I Was Anastasia - Ariel Lawhon

I Was Anastasia

By Ariel Lawhon

  • Release Date: 2018-03-27
  • Genre: Historical Fiction
Score: 4
4
From 181 Ratings
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Description

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the bestselling author of The Frozen River comes an enthralling feat of historical suspense that unravels the extraordinary twists and turns in Anna Anderson's fifty-year battle to be recognized as Anastasia Romanov. Is she the Russian Grand Duchess or the thief of another woman's legacy?

"Tantalizing, surprising, compelling, and utterly fascinating."—Lisa Wingate, New York Times bestselling author of Before We Were Yours

Countless others have rendered their verdict. Now it is your turn.

Russia, July 17, 1918: Under direct orders from Vladimir Lenin, Bolshevik secret police force Anastasia Romanov, along with the entire imperial family, into a damp basement in Siberia, where they face a merciless firing squad. None survive. At least that is what the executioners have always claimed.

Germany, February 17, 1920: A young woman bearing an uncanny resemblance to Anastasia Romanov is pulled shivering and senseless from a canal. Refusing to explain her presence in the freezing water or even acknowledge her rescuers, she is taken to the hospital where an examination reveals that her body is riddled with countless horrific scars. When she finally does speak, this frightened, mysterious young woman claims to be the Russian grand duchess.     

As rumors begin to circulate through European society that the youngest Romanov daughter has survived the massacre at Ekaterinburg, old enemies and new threats are awakened. The question of who Anna Anderson is and what actually happened to Anastasia Romanov spans fifty years and touches three continents. This thrilling saga is every bit as moving and momentous as it is harrowing and twisted.

Don't miss Ariel Lawhon's new book, The Frozen River!

Reviews

  • I was Anastasia

    5
    By Ms. Pamela
    Excellent at every turn. The author confirmed what I felt: the audience wanted it to be true that Annastasia was alive.

  • It’s good reading

    4
    By Staynavytom
    Too long. I skipped all the stuff in the middle. I missed what happened to Tomas.

  • Lousy book!

    1
    By gallopinggerdy
    This book is not worth buying. I listened to the audiobook. The time line is hard to follow by starting recent and bouncing around in time. Half way through I just wanted the book to end. I continued listening because I payed for it. It ends by insulting the reader also. Borrow from library if you really want to listen to this book.

  • Riveting & Disturbing

    5
    By pegg12
    I Was Anastasia is the amazing story of Anna Anderson, a woman who claimed to be, Anastasia Romanov, the Grand Duchess of Russia, and the only family member to survive the Romanov massacre of 1918. This book is riveting, absorbing, and disturbing. I was engrossed from the first page. The author’s writing is exquisite. Ariel Lawhon, cleverly, and meticulously, described the life of Anastasia Romanov and how Anna Anderson, struggled to prove to the world, that she was the Russian Grand Duchess. I completely lost track of time while reading this amazing novel. It’s obvious that the author thought about each sentence in this book, choosing and placing each word carefully, for maximum effect. The author’s writing is so sharp and raw that the pages came alive for me. The only thing I had difficulty with was the frequent time changes, i.e., one month later, two weeks earlier, etc. The book tells the story of Anna Anderson/ Anastasia Romanov while in Russia, Germany, and America. It also describes some of the despair and pain she had endured as a homeless person on the run, as a prisoner, and as a patient in an insane asylum. I was unaware of the Russian Romanov family history when I started this book, so it truly was an eye-opener for me. The book is fascinating, haunting, and unforgettable. Thank you, Doubleday Books and NetGalley, for my advanced review copy.

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