By Susan Appleyard
I really enjoyed Escape of the Grand Duchess by Susan Appleyard because it takes the Romanovs out of the history books and makes them feel like real people. Before reading this, I only really knew the broad story of Nicholas II and the fate of his family, so focusing on Olga gave the novel a much more personal and emotional feel.
What stayed with me most was how trapped Olga feels throughout the book. On the outside she has everything — wealth, status, titles — but her life is controlled by duty and appearances. Her marriage is miserable, and there’s a sadness to her character that runs through the whole story. She’s strong, but she’s also tired of constantly sacrificing her own happiness for everyone else.
The relationship between Olga and the army lieutenant was one of my favourite parts of the novel because it felt natural rather than overly dramatic. Their connection brings some warmth into a story that becomes darker and more tense as Russia starts falling apart around them. Even during the romantic moments, there’s always the feeling that everything could be taken away at any time.
The scenes of Olga working as a nurse during the war were probably the parts that affected me the most. They make her feel far more grounded and human because she’s no longer surrounded by the safety and comfort of palace life. Instead, she’s faced with wounded soldiers, fear, exhaustion, and the reality of how much suffering the war caused. Those moments give the story real emotional weight and stop it from ever feeling too glamorous or romanticised.
I also liked how Rasputin was written. He isn’t exaggerated into some cartoon villain, but every scene with him carries this uncomfortable feeling that something is deeply wrong. The growing influence he has over the imperial family adds a constant sense of tension in the background.
What really makes the book work is the atmosphere. There’s this steady feeling of dread as the empire slowly collapses and the family begins to realise they are no longer safe. Because we already know the history, every decision feels heavy with uncertainty.
By the end, it felt less like I’d read a novel about royalty and more like I’d followed one woman trying to hold onto her family and her future while the world she’d always known disappeared around her. It’s emotional, very readable, and clearly well researched without ever feeling overloaded with historical detail.
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Thank you so much for your fabulous review. I am so glad you enjoyed Escape of the Grand Duchess. 📚✨
ReplyDeleteI can't thank you enough for this fabulous and in-depth review.
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