The Romanov Sisters by Helen Rappaport

 The Romanov Sisters by Helen Rappaport, 492 pgs.

“Over the years, the story of the four Romanov sisters and their tragic end in a basement at Ekaterinburg in 1918 has clouded our view of them, leading to a mass of sentimental and idealized hagiography. With this treasure trove of diaries and letters from the grand duchesses to their friends and family, we learn that they were intelligent, sensitive, and perceptive witnesses to the dark turmoil within their immediate family and the ominous approach of the Russian Revolution, the nightmare that would sweep their world away, and them along with it.” —Goodreads

The four sisters — OTMA, as they referred to themselves—Olga (born in 1895), Tatiana (1897), Maria (1899), and Anastasia (1901) were often thought of as one unit or at least interchangeable. The birth of their long hoped for brother, Alexei, no doubt over shadowed them. But Helen Rappaport has done an excellent job of bringing their individual personalities to life for us through letters and remembrances of those who knew them.

The story of Nicholas, Alexandra, and their children has become mythical in the nearly 105 years since their brutal slayings in 1918. It was an intense time in Russian history, to say the least. There were wars, increasing social unrest due to grinding poverty, and ever increasing distrust of the Tzar. Add in the bizarre tales told of their spiritual advisor Grigori Rasputin and later rumors of Anastasia having possibly survived and escaped to Europe—it’s really no wonder that many of us in the 21st century are still drawn to their story.

It’s so easy to focus on their tragic murders but this book did a fine job of illustrating what they were like in life— and by all accounts they seemed to be a kind and loving family who at least had each other during their last days and the last days of the Russian empire.