The Last Grand Duchess: A Novel of Olga Romanov, Imperial Russia, and Revolution

Product Description “Powerful and haunting . . . an intimate and unforgettable tale that transports the reader to the heart of Imperial Russia.” —Chanel Cleeton, New York Times bestselling author of The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba This sweeping novel takes readers behind palace walls to see the end of Imperial Russia through the eyes of Olga Nikolaevna Romanov, the first daughter of the last tsar Grand Duchess Olga Romanov comes of age amid a shifting tide for the great dynasties of Europe. But even as unrest simmers in the capital, Olga is content to live within the confines of the sheltered life her parents have built for her and her three sisters: hiding from the world on account of their mother’s ill health, their brother Alexei’s secret affliction, and rising controversy over Father Grigori Rasputin, the priest on whom the tsarina has come to rely. Olga’s only escape from the seclusion of Alexander Palace comes from the grand tea parties her aunt hosts amid the shadow court of Saint Petersburg—a world of opulent ballrooms, scandalous flirtation, and whispered conversation. But as war approaches, the palaces of Russia are transformed. Olga and her sisters trade their gowns for nursing habits, assisting in surgeries and tending to the wounded bodies and minds of Russia’s military officers. As troubling rumors about her parents trickle in from the front, Olga dares to hope that a budding romance might survive whatever the future may hold. But when tensions run high and supplies run low, the controversy over Rasputin grows into fiery protest, and calls for revolution threaten to end three hundred years of Romanov rule.At turns glittering and harrowing, The Last Grand Duchess is a story about dynasty, duty, and love, but above all, it’s the story of a family who would choose devotion to each other over everything—including their lives.Looking for more historical fiction from Bryn Turnbull? Don't miss The Woman Before Wallis. For fans of The Paris Wife and The Crown, this stunning novel tells the true story of the American divorcée who captured Prince Edward’s heart before he abdicated his throne for Wallis Simpson. Review “When The Last Grand Duchess opens in March 1917, we are witness to the collapse of a world: the privileged existence of the Romanov czarist family. . . I loved this novel, chiefly because of its deft characterizations. . . Even the most flawed characters have their redeeming points: there’s not a cardboard villain to be found. Superbly written and researched, this is a novel that I will be reading again.” —Historical Novels Society (Editor’s Pick)“The Last Grand Duchess depicts a real family, with all their eccentricities and dynamics, while weaving in key details of the real Romanovs, their friends, and their families. Complete with an author's note and a bibliography that would charm any librarian, this historical fiction depicts the final years of the Romanovs in a way that feels both inspired and truthful.” —Booklist (starred)“Turnbull pries off the veneer that masked Olga as a blue-blooded victim of the Bolshevik Revolution; instead she gives Olga a three-dimensional personhood with a verve that evokes Scarlett O’Hara... An entrancing tribute to a Victorian lass of tragic grace.” —Library Journal“Turnbull again successfully humanizes a family of powerful historical figures…Though the tragic story has been fictionalized effectively in novels such as Carolyn Meyer’s Anastasia and Her Sisters, Turnbull adds to the lore by focusing on a more obscure Romanov, with a gift at making Olga’s situation painfully tangible. This amply justifies taking another look at the lives of the condemned royals.” —Publishers Weekly“The Last Grand Duchess is a powerful and haunting ode to the tragic life of Olga Romanov. Turnbull’s sweeping novel illuminates the fall of the Romanovs in an intimate and unforgettable tale that transports the reader to the heart of Imperial Russia. A poignant, engrossing story that