Last Days of the Romanovs: Tragedy at Ekaterinburg [NOOK Book]

Russia's Captive Royals

A romance, a family saga, a murder mystery, and a political thriller - all of these descriptions aptly fit the story of the last Russian Tsar Nicolas Romanov and his family. Many novelists and historians have written about the family, the individual members, the time period, and even the tragic love story between Nicholas and Alexandra. Like many historical tales, the lives and deaths of the Romanovs are shrouded in myth, mystery and legend.

Helen Rappaport's book tells the story of Russia's royal family at Ipatiev House in July 1918 the last residence they occupied & where they spent their final hours. It is different in tone from other books because of the specifics it addresses. Sheltered and protected all of their lives, removed from the everyday hardships of ordinary Russians the family is caught in a frightening situation without the normal trappings of their wealth and privilege.

Taken from their palatial homes & with hopes of being exiled the family instead are captives in five gloomy rooms. Alexy, the heir to the throne has a fatal, painful disease & his four sisters are spending their teen years (or early 20's) not in happy youthful exuberance but in fear & with no chance to explore relationships with the opposite sex (one exception is noted). Born a royal, the Tsarina is ill, (perhaps a bit of a hypochondriac) devastated, difficult and unprepared for the events. The Tsar, always a simple and kind man who prefers exercise to affairs of state is beginning to realize that his family will not be rescued.

Eyewitness accounts & a new look at the hierarchy for implementing the death penalty for the Tsar & for the entire family is exposed by Rappaport. She delineates why the family was included in the death sentence. Anyone who has read or seen anything about the Romanov family knows that the basement killings in July 1918 were brutal, but nothing compares to the vivid writing in this book. Nothing.

But, as horrible as the deaths may have been, it is the daily life of the Romanov's during their time in Ekaterinburg that brings heartbreak to the reader. All the windows in their rooms were sealed so there was no light from windows - nor any chance of a cool breeze. Royal dignity was displayed when even small joys were taken such as the Tsar's daily newspaper.
Rappaport's book does an excellent job of tracing the culpability of their deaths something that has long been in question.

The research efforts that went into writing this book are very apparent. The way the research is used,however, is where the author distinguishes herself as a writer. Rappaport's story of the Romanovs last days is told as a as a reporter but with an historian's eye and heart. Facts are meshed with personalities to provide a full complement of the actual events at Ekaterinburg. This story has been told before in bits & pieces but never the ending and never so fully and perhaps never so well.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Helen Rappaport's depiction of the Romanov's last days is a page turner!

Although there have been many books on the topic of the last Tsar of Russia, very few have come close to depicting the details that Helen Rappaport does in her book, The Last Days of the Romanovs: Tragedy at Ekaterinburg. Within the pages of her page-turning she recounts what the life of the deposed ruler was like under house arrest. However it is Rappaport's thesis that once the deposed ruler and his family were sent to the Ekaterinburg, their fate had been sealed into destiny. In the first chapter of her book, Rappaport recounts from the perspective of the Alexandra Romanov, what it meant to be moving into Asia-simply that they would never return back to the European Russia that they had known so well. This meant that they were terminally exiled. Rappaport makes this clear with her statement on page 2 in reference to the giant obelisk monument that is situated outside the city of Ekaterinburg: "Many would kiss the obelisk in a final farewell; others scratched their names on the plasterwork. Most would never pass this way again." Rappaport makes it clear that the former Tsar and his wife knew that their future did not await them in European Russia, and "they would never pass that way again."
The Style of this book is written in a form of prose similar to the novel. Each chapter heading relates to a picture, a snapshot rather, to paint a more vivid picture of what the chapter was about. Each of the snapshots that are mentioned in the chapter headings are conveniently placed within the book. It is very easy to become enthralled in this book, as each page makes the last days of the Romanovs more relative to the audience. Although it is her intent to focus the majority of her attention on the last fourteen days that the Romanov family lived, Rappaport spends a great deal of time in the first chapter covering the events leading up to their deposition and transfer by rail to Ekaterinburg. This aids Rappaport's ability to convey the story to a much larger audience than just the educated elite.
Rappaport backs up her argument in many different modes. It is apparent that she is knowledgeable of Russian History, as well as the city of Ekaterinburg, Russia. Through pictures, facts, and personal research within the city of Ekaterinburg, Rappaport makes it clear to her audience that she is very well informed. Her point of view is something that is unheard of in regards to the depiction of the death of the last Tsar; It is apparent that Rappaport is a monarchist and in favor of the Tsarist rule. In Ekaterinburg today, as the city, since the fall of Communism, has been dedicated to the Romanov family. This is a huge change in directions from where it was when the Romanov family was killed. Therefore, it may be a clear fact that the contemporary culture of Ekaterinburg has influenced Rappaport's interpretation of the historical events that occurred there.
Within the pages of this page turner Rappaport shares with her readers the vivid and broken lives of the former Tsar and his family. She carries this through to their deaths on the morning of Thursday, 18 July 1918. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is remotely interested in the history of the 20th century. Rappaport's recounting is very much a part of what has gone into making the last century what it became.

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Very informative!

I have read a great deal of information on the Romanov Family, and I found this book to be filled with information that I had not heard before. I enjoyed the easy way that the informaion was presented. It is a must read for any Russian History Enthusiast.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Exceptional

I enjoyed reading this book. I learned a lot with this book, Miss Helen Rappaport used some easy English words that made reading not difficult and revealing to us, what the Romanovs family had to endure.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Washes away the romanticism of the event

Informative. Details all the players. Makes the Imperial Family real people rather than an idealized monarchy.
Only disappointment is the illustrations/pictures did nit download with the book.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

VERY,VERY, INTERESTING!

This book is one of the best Romanov's book I have read. The details are amazing. If you want to kinda know what happened their last days...read this book..Make sure you have a strong stomach when you get to the end:)

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

for those whose knowledge of russian history consist of viewing of the movie "nicholas and alexandra", this is a must read. concise, detailed ( the murder scene is particularily so). well balance in presenting the romanov.

tragic throughout. one can't believe how easily it was to literally wipe out a dynasty that is over 300 years in such short order. one question constantly rise its head: "were there no one give a thought of the importance of the moment?" i wanted to say badly, "shame on the bolsheviks!!" i guess we can say that to so many so call revolutionaried, i.e. mao's cultural revolution brings to mind. at the end of the book, i can't help but to feel certain sadness not just on the lack of preparation to end a dynasty but the bumbling idiots that were the participants. it is too bad that history has let them "off" so easily. good read.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Great read

My only disappointment is that the illustrations are not included!!!!!!!!

Very well done.

Helen took time to bring the whole scenario to life of what happened to the Romanovs.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Very Interesting

I enjoyed this book very much and would definitely recommend it to others. My only complaint is I feel there should have been a detailed map of Russia included with the book. This is the only negative.

I highly recommend this book

Obviously Helen Rapport is passionate about the subject and did an incredible amount of research. She did a thorough job of explaining the situation in Russia in 1918, what led up it and what happened afterward. The Romanov family was brought to life and the reader got to know them as people not just names in a history book. Not really suited to the role of Tsar, Nicholas just wanted to lead a quiet life with his family. Alexandra was a domineering woman plagued by ill health. The children? They were just that, children. Their only crime was being born as Romanovs. Their lives were cut short before they really started. The chapter that dealt with the family's murder was very hard to read. The assassins subjected the family to so much pain and horror. The family pets were even killed - except for Alexey's beloved spaniel who gratefully was able to live out his live in England. The good, the bad and the ugly - I loved this book and would recommend it highly.

EXCELLENT UPDATE ON ALL QUESTIONS ON THE ROMANOV'S FATE. BEST READ THIS YEAR.

If you thought all there was to say on the Romanov's fate has already been said- READ THIS BOOK. Helen Rappaport's book The Last Days of the Romanov's" is A MUST READ FOR ALL HISTORY BUFFS and REQUIRED READING for anyone attempting to get answers on what REALLY happened to the last Imperial Family of Russia. I plan on writing to the author praising her book- since she provides an address to contact her in the last chapter. All literary kudos to Helen Rappaport!

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.