Book Review: The Last Romanov by Dora Levy Mossanen

Plot Summary - From GoodReads.com

For almost a century, Imperial Russia has captivated the imagination- the ruthless execution of the royal family, the disputed survival of the heir: it's a cinematic chaos that the masterful Dora Levy Mossanen unravels for her readers. Taking readers deep into tarnished grandeur, The Last Romanov follows Darya, a wise old beauty whose time spent with the Imperial family has haunted her entire life. When the murderous events unfold, Darya is plagued by the prophecy made by the Empress's advisor, Rasputin. She must find the missing Tsarevich Alexis Romanov and restore the monarchy or risk losing her own life.

Ink Thoughts Review
I will admit that I did not seek out this book - it found me via a Nook suggested (and featured) read. I've been reading mystery, action, romance and fantasy so I thought a historical fiction could be a refreshing change of pace. A change of pace it was - refreshing? Not so much. Perhaps I am jaded into enjoying novels that move at a pace that moreso resembles a tiger than a sloth. I'm fine with slow, stealthy stalking but monotone does become...well monotanous.

Characters - 6/10
I will admit that reading this book did give me a greater understanding of who the Romanovs were. With all of the mysticism and rumor that surrounds their legend, it's easy to forget that they were real, flesh and blood - and very much slaughtered. I came away feeling sorry for this family and the tragedy that hovered around them. I was, however, less attached to the characters of this novel. The protagonist, Darya, while odd, was not enchanting. Her passions fell flat and her obsessions lacked depth. Everyone in the story felt two dimensional - even if the scenery and architecture was heavy with detail and description. Perhaps, this is because even if the synopsis above makes it sound like Darya's "life" is at stake - I never got that sense of impending doom. A side effect of an historical fiction novel sticking to the real life events perhaps? I'm not sure.

Plot - 8/10
Yes, the plot is tedious but that doesn't mean it is not well crafted. Mossanen does manage to weave a tapestry of real events and imagined ones that come together by the end of her tale. Could the action have quickened? Yes. Was the story completed with a sense of satisfaction? Mostly - I did feel like the final moments were abrupt and unclear.

Writing Style - 5/10
As you can see - I was not a fan. Perhaps, Mossanen was keeping true to the "Russian" style of thinking, writing, whatever - it was dull. She spent paragraphs describing ornamentation of a miniature faberge egg which might have been interesting...the first time but her use of repetition became very dry. I also found the omnicient 3rd person naration to be distracting especially when it changed abruptly within chapters.

Conclusion
I think Mossanen put forth a worthy effort and weaving her own tale around the legendary Romanov family. It's not a read I would recommend to just anyone. If you love historical fiction - getting lost in the details of a different time and place - then go for it. You'll probably love all of the parts I glazed over.

Buy the book on GoodReads or Barnes & Nobel here.

Learn more about Ashlei Ryan Jackson