Immersed in the splendors of the Russian court, Olga also suffered through the Russian Revolution, and ultimately left Russia for a life of exile in Denmark and Canada. Daughter, granddaughter, and sister to Russian emperors, Olga – a woman devoid of vanity and imbued with a strong faith – lived a life that could never be replicated. Olga Alexandrovna’s life was no less dramatic than that of her brother, Nicholas II. It is a work, as noted by the Maylunas and Mironenko, that lets the royal individuals “tell their story themselves, in their own words.”Ī skillfully written account and engaging portrait of Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna (1882-1960), younger sister of Tsar Nicholas II. Russian historians Maylunas and Mironenko (he was Director of the State Archive of the Russian Federation) have done an admirable job of culling through an enormous amount of material to come up with this large, valuable volume of first-hand accounts that highlight the happiness and tragedy that surrounded the last Romanovs. But it is the letters and diaries which take center stage and deliver an emotional read. Interspersed as well are a variety of primary sources such as memoirs, documents, diplomatic letters, and the like. Through these written words, the imperial couple and their families are revealed they’re given a voice and come alive across more than six hundred pages of text. Here, in their own words from diaries and letters are the thoughts and inner-most feelings of Tsar Nicholas II and his wife, Tsarina Alexandra, as well as numerous royal relatives – though the main focus is on Nicholas and Alexandra.
An indispensable work to anyone interested in the Romanovs, and especially in the life and reign of Tsar Nicholas II.
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