The Kitchen Boy: A Novel of the Last Tsar (Paperback)

~ (Author) "My name is Mikhail Semyonov..." (more)
Key Phrases: molodoi chelovek, kitchen boy, motor lorry, Sister Antonina, Nikolai Aleksandrovich, Aleksandra Fyodorovna (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The Romanovs are arguably second only to Jack the Ripper as objects of literary speculation. The story of their last days, their possible escape and the final resting place of the $500 million in jewels hidden in their clothing provides periodic grist for fiction writers. Alexander's first novel is based on "decades of painstaking research" and access to previously sealed Russian archives. He has produced a detailed version of the Romanovs' captivity, but the book fails to deliver much drama, despite the inherent mystery of the events. Narrated by 94-year-old Mikhail Semyanov, a Russian immigrant now living outside Chicago, the novel travels back to the bloody days of the Russian revolution, when the entire royal family is imprisoned in Siberia, in a building known as the House of Special Purpose. There, the seven Romanovs-Tsar Nikolai, his wife Aleksandra, their hemophiliac son, Aleksei, and their four daughters-are confined with a small staff of attendants, including Leonka, the kitchen boy of the title, who may or may not be narrator Mikhail. The captivity is seen from Leonka's point of view, and his focus on the gravely ill Aleksei prevents the development of a fully nuanced portrait of the rest of the family. Instead, they're depicted as passive victims of a tyranny even worse than the czarist state. Though impressively detailed, the novel is often as static as a museum exhibit, with notes and documents held up for display. Most of the suspense is held for the end, a denouement that reveals Mikhail's identity and Alexander's imaginative theory about the final dispensation of the Romanov jewels.: Russophiles may want to access Alexander's bibliography, plus copies of the documents that he studied and historical photos, on his Web site: www.thekitchenboy.com.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

The final days of the last Russian tsar, Nicholas II, and his family are still a fascinating mystery. There is no one left to bear witness to what happened at the execution. Or is there? Alexander takes a very real, but forgotten and overlooked, potential witness, a young kitchen boy, and creates an amazing fictional account of what may have transpired. Leonka was working as a kitchen boy to the Romanov family when the Bolsheviks captured them, exiled them to Siberia, and imprisoned them in their house. Because of his lowly position in the household, Leonka was able to see and hear secret things. And he does keep them secret until decades later, knowing he is ready to die, he reveals all he knows about the imperial family and their horrific death. Alexander includes as much historically accurate information into his fiction as possible, and he includes actual letters and notes attributed to the Romanovs, which add a touch of authenticity. He also renders the plot beautifully with one final jaw-dropping and satisfying twist. Carolyn Kubisz
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 229 pages
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) (January 27, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0142003816
• ISBN-13: 978-0142003817
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (66 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #10,763 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The end of the Romanovs?, February 11, 2004

By	Frank J. Konopka (Shamokin, PA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Kitchen Boy (Hardcover)

This extremely well written novel reads like a true life adventure story. It's a tale of the murder of the Russian imperial family in 1918 in their place of exile in Siberia, told by one of the people who was present at the time. The plot ranges from revolutionary times up to the present day, and involves a deep, dark mystery: why were two of the bodies never discovered? The reader is quickly drawn into the story, and the writing is such that, even though you know the terrible fate which awaits the last Tsar and his family, you keep hoping the ending will be different. There are a few twists at the end, which brings the tale to a bittersweet conclusion. Highly entertaining and sobering reading, and I recommend it very much!

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars True life mystery......., July 25, 2005

By	A. Browning (Cannon AFB NM) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Even though this is a fiction book, it is very detailed and at times I actually believed it could have happened. This is the story of the Romanov imprisonment in Siberia after the fall of their reign. It is told from the point of view of the Kitchen boy who saw it all. The ending has a unexpected twist. This book is meticuoulsly researched and detailed and is a great historical novel! If you are interested in the Romanovs or just love historical novels, this is for you!

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ABSOLUTE MUST READ!..., February 12, 2003

By	MSlife "avedadiva96" (Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Kitchen Boy (Hardcover)

I found this book while browsing the net and couldn't wait for the day it arrived in my mailbox. I had to discontinue the novel I was working on, as I couldn't wait a moment longer to start this book. It was everything plus more that I hoped it would be. It puts you inside the book and is like a steam engine going until the explosion of an ending. The amazon[.com] review does no justice to this book. It is by far the best book I have read in years. Even days after I read it, I am still thinking of all the characters as if they are long lost family members. It transported me into Russia 1918 during the bolshevik revolution and hasn't let me out since!