The Rebel Romanov
by Helen Rappaport
The Rebel Romanov:
Julie of Saxe-Coburg, the Empress Russia Never Had
by Helen Rappaport
Note: Links in this post go to Bookshop.org where I earn a small commission at no cost to you.
Bookshop.com supports local independent books store across the United States.
Book Description:
In 1795, Catherine the Great of Russia was in search of a bride for her grandson Constantine, who stood third in line to her throne. In an eerie echo of her own story, Catherine selected an innocent young German princess, Julie of Saxe-Coburg, aunt of the future Queen Victoria. Though Julie had everything a young bride could wish for, she was alone in a court dominated by an aging empress and riven with rivalries, plotting, and gossip—not to mention her brute of a husband, who was tender one moment and violent the next. She longed to leave Russia and her disastrous marriage, but her family in Germany refused to allow her to do so.
Desperate for love, Julie allegedly sought consolation in the arms of others. Finally, Tsar Alexander granted her permission to leave in 1801, even though her husband was now heir to the throne. Rootless in Europe, Julie gave birth to two—possibly three—illegitimate children, all of whom she was forced to give up for adoption. Despite entreaties from Constantine to return and provide an heir, she refused, eventually finding love with her own married physician.
At a time when many royal brides meekly submitted to disastrous marriages, Julie proved to be a woman ahead of her time, sacrificing her reputation and a life of luxury in exchange for the freedom to live as she wished. The Rebel Romanov is the inspiring tale of a bold woman who, until now, has been ignored by history.
My Take:
I received a digital copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press and NetGally. I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Presented as a historical biography, reads like a novel.
The organization and setup of this book was excellent – filled with facts and information that could be a supplemental textbook, but also with the intrigue and drama that makes it a book to dive into and not come up until finished. Thankfully, the author thoughtfully included charts, maps, and family trees to help keep the players and the settings straight. As anyone who has dabbled in 19th century European history knows – there was a LOT going on and many overlapping events taking place. This book helps keep many things clear. I also appreciated the location and use of footnotes throughout the book to clarify particular statements, without slowing down the storytelling aspect of the read.
A tragedy where the ending is set, but our heroine is not a sad throwaway character.
This is a historical story. We know the ending. We know many of the milestones along the way.
THIS book brings our heroine into a brighter light and shares how she was a leading character the whole time. While women of this age did not often have much autonomy or even say in what their futures would look like, Julie did her best with what she had available to her. She was strong enough to get herself (with great help from her friends and supporters) out of a bad situation. She lived to be over sixty-years-old, which says a LOT about her strength and courage.
The Final Verdict
My rating: 4 stars
Would I recommend? Yes
Immersive read illustrating the strength and courage of a woman who makes some powerful choices for herself.
You Might Like These Posts, too
Book Review – After the Romanovs
Book review of After the Romanovs, which does a wonderful job of submerging the reader in the world of Paris, eastern Russia, and several places in between during the end of the 1800s and through the interwar period of the 1920s and 1930s.
Keep reading
Book Review – Maiden Voyages
Book Review of Maiden Voyages: Magnificent Ocean Liners and the Women Who Traveled and Worked Aboard Them by Siân Evans – A great book for anyone interested in the niche topic or doing their own research on trans-Atlantic ship travel in the first half of the 20th century.
Keep reading
Book Review – The Women of Rothschild
Book review of The Women of Rothschild by Natalie Livingstone, which is a captivating secondary research source filled with gems about these remarkable women of this notorious family.
Keep reading
Book Review – The Churchill Sisters
Book review of The Churchill Sisters: The Extraordinary Lives of Winston and Clementine’s Daughters by Rachel Trethewey, containing well-arranged stories on parenthood, family bonds, politics, and drama during and after WWII.
Keep readingSubscribe
Recent Posts
- Book Review – The Joker Is Wild
- Book Review – Semi Sweet
- Book Review – The Spellshop
- Book Review – The Rebel Romanov
- Book Review – And They Were Roommates
Categories: Books
I am Sandy Kay 