my Ma hadn't read it, just bought it offline. It went with our last year's study of Russia, and the Romanov family. Granted, of course, we learned plenty and read books on the time line, learned about Russia, saw the anger and the mobs during that bad time, etc.
But no book brought to life just how tragic and serious that time of history was like this fictional novel. Not for me.
I was never interested much in the history of Russia. I'd started reading the Last Tsar, and found that obviously the history was absolutely awful. An entire royal family being murdered in the same room, with their servants and their dog, too; I couldn't imagine that graphic, that horrific kind of thing.
This book is from the fiction perspective of the 'kitchen boy'- he lives with the Romanov family while they're 'under lock down' (basically, that's what happened). Honestly, I can't give much of this story away because it's just... so stunning and astonishingly told.
The story leads you on. Not slowly, nor so fast you lose track of what's happening. I loved how it was told, the style of writing. It wasn't some far-fetched, extravagant tale- no. It was told in a serious, startling tone. That time of history was crucial- and it was told as such. It wasn't on a whim; the story and the perspective it was told from was all very keen.
I was never bored. I was dragged in so fast, by the writing, by the story: I was gaping. At how significant it all was. How it all happened in history. Whether I was grounded by the actual history, or the fictional bits that slid so perfectly in alignment with the truth (the history)....
It seriously all fell into place. Into perspective. Into line. Whether I was staring in utter surprise, or covering my mouth because 'Dang. Dang.': it was all real. Real, cruel, hard, smooth and then jagged, hope and no hope....
The only thing that bummed me with this book, was the fact there seemed to be no hope. If there was, it was crushed and found as a lie. I didn't particularity like that- with the kitchen boy's end... I feel that he didn't have to end like that. With no hope. Perhaps the author (and the world) found what ended and how the boy's thoughts were in his final time more 'realistic' or something... But I don't. As the story is told, yes, the narrator did some very, very bad things. But I was forced to think as I read: would God forgive him? If the man asked for forgiveness for what he had done, would Yeshua have forgiven him? I do not know if the author was a Christian or such; but that ending, that part, I found wrong. Hope, faith, it IS there. We are not lost cases. Not with God.
God was in no part of this book, so I didn't quite expect for hope to be found in the story: but I wish it had. I think that if faith in God had been a part of the narrators heart: it would have been different for him. Because he did not, I felt deeply sorry for him. It was that gripping and moving of a book, in a way; though I wrestled in distaste because no hope was present, I still saw the character's utter lost self. It showed me what we really are without God, when we face our sins and past alone. Without mercy, without His Love.
This book is still one of the best I think I've read. It was a fascinating, heart wrenching story. The history itself has lessons to teach, and to see it written out in such a story really made it all the more vivid.
This book is not a 'clean' novel: it is about a very dark, horrific time in history. It portrays the history as such. Because of this, this book is graphic, and bad cussing is used once in the book (at least, super bad cussing.).... While some of the facts of this book may be unsettling for others, it was not that bad to me, and the book seemed very honest to me... I got the insights of just how bad it was.
But no book brought to life just how tragic and serious that time of history was like this fictional novel. Not for me.
I was never interested much in the history of Russia. I'd started reading the Last Tsar, and found that obviously the history was absolutely awful. An entire royal family being murdered in the same room, with their servants and their dog, too; I couldn't imagine that graphic, that horrific kind of thing.
This book is from the fiction perspective of the 'kitchen boy'- he lives with the Romanov family while they're 'under lock down' (basically, that's what happened). Honestly, I can't give much of this story away because it's just... so stunning and astonishingly told.
The story leads you on. Not slowly, nor so fast you lose track of what's happening. I loved how it was told, the style of writing. It wasn't some far-fetched, extravagant tale- no. It was told in a serious, startling tone. That time of history was crucial- and it was told as such. It wasn't on a whim; the story and the perspective it was told from was all very keen.
I was never bored. I was dragged in so fast, by the writing, by the story: I was gaping. At how significant it all was. How it all happened in history. Whether I was grounded by the actual history, or the fictional bits that slid so perfectly in alignment with the truth (the history)....
It seriously all fell into place. Into perspective. Into line. Whether I was staring in utter surprise, or covering my mouth because 'Dang. Dang.': it was all real. Real, cruel, hard, smooth and then jagged, hope and no hope....
The only thing that bummed me with this book, was the fact there seemed to be no hope. If there was, it was crushed and found as a lie. I didn't particularity like that- with the kitchen boy's end... I feel that he didn't have to end like that. With no hope. Perhaps the author (and the world) found what ended and how the boy's thoughts were in his final time more 'realistic' or something... But I don't. As the story is told, yes, the narrator did some very, very bad things. But I was forced to think as I read: would God forgive him? If the man asked for forgiveness for what he had done, would Yeshua have forgiven him? I do not know if the author was a Christian or such; but that ending, that part, I found wrong. Hope, faith, it IS there. We are not lost cases. Not with God.
God was in no part of this book, so I didn't quite expect for hope to be found in the story: but I wish it had. I think that if faith in God had been a part of the narrators heart: it would have been different for him. Because he did not, I felt deeply sorry for him. It was that gripping and moving of a book, in a way; though I wrestled in distaste because no hope was present, I still saw the character's utter lost self. It showed me what we really are without God, when we face our sins and past alone. Without mercy, without His Love.
This book is still one of the best I think I've read. It was a fascinating, heart wrenching story. The history itself has lessons to teach, and to see it written out in such a story really made it all the more vivid.
This book is not a 'clean' novel: it is about a very dark, horrific time in history. It portrays the history as such. Because of this, this book is graphic, and bad cussing is used once in the book (at least, super bad cussing.).... While some of the facts of this book may be unsettling for others, it was not that bad to me, and the book seemed very honest to me... I got the insights of just how bad it was.
October 11, 2015
Nikolai, Aleksandra, and their five children were the ultimate symbols, both good and bad, of all that was Russia...
3.5 stars. If like me, you know very little about the Romanov's, this is an excellent introduction. The author explains, while blending it in as part of the story, the politics and history. He also shows that bad rulers, can still be good people. And to top it off he manages to still add a lot of suspense to a story where everyone knows the ending.
3.5 stars. If like me, you know very little about the Romanov's, this is an excellent introduction. The author explains, while blending it in as part of the story, the politics and history. He also shows that bad rulers, can still be good people. And to top it off he manages to still add a lot of suspense to a story where everyone knows the ending.
February 24, 2011
I am demoting this book to two stars because after stewing for a couple of months, I've decided it annoys me.
The Kitchen Boy is not bad. The language of the narration is interesting. There is a stilted, halting, slightly awkward flow to the language which reminds me of how my husband (who lived in Russia until his mid-20s) would write in English. I'm not sure if Robert Alexander (a native English speaker) wrote like this on purpose or not. But in general I'm not very impressed with the style.
I've generally avoided reading fictional accounts of the Romanovs generally because there is so much documentation on who they were and what happened to them - and their story is so outrageous, sickening, and heartbreaking - that fiction just seems unnecessary. And there's a lot of EXTREMELY well-written nonfiction books on the subject. Just read Robert Massie's , for god's sake.
Most of the book is confessional-style - the narrator (the kitchen boy) is spilling his guts to a tape recorder. There is a fairly predictable twist at the end and I don't really buy some of the reasoning that the characters made justifying the secrecy.
The Kitchen Boy is not bad. The language of the narration is interesting. There is a stilted, halting, slightly awkward flow to the language which reminds me of how my husband (who lived in Russia until his mid-20s) would write in English. I'm not sure if Robert Alexander (a native English speaker) wrote like this on purpose or not. But in general I'm not very impressed with the style.
I've generally avoided reading fictional accounts of the Romanovs generally because there is so much documentation on who they were and what happened to them - and their story is so outrageous, sickening, and heartbreaking - that fiction just seems unnecessary. And there's a lot of EXTREMELY well-written nonfiction books on the subject. Just read Robert Massie's , for god's sake.
Most of the book is confessional-style - the narrator (the kitchen boy) is spilling his guts to a tape recorder. There is a fairly predictable twist at the end and I don't really buy some of the reasoning that the characters made justifying the secrecy.
June 30, 2017
Ok, so it was about history that you can read in any book, right? Wrong! Knowing what eventually happened as hinted at in the book, I switched over to Wikipedia for a little more background to the story, you know, to fill in the blanks. Oh, there were plenty of details concerning those mass murdering Reds all right. Something that somebody should have pointed out to my fellow students back in '72 who thought that Communists were cool dudes. You see, that must have been what the Tsar and his family thought as they patiently awaited their fate. After all, they loved Russia and their people loved them, or so they thought.
I wasn't the only one drawn to researching more to this story. My fellow book club members admitted to this same magnetism that the author managed to create between his characters and the readers.
Yes it was history, but the author so skillfully wove the participants lives into his tale that it wasn't until the very end that you realize that it is indeed a brilliant work of fiction.
I wasn't the only one drawn to researching more to this story. My fellow book club members admitted to this same magnetism that the author managed to create between his characters and the readers.
Yes it was history, but the author so skillfully wove the participants lives into his tale that it wasn't until the very end that you realize that it is indeed a brilliant work of fiction.
September 11, 2018
Que livro espetacular!
O Leonka, o nosso narrador é brilhante. Descreve acontecimentos com uma emoção e carinho fora de série. Nem parece que a ação se passa numa casa com uma família e alguns criados como prisioneiros e os seus guardas.
Está muito bem ficcionado e tem ali 2 plot twists finais fantásticos. Que me levaram a dar-lhe a pontuação máxima.
A hemofilia está muito bem explicada. Quem não percebe nada de hereditariedade consegue perfeitamente perceber como se transmite a doença.
De salientar que o autor não recorreu a um chiché bastante conhecido sobre o fim dos Romanov o que também me agradou bastante.
Porque é que não li este livro há mais tempo!? 🤔
O Leonka, o nosso narrador é brilhante. Descreve acontecimentos com uma emoção e carinho fora de série. Nem parece que a ação se passa numa casa com uma família e alguns criados como prisioneiros e os seus guardas.
Está muito bem ficcionado e tem ali 2 plot twists finais fantásticos. Que me levaram a dar-lhe a pontuação máxima.
A hemofilia está muito bem explicada. Quem não percebe nada de hereditariedade consegue perfeitamente perceber como se transmite a doença.
De salientar que o autor não recorreu a um chiché bastante conhecido sobre o fim dos Romanov o que também me agradou bastante.
Porque é que não li este livro há mais tempo!? 🤔
February 24, 2019
Tantas vezes procurei este livro na biblioteca, mas estava sempre indisponível. Finalmente apanhei-o e, oh, fantástico!
Este livro foi realmente algo! Eu sabia que realmente ainda havia algo por descobrir!
É uma leitura dolorosa, mas aquele epílogo foi realmente bom. Factos misturados com a imaginação nem sempre correm bem, no entanto, acho que resultaram neste livro. Há quem ache que possa ser demasiado o final escolhido pelo autor, mesmo que seja, esta lufada de esperança foi realmente saborosa no fim.
O facto de eu pouco saber sobre esta família, para além do óbvio, ajudou a manter-me interessada e agarrada à história. Definitivamente quero ler mais sobre os Romanov.
Este livro foi realmente algo! Eu sabia que realmente ainda havia algo por descobrir!
É uma leitura dolorosa, mas aquele epílogo foi realmente bom. Factos misturados com a imaginação nem sempre correm bem, no entanto, acho que resultaram neste livro. Há quem ache que possa ser demasiado o final escolhido pelo autor, mesmo que seja, esta lufada de esperança foi realmente saborosa no fim.
O facto de eu pouco saber sobre esta família, para além do óbvio, ajudou a manter-me interessada e agarrada à história. Definitivamente quero ler mais sobre os Romanov.
March 28, 2008
Robert Alexander’s The Kitchen Boy is a fictionalized account of the Romanovs� last days. Several historical records mention a kitchen boy working for Tsar Nicholas and Tsarina Alexandra during their captivity in Yekaterinburg. These references inspired the novel.
Misha is the kitchen boy. In the late 1990s, he lives in the United States and has recently lost his wife. Before dying himself, he makes a tape for his granddaughter, explaining exactly what happened to the Romanovs on the days preceding and immediately following their murders.
I was fascinated by the account, particularly since most of my background on the topic comes directly from the animated feature Anastasia.
Alexander humanizes the royal family but also holds them accountable for much of Russia’s recent history. Indeed, Misha suggests if the royal family had acted differently, had been more in tune with the country, they could have prevented Stalin’s eventual reign of terror and spared the lives of millions.
Despite their heavy historical responsibility, despite knowing their fates, I irrationally hoped the family, particularly the children, would escape and was horrified by the manner of their deaths. The women had hidden jewels in their corsets. When the firing squad shot at the princesses, the bullets ricocheted off the gems, prolonging their deaths.
Unfortunately, the book’s ending goes astray, pushing reality so much I could no longer suspend my disbelief. Like Alexander’s Rasputin’s Daughter, though, Kitchen Boy inspired me to research further to discover how much of Alexander’s account was based on fact and what we really know about those last few days. Despite the obvious liberties Alexander takes, the book does not claim to be anything but fiction; it is well written and certainly entertaining.
Misha is the kitchen boy. In the late 1990s, he lives in the United States and has recently lost his wife. Before dying himself, he makes a tape for his granddaughter, explaining exactly what happened to the Romanovs on the days preceding and immediately following their murders.
I was fascinated by the account, particularly since most of my background on the topic comes directly from the animated feature Anastasia.
Alexander humanizes the royal family but also holds them accountable for much of Russia’s recent history. Indeed, Misha suggests if the royal family had acted differently, had been more in tune with the country, they could have prevented Stalin’s eventual reign of terror and spared the lives of millions.
Despite their heavy historical responsibility, despite knowing their fates, I irrationally hoped the family, particularly the children, would escape and was horrified by the manner of their deaths. The women had hidden jewels in their corsets. When the firing squad shot at the princesses, the bullets ricocheted off the gems, prolonging their deaths.
Unfortunately, the book’s ending goes astray, pushing reality so much I could no longer suspend my disbelief. Like Alexander’s Rasputin’s Daughter, though, Kitchen Boy inspired me to research further to discover how much of Alexander’s account was based on fact and what we really know about those last few days. Despite the obvious liberties Alexander takes, the book does not claim to be anything but fiction; it is well written and certainly entertaining.
October 17, 2017
The story of the last Romanov Tsar, Nicholas II and his brutal murder, the family and their staff has been one of conspiracy theories, mystery and fantasy. The connections to Queen Victoria, “Queen of Europe� and the royal interbred European royal dynasties were all part of the same fantasy. An old man relates his part in the lives of the Romanovs when they were prisoners. His misgivings of lies told over a lifetime weigh heavily on him and the last lie is revealed finally only by his lack of good housekeeping. The story is a reasonable tale although I was bored with the constant day to day details of the Romanov imprisonment to a point that long before the end I realised that there were to be more revelations by the end. The opportunity to create more around the granddaughter was missed, something that would have made this read more enjoyable for me. One paragraph dealing with escape from Russia was insufficient and seemed a fill in. One only has to observe the plight of refugees even today to realise that escape from persecution is difficult and dangerous let alone in 1918 during the time of the Russian revolution. The epilogue deals with the final twist to the story but is a disappointing effort.
September 23, 2021
Wow wow. This book is so wonderful and I utterly loved it. Not sure if you saw the movie Anastasia? Well since I saw that animation I started to love everything Russian and also now I have a Russian family who are very dear to me and in fact I stayed in their country house near Moscow for few days which was lovely.
Rasputin is a character that I wanted to know more about (I will try to find a book about him) was mentioned in this book briefly and I guess the Tsar’s helped him somehow. The family of Tsar Nikolai were but a normal family and I cannot forgive the communists for their execution.
Worth every word and every minute.
Some excerpts:
“In light of the recent death of our cherished son, we hereby bequeath to our beloved granddaughter, Katherine Semyonov, our home in Lake Forest and all its contents except those items manufactured in Russia by the jeweler Carl Fabergé. All of the Fabergé pieces and sundry gems in our home vault, we bequeath to the Russian people; these items are to be held for safekeeping at the Hermitage Museum, the Winter Palace, St. Petersburg, Russia. This transfer shall take place only when and if both of the following two criteria are met:
1) the Communist government of Russia is no more,
2) the family of Tsar Nikolai and Tsaritsa Aleksandra have been given a proper Orthodox burial. These items are to be considered as an inviolate gift from the last royal family to its people and are for display and collection purposes only; they are not to be sold at any time. Until these requirements are fully met these items will be on temporary loan to the Art Institute of Chicago.�
“To the ends of the earth Romeo could have thus enticed his Juliet, Heathcliff his Cathy, even Zhivago his Lara�
“My children may hold out hope that we will see each other again in this life� but I personally do not indulge in that hope� and I look the unadulterated reality right in the eye�
“I find myself so angry. Angry at all the tsars of my Rossiya for driving my homeland down the dead-end path of autocracy. Angry at the Bolsheviki for not realizing that kommunizm is naught but a gorgeous dream that can never be. Angry at Aleksandra for being a supreme mother not to her country but her invalid son. Angry at Nikolai for not signing that one piece of paper that would have averted all. Sure, Russia in its own clumsy, inevitable way was stumbling toward a constitutional monarchy, and because Nikolai could not see this, because he could not sign a simple paper granting a ministry appointed not by him but by his parliament, he and his family as well as about forty million others were slaughtered.�
Rasputin is a character that I wanted to know more about (I will try to find a book about him) was mentioned in this book briefly and I guess the Tsar’s helped him somehow. The family of Tsar Nikolai were but a normal family and I cannot forgive the communists for their execution.
Worth every word and every minute.
Some excerpts:
“In light of the recent death of our cherished son, we hereby bequeath to our beloved granddaughter, Katherine Semyonov, our home in Lake Forest and all its contents except those items manufactured in Russia by the jeweler Carl Fabergé. All of the Fabergé pieces and sundry gems in our home vault, we bequeath to the Russian people; these items are to be held for safekeeping at the Hermitage Museum, the Winter Palace, St. Petersburg, Russia. This transfer shall take place only when and if both of the following two criteria are met:
1) the Communist government of Russia is no more,
2) the family of Tsar Nikolai and Tsaritsa Aleksandra have been given a proper Orthodox burial. These items are to be considered as an inviolate gift from the last royal family to its people and are for display and collection purposes only; they are not to be sold at any time. Until these requirements are fully met these items will be on temporary loan to the Art Institute of Chicago.�
“To the ends of the earth Romeo could have thus enticed his Juliet, Heathcliff his Cathy, even Zhivago his Lara�
“My children may hold out hope that we will see each other again in this life� but I personally do not indulge in that hope� and I look the unadulterated reality right in the eye�
“I find myself so angry. Angry at all the tsars of my Rossiya for driving my homeland down the dead-end path of autocracy. Angry at the Bolsheviki for not realizing that kommunizm is naught but a gorgeous dream that can never be. Angry at Aleksandra for being a supreme mother not to her country but her invalid son. Angry at Nikolai for not signing that one piece of paper that would have averted all. Sure, Russia in its own clumsy, inevitable way was stumbling toward a constitutional monarchy, and because Nikolai could not see this, because he could not sign a simple paper granting a ministry appointed not by him but by his parliament, he and his family as well as about forty million others were slaughtered.�
April 20, 2022
I think this is my third time reading this book. I think it is so remarkably well-written, that once the details of it have faded from my mind, I like to pick it up and give it another read.
Is it disturbing? Yes, of course! It covers a time period in history which is deeply disturbing in its viciousness. Yet it is a part of history and shouldn't be ignored.
This book is a novel, a What If?, concerning the Romanov family. It is based heavily on facts but Alexander uses some creativity in drawing the reader in and leaving them guessing as to what is transpiring behind the scenes the night of the Romanov family murder.
If you like historical fiction and/or are at all curious about the Romanov family - then I highly recommend The Kitchen Boy.
Robert Alexander wrote two additional titles about the Romanov family and yes, I have read both and would recommend neither. I found the other two a little too salacious and 'a bit much' for my taste so I stick with The Kitchen Boy and find it entirely satisfactory.
Is it disturbing? Yes, of course! It covers a time period in history which is deeply disturbing in its viciousness. Yet it is a part of history and shouldn't be ignored.
This book is a novel, a What If?, concerning the Romanov family. It is based heavily on facts but Alexander uses some creativity in drawing the reader in and leaving them guessing as to what is transpiring behind the scenes the night of the Romanov family murder.
If you like historical fiction and/or are at all curious about the Romanov family - then I highly recommend The Kitchen Boy.
Robert Alexander wrote two additional titles about the Romanov family and yes, I have read both and would recommend neither. I found the other two a little too salacious and 'a bit much' for my taste so I stick with The Kitchen Boy and find it entirely satisfactory.
July 22, 2021
Gruwelijke geschiedenis, maar een roman waar je kippenvel van krijgt!
March 5, 2017
Mesmo antes de conhecer a história dos Romanov, eu já nutria por eles alguma simpatia, é uma daquelas coisas que não fazem sentido. E ao ler este livro, percebi que tinha algum fundamento. É impossível não nos colocarmos no lugar do Nicolau e da Alexandra e sentir uma tristeza enorme por aquilo que lhes fizeram, a eles e aos seus filhos. Gostei muito deste livro porque, apesar de ser uma história ficcionada, traz-nos muitos factos verídicos sobre a família e o que lhe aconteceu. Não sei se eles estavam completamente livres de culpa em relação ao que estava a acontecer à Rússia daquela época, mas é impossível não gostar desta família enquanto pessoas. Gostei muito do tom intimista da escrita do autor e das reviravoltas que eles nos reserva. A teoria que o autor nos conta sobre o final dos Romanov, sobre os mistérios que pairam sobre a sua morte, faz muito sentido, o que é extremamente bom de se ler. É claro que não sou uma expert no assunto, mas acho que foi o livro perfeito para começar a conhecer a história dos Romanov mais a fundo. A Rússia tornou-se num país muito mais interessante depois deste livro! Quero saber e ler mais sobre o governado do czar Nicolau II. Estou também super intrigada com a história dos outros czares, que neste livro são mencionados, mas apenas brevemente.
February 10, 2012
I was really excited to read this book as I have always been interested in learning more about the Romanovs and this was a fictionalized first hand account of the last days of the family. Perfect. However, the first half of it was super slow and ridiculously repetitive. Often phrases were written out in Russian, than immediately translated. At first this was really interesting but than became a little much. Started to seem like merely a way to bump the length/word count. I wanted to give up but pressed on. I was glad that I did as it got very good and became a serious page turner...until the very end turned into complete and utter trash. I love historical fiction. I love reading a story woven with facts and information on time periods, cultures and events that I know little about. The "fiction" part though needs to be only the devise, the serving platter for those fun factoids. When the fiction part starts to take over and the author rewrites history, no thanks.
June 9, 2011
Loved it! I love historical fiction. I get to learn more about history AND I get a great story. This is one of those books. And even though I knew it was going to end very badly, I still wanted to see it through. I especially enjoyed getting immersed in the Russian psyche. (from first reading)
I'm excited to be sharing this book with a new book club. Yes, I enjoyed it that much.
I'm excited to be sharing this book with a new book club. Yes, I enjoyed it that much.
February 11, 2022
Any novel which gives the plot away in the first few pages (no choice really, as the story is so well known) and yet still manages to achieve a state of suspense and pull off a surprise ending is remarkable.
This slim volume is indeed a remarkable achievement, dense with research but not weighted by it. Very enjoyable.
This slim volume is indeed a remarkable achievement, dense with research but not weighted by it. Very enjoyable.
October 13, 2020
I have been fascinated by the story of the Romanov's for many years, though admit to a pretty one-sided readership of the events that occurred. Until now I've only read nonfiction, feeling as though the true story is so gripping by itself, that there wasn't really a need to fictionalize what might have happened after, who might have survived, or the like. I read this an an exception to that tendency, partly because of Book Riot's Read Harder challenge, and I'm glad I did. Knowing so much of the history really made the authors research evident and well-placed, without being overbearing. The author lets you guess at who the narrator is, and the details do a good job of supporting and then upending who you suspect. I truly did not see the twist at the end coming. And the author does a great job at building suspense to a climax that is a foregone, historical, well-known occurance.
After reading this, I'm wondering more about the other side of the story, and especially if there are any accounts from the people guarding the royal family. Reference librarian friends: Are there?
After reading this, I'm wondering more about the other side of the story, and especially if there are any accounts from the people guarding the royal family. Reference librarian friends: Are there?
April 27, 2021
You can tell the author is passionate about his subject, but he’s not a great novelist, at least in this book. It contained some interesting details but I felt the author told us too much about his own opinions (through the Kitchen boy). Not a bad read, but not a really good one either.
July 17, 2022
The Kitchen Boy was actually pretty interesting to read. It's definitely a version of what happened but with some unexpected twists. Don't get me wrong, I love a good twist thrown my way but at times it felt ridiculous and unbelievable. In another way, I could see that they were trying to keep my attention until the very last page.
Still, it was very interesting to see everything through the eyes of Leonid. Especially when things were completely brutal and chaotic. It was hard to look at and away from at the same time. I just wanted to know more about what happened on the day the royal family was murdered.
In the end, I'll just stick with it being interesting and entertaining to a point.
Still, it was very interesting to see everything through the eyes of Leonid. Especially when things were completely brutal and chaotic. It was hard to look at and away from at the same time. I just wanted to know more about what happened on the day the royal family was murdered.
In the end, I'll just stick with it being interesting and entertaining to a point.
August 14, 2016
Adorei, adorei e adorei!!!! :D
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"The Kitchen Boy" relata os últimos dias dos Romanov, a última família imperial russa.
Foi o 2º livro que li de Robert Alexander e o 2º da sua autoria ao qual atribuí 5 estrelas! :)
A elevada classificação deve-se, em grande parte, ao meu gigante fascínio pela cultura russa, nomeadamente pelo tempo dos czares, com carinho especial para Nicolau II, devido à sua trágica história. Contudo, em tal classificação, também tive em conta a brilhante escrita de Alexander e a sua soberba capacidade para, a partir de relatos verídicos e cruéis, ter construído uma história de grande interesse e sobre a qual posso dizer que gostei.
Sim, é verdade: apesar de tão minuciosa e cruel descrição do assassínio, suficiente para me deixar horrorizada, consigo dizer que GOSTEI REALMENTE IMENSO DESTE LIVRO; apesar de ter acompanhado, ao longo das páginas, a triste e sufocante prisão domiciliária dos Romanov, os seus últimos dias, e de ter 'presenciado' a crueldade (mais uma vez repito, mas este adjetivo é mesmo o mais adequado para descrever o horror descrito nas páginas do assassinato desta família) da sua morte e a maneira como foram tratados (antes e depois disso), gostei bastante do livro.
Não por Robert ter amenizado o sofrimento das personagens, nem por ter colorido os acontecimentos. Não, ele não o fez... Limitou-se a narrar de forma nua e crua e ligeiramente impiedosa... Não... O que ele fez foi abordar a verdade de maneira totalmente diferente da que estávamos à espera: quando parecia que nada nos podia surpreender, que enfim tínhamos descoberto e percebido tudo, eis que descobrimos que não sabíamos nada! :P e recebemos a revelação como um enorme balde de água fria que nos penetra e marca.
Leiam e compreenderão do que falo!! :)
----------------------------------
"The Kitchen Boy" relata os últimos dias dos Romanov, a última família imperial russa.
Foi o 2º livro que li de Robert Alexander e o 2º da sua autoria ao qual atribuí 5 estrelas! :)
A elevada classificação deve-se, em grande parte, ao meu gigante fascínio pela cultura russa, nomeadamente pelo tempo dos czares, com carinho especial para Nicolau II, devido à sua trágica história. Contudo, em tal classificação, também tive em conta a brilhante escrita de Alexander e a sua soberba capacidade para, a partir de relatos verídicos e cruéis, ter construído uma história de grande interesse e sobre a qual posso dizer que gostei.
Sim, é verdade: apesar de tão minuciosa e cruel descrição do assassínio, suficiente para me deixar horrorizada, consigo dizer que GOSTEI REALMENTE IMENSO DESTE LIVRO; apesar de ter acompanhado, ao longo das páginas, a triste e sufocante prisão domiciliária dos Romanov, os seus últimos dias, e de ter 'presenciado' a crueldade (mais uma vez repito, mas este adjetivo é mesmo o mais adequado para descrever o horror descrito nas páginas do assassinato desta família) da sua morte e a maneira como foram tratados (antes e depois disso), gostei bastante do livro.
Não por Robert ter amenizado o sofrimento das personagens, nem por ter colorido os acontecimentos. Não, ele não o fez... Limitou-se a narrar de forma nua e crua e ligeiramente impiedosa... Não... O que ele fez foi abordar a verdade de maneira totalmente diferente da que estávamos à espera: quando parecia que nada nos podia surpreender, que enfim tínhamos descoberto e percebido tudo, eis que descobrimos que não sabíamos nada! :P e recebemos a revelação como um enorme balde de água fria que nos penetra e marca.
Leiam e compreenderão do que falo!! :)
March 16, 2011
Told from the point of view of an elderly "kitchen boy" recording a history of the last days of the Romanovs, the writing style of this book was a little stilted. The facts, while interesting, didn't read as a smooth narrative, but rather a dry recitation. I give the author credit for making Nicholas and Alexandra sympathetic, but not forgetting to include their flaws.
*spoiler*
The ending just about ruined the book for me. Though I had pretty much guessed the "big secret" from early on - I just could not buy that Grand Duchess Maria would not only forgive one of the Bolsheviks who imprisoned and murdered her family - but would fall in love and marry him! I don't care how innocent he looked, or how much he regretted his actions.
*spoiler*
The ending just about ruined the book for me. Though I had pretty much guessed the "big secret" from early on - I just could not buy that Grand Duchess Maria would not only forgive one of the Bolsheviks who imprisoned and murdered her family - but would fall in love and marry him! I don't care how innocent he looked, or how much he regretted his actions.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 20, 2019
I really expected this book to be good, or at least interesting. Needless to say, I am extremely disappointed.
Most of the novel is very repetitive. Basically, all we get are endless descriptions of how the Romanovs hid their jewels, how expensive they were, and what good, brilliant people the Emperor and the Empress were. According to the author, they were simply misguided. Having in mind that their rule was marked by extreme poverty and hunger, after such statements I just couldn't take this book seriously.
Still, I would have given it 2 stars had it not been for the ending. The last 20 or so pages include probably the worst plot twist I've ever heard of. It's not just unrealistic - it's stupid and pointless.
Most of the novel is very repetitive. Basically, all we get are endless descriptions of how the Romanovs hid their jewels, how expensive they were, and what good, brilliant people the Emperor and the Empress were. According to the author, they were simply misguided. Having in mind that their rule was marked by extreme poverty and hunger, after such statements I just couldn't take this book seriously.
Still, I would have given it 2 stars had it not been for the ending. The last 20 or so pages include probably the worst plot twist I've ever heard of. It's not just unrealistic - it's stupid and pointless.
September 12, 2018
Releitura 5 estrelas
October 4, 2018
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