Under Xenia's covers- John reveals all (History Books in general)

Member Name: kimgraham

Product:	History Books in general
Date:	25/10/02 (91 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: fascinating reading, excellent plates, new material

Disadvantages: none

This opinion is about " Once a Grand Duchess: Xenia, sister of Nicholas II " written by John Van der Kiste and Coryne Hall


It has been placed in this general category and will be moved when a specific category can be created.





I developed a fascination for Russian history when I had to prepare a detailed study of the Russian revolution and the ensuing communism, for my history A level.

When I discovered that there was a new book looking at the downfall of the Russian royal family and following their story afterwards, I just had to buy it. The book is written by John Van der Kiste ( well known to most on this site) and Coryne Hall. To be honest, I knew that any book that John had written was bound to be good, but I was not expecting to be gripped by it quite as much as I was. From the moment I opened the cover I was entranced.

The book tells the life story of the Grand Duchess Xenia, younger sister of Nicholas II, the last Tsar of Russia. Although this period in history has been previously well documented, nothing has been written about Xenia before. This gives a very different perspective to the norm.
It is also full of detailed descriptions of the lifestyle of the Russian aristocracy prior to the revolution. I found this wonderfully helpful in setting the scene for what was to come.

Much new material for the book was found and researched .Thirteen boxes of archived material pertaining to Xenia were found in the Hoover Institution in America. Amongst them were Xenias diaries covering the Rasputin affair and the abdication of the Tsar.

We are taken from the opulent and magnificence of her childhood in Russian palaces through to death in exile in England at the age of eighty five.

Xenia was a quiet and private person who was fiercely devoted to her family. Following a childhood lived in utter luxury, she married her cousin the Grand Duke Alexander Michaelovich
and produced seven children. The marriage turned out to be not particularly succesful and they separated on arrival in England, when Sandro went to live in France with his mistress. However,it seems that he might have had a soft spot for his wife until the end.

Xenia was no stranger to personal heartache, and the book deals with the Rasputin saga and the downfall of the Romanov family. Her son-in-law was implicated in the murder of Rasputin, which caused her some angst. She was increasingly exasperated by her sister in law, the Empress Alexandra, who seemed to be bringing disaster upon them all. For many months Xenia did not know what had happened to her brother and eventually rumours of execution began to surface. One can only barely imagine what she must have felt when the appalling truth finally came to light.

Following the abdication and disappearance of her brother and his family, Xenia escaped to the Crimea where she lived relatively comfortably, with her Mother, husband and most of her children.She resisted all attempts at persuading her to leave the country, until 1919, when, with the Bolsheviks hot on her tail, she escaped on a warship with her Mother, provided by King George V.

Xenia then spent her last 40 years in England in a grace and favour house provided by her cousin King George. This was a stark contrast to her early life as she had to leave almost everything behind. The King had to help financially from time to time. Nevertheless, she lived in relative comfort and enjoyed her new found privacy.

We are also taken through the Anastasia/Anna Anderson affair in some detail. Xenia was always convinced that Anna Anderson was an imposter, but there is a fascinating insight into the whole business.

Not only does this book cover in lavish detail the life of the Russian royal family immediately before and after the revolution ,it is also an excellent look at the problems faced by the Romanovs in exile. The British
Royal family do not come out of it smelling of roses, however! King George was somewhat tardy in offering help to his Russian family, and one has often wondered whether or not his cousin the Tsar might have survived had he intervened earlier. We shall never know!

I loved this book. I already knew the basic history, but it was fascinating to discover so much more. There are 75 wonderful plates and I spent ages just perusing all the photos, many of which have not been seen before. The quality and quantity of the research was self evident. The text brought the whole family to life. It is so easy to forget that these people were a family, who felt like we do. I tried to imagine what it must have been like. The courage of those left behind to carry on is to be admired.I was especially struck by the quiet dignity shown by Xenia, whatever life subjected her to. A brave lady, indeed.

The book is beautifully laid out, and , unlike some historical biographies is not at all heavy going. I could barely put it down, held riveted from start to finish. There are detailed family trees at the beginning of the book which are very interesting. I much prefer to see the family trees first, it just seems more logical, somehow!

I cannot recommend this book enough. If you already have an interest in the Russian revolution you will be captivated, as I was. If you don't, then I can think of no better place to start.The authors should be very proud of themselves. My best read of the year, so far!


Now for all the information:
It is published by Sutton, ISBN 0750927496

Price varies! Amazon £15.99, Tesco online £14.62, Waterstones £18.99

My Rating 5/5

Summary: