Anastasia: The Last Grand Duchess, Russia, 1914 (The Royal Diaries) [Hardcover]

Carolyn Meyer (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up | Series: The Royal Diaries

A novel in diary form in which the youngest daughter of Czar Nicholas II describes the privileged life her family led up until the time of World War I and the tragic events that befell them.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Anastasia is a carefree young duchess, daughter of Nicholas Alexandrovitch Romanov, tsar of all the Russias in 1914. While her father attends to the turbulent affairs of a vast and complex country, Anastasia's major concerns are how to get out of her detested schoolwork to play in the snow, go ice skating, or have picnics. She wears diamonds and rubies, and every morning her mother tells her which matching outfit she and her three sisters shall wear that day. Slowly a hint of future trouble enters her happy, pampered life. Anastasia's younger brother, the future tsar, is a hemophiliac--a "bleeder" who cannot stop bleeding if he is cut or bruised. Anastasia begins to learn that all is not well in the outside world, either. Not everyone in Russia worships her father as she does, and the Germans are about to declare war on Russia. Anastasia's world gradually deteriorates, as reported in her youthful, often playful journal.

As Russia entered World War I, hunger and poverty grew among the peasants, and the Romanov ruling family began to lose favor, culminating in their murders--including Anastasia's--by Bolshevik revolutionaries. This fictionalized diary of the mischievous youngest daughter's last four years gives a fascinating glimpse into a life of unlimited wealth--and the subsequent downward spiral. Historical notes, family trees, and photographs round out Carolyn Meyer's compelling contribution to the popular Royal Diaries series. (Ages 9 to 14) --Emilie Coulter

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-8-Given to Anastasia by her grandmother as a keepsake, this diary begins on the day after the Winter Ball, January 3, 1914. The 12-year-old is the youngest daughter of the last tsar of imperial Russia, yet beneath the surface of her royal life full of wealth, prominence, and opulence, readers find a typical preadolescent who misses her father when absent. Youngsters will worry over younger brother Alexei's hemophilia, experience concern as Russia comes under German attack, and feel fear and uncertainty during the family's captivity. Anastasia writes of plans for the future, but her diary abruptly concludes on May 18, 1918. Through careful research, the author successfully provides interesting glimpses into daily events, family relationships, and growing up royal. Russian terminology, unobtrusively explained, is carefully blended into the narrative. Entries are simply written, brief, and sometimes unexciting. Lulls occur in some of the everyday events; yet little expressions, mini-tantrums, and exasperation reveal Anastasia's personality, her temperament, and feelings. The epilogue details events leading to the family's assassination. Black-and-white pictures, a bit grainy in quality, pique readers' interest in the Romanovs. Additional information on life in Russia in 1914, historical notes, a family tree, information about the Russian language and calendar, and a list of characters all provide wonderful background information.
Susan Shaver, Hemingford Public Schools, NE
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 227 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Inc.; First edition. edition (September 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0439129087
• ISBN-13: 978-0439129084
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (108 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #144,878 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #94 in Books > Children's Books > Literature & Fiction > Historical Fiction > Europe

More About the Author

My first book, MISS PATCH'S LEARN-TO-SEW BOOK, published more than forty years ago, was intended to teach young girls how to knot thread, make a neat stitch, and sew simple items. The main character of my next book, CLEOPATRA CONFESSES, coming in June 2011, is a far cry from the roundish, gray-haired lady with a needle in her hand and spectacles on her nose. Since the thrill of seeing that first book in print, I've written over fifty more books, non-fiction and novels (most recently, historical fiction). In the process I've learned more about writing and a lot about history, a subject that was not my favorite when I was a young student but has become my passion--a passion I love to share with readers.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Anastasia : The Last Grand Duchess, Russia, 1914, September 28, 2000

By 

SJ "ssjoshi101" (IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Anastasia: The Last Grand Duchess, Russia, 1914 (The Royal Diaries) (Hardcover)

I have always been intrigued by the mysterious deaths of Russia's last imperial family, the Romanovs. So I quickly took advantage of my chance to read this book. It doesn't portray Anastasia as a historical figure, but as a girl with emotions and opinions and faults. The first third of twelve-year-old Anastasia's diary is full of luxury and comfort, depicting her life as the youngest Russian princess in a world of privilege. However, the book becomes dark when the common population of Russia begin to lose their faith in Anastasia's father, the Tsar. The book realistically depicts Anastasia's loneliness and fright when she and her family are forced to move out of their palace and into a much smaller house, where the family is abused by rude and drunken soldiers. The book also mentions Grigory Efimovitch, better known as Rasputin, whose disastrous advice led to the downfall of Anastasia's family. She is the only member of the family that suspects that Rasputin (or Father Grigory, as he is called in the book) is not completely interested in her family's well-being. A great read, in my opinion. If you're interested in the subject of Anastasia, this is an excellent book to read to learn more about this young Russian archduchess.

28 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Anastasia not as a royal figure but as a young girl., July 1, 2000

By 

Rebecca Herman (USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Anastasia: The Last Grand Duchess, Russia, 1914 (The Royal Diaries) (Hardcover)

What I liked best about this book was that, through a fictional diary kept by Anastasia Romanov, youngest daughter of the last tsar of Russia, was that is showed her not as a royal figure but just as a girl with feelings and concerns. The book begins in 1914. Twelve-year-old Anastasia and her family lead lives of luxury in an elegant palace and enjoy frequant holidays. Anastasia's biggest concern is learning her lessons in time. But as the years go by, and Russia becomes involved in World War I, the Russian people become increasingly dissatisfied, and in 1917, Anastasia's father is forced to abdicate, and the family is exiled to Siberia. The diary ends just two months before seventeen-year-old Anastasia and her family are executed by revolutionaries. The book, except at the very beginning, was really sad, but it brought the life the end of the Romanov dynasty and young Anastasia's final years. I highly reccomend it if you enjoyed any of the other books in this series.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Life and Times of Anastasia, the Last Grand Duchess, January 19, 2005

By 

Erika Sorocco (Southern California, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Anastasia: The Last Grand Duchess, Russia, 1914 (The Royal Diaries) (Hardcover)

The year is 1914, and 12-year-old Anastasia Nicholaievna Romanov is the last Grand Duchess of Russia, having been the youngest of three sisters, and the last female born before her younger brother, Alexei. Anastasia and her family lead a very luxurious life. Have the privilege to travel to their various castles, and being able to eat lavish foods at every mealtime. The biggest concern weighing on Anastasia's mind would have to be whether or not she'll be able to complete her lessons without dying of boredom. However, as time passes, Russia becomes involved in World War I, and the people of Russia become greatly dissatisfied with how the Tsar - Anastasia's Father - is running things, and by 1917, he has abdicated the throne, and the Romanov family is exiled to Siberia, where they are treated unkindly, and guarded at all times. This is how the diary ends.

I have adored the story of ANASTASIA ever since I saw the cartoon movie years ago, and I found the effort that Carolyn Meyer put into this book marvelous. Anastasia was a young girl like all of us, who had many of the same worries that girls have today. I really enjoyed the many pages of "real" photographs of Anastasia and her family, as well as the many informational pages of the way her life truly ended. I only wish that the movie I saw had been true, and that Anastasia had lived to grow up happy and healthy, as opposed to having her life cut short by gunmen. Overall, this was a marvelous book that will satisfy anyone who is interested in the story of Anastasia, the last Grand Duchess of Russia.

Erika Sorocco
Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper