Everything flung out of the window… I could write in rambling flowery prose why I picked this book up and why the real-life story of the mysteries of the Romanovs and Anna Anderson are so fascinating to me but frankly after finishing this novel the other morning I couldn’t stop shaking my head and saying “just wow” and decided right then to forego the dramatics and go straight to the truth. Yes I Was Anastasia is readable, transporting and at times entertaining (it has such a fabulous premise that history practically writes for itself and, to be honest I enjoyed more of Anna’s chapters rather than Anastasia’s) but in this case I think it simmers down for me looking at this book more as it falling directly into that disappointing scurrilous mire of modern expectations: overtaking a storyline (forcing an awkward cliché romance element that just goes off in the pages with no other mention), interchangeable characters, emotional setups for later chapters, the dialogue (I couldn’t help but cringe when I saw the word “cute” sprinkled throughout) and then sadly the collected and any remaining known history and morality are flung out of the window for the sake to “keep up” with the present in your face tactics. No doubt others will seek out I Was Anastasia just for the shock and ugly disgusting rumors reimagined in detailed passages (really it’s no one’s business if it happened or not and the dead should be respected in that aspect) but I think it would be cruel not to warn readers who may be sensitive to scenes of unexpected rape and animal abuse that you may want to find another title (and believe me there will be dozens as the tragic centennial of the execution of the Romanov family comes closer). True many may argue this book could have gone in much worse detail but I’m sorry it went far enough for me and this wasn’t the novel I was hoping to find (that respectfully balanced imagination with history to tell a believable story or didn’t have a hundred open-ended questions from several plot holes left) and it reminded me too much of other titles (The Unseeing, The Midnight Watch, City of Shadows etc) I have been highly anticipating that quickly went into the frustrating muck of modern ideas of what entertainment should be or what sells. With thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday Books who kindly sent me an Advanced Reader Copy. Title expected to be released: March 27, 2018 -EGP/October 2017 Comments are closed.
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