Marvin
This selection was a YALSA’S Nonfiction award finalist written by Candace Fleming; whom gives an impressive view of the last Russian Tsar Nicholas, his family, and the lives of the elites in Imperial Russia. This view is set against the backdrop of the lives of the masses of that society—lives that were lived in miserable poverty. The book sets the scene up with a young Nicolas meeting the German Empress Alexandra, they marry later. The couple eventually had four girls and one boy. This is important to note because, the times that Alexandra would get pregnant, all of Russia, would hope she was going to have a boy, which provided an heir to continue the Romanov dynasty. After pregnancy number 5, she gave birth to her son, who turned out to be hemophiliac, impairs the body's ability to control blood clotting, which is used to stop bleeding when a blood vessel is broken. There was no doubt that they loved their son, but his condition proved to be a constant source for anxiety to both parents, but most importantly to Alexandra. This led to dependency on a charlatan, Rasputin, who claimed that he had “the ears of God, and therefore could cure the boy.” Rasputin had influence over Alexandra, and was the chief advisor to the Tsar. Tsar Nicolas was more at home in the role of a “family man,” than as an autocratic ruler of imperial Russia, This was proven in his leadership; he was the type of leader that seemed indecisive and weak and was not at all in tune with the people nor with what was going on in the nation. His generals and ministers attempted to warn him of the impatience of the people, and advised him to change course by making some reforms in the nation. He did not do so. Everyone (workers, peasants, and conscripted soldiers) ended up revolting. As a result, the government was overthrown which forced the Tsar to relinquish his throne. All this led to the Bolsheviks (Communist) taking control of Russia. The Tsar and his family were taken into “protective custody,” where they were eventually brutally murdered, thus ending the Romanov dynasty and ushering a new form of revolutionary government.
This selection was a YALSA’S Nonfiction award finalist written by Candace Fleming; whom gives an impressive view of the last Russian Tsar Nicholas, his family, and the lives of the elites in Imperial Russia. This view is set against the backdrop of the lives of the masses of that society—lives that were lived in miserable poverty. The book sets the scene up with a young Nicolas meeting the German Empress Alexandra, they marry later. The couple eventually had four girls and one boy. This is important to note because, the times that Alexandra would get pregnant, all of Russia, would hope she was going to have a boy, which provided an heir to continue the Romanov dynasty. After pregnancy number 5, she gave birth to her son, who turned out to be hemophiliac, impairs the body's ability to control blood clotting, which is used to stop bleeding when a blood vessel is broken. There was no doubt that they loved their son, but his condition proved to be a constant source for anxiety to both parents, but most importantly to Alexandra. This led to dependency on a charlatan, Rasputin, who claimed that he had “the ears of God, and therefore could cure the boy.” Rasputin had influence over Alexandra, and was the chief advisor to the Tsar. Tsar Nicolas was more at home in the role of a “family man,” than as an autocratic ruler of imperial Russia, This was proven in his leadership; he was the type of leader that seemed indecisive and weak and was not at all in tune with the people nor with what was going on in the nation. His generals and ministers attempted to warn him of the impatience of the people, and advised him to change course by making some reforms in the nation. He did not do so. Everyone (workers, peasants, and conscripted soldiers) ended up revolting. As a result, the government was overthrown which forced the Tsar to relinquish his throne. All this led to the Bolsheviks (Communist) taking control of Russia. The Tsar and his family were taken into “protective custody,” where they were eventually brutally murdered, thus ending the Romanov dynasty and ushering a new form of revolutionary government.
It
is my humble opinion that many young readers will have some sympathy for the
Romanov family because of the brutality of their murder. There is always the reminder by the author, Candace
Fleming that the Tsar was not without blame.
Ms. Fleming goes back to first-hand experiences of the eyewitnesses, and
the voices of individuals who were there during those stormy times. This allows readers to hear the story of the
peasants, the workers and the people who were not part of the “privileged elite”
of imperial Russia. Nicolas was a man
who was not at all sympathetic to his subjects.
He allowed thugs to kill and terrorize certain groups of people within
his society (Jews). He ordered his troops to fire on people who were marching
peacefully and “carrying icons and signs, showing their love for their
Tsar.” Readers will even be sympathetic
to the people who rose up against his tyranny.
The brutal murder of his family and the actions of the Bolsheviks—the
taking over the revolution and then imposing a new brand of tyranny (communism)
on the people was the real tragedy.
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