The Romanovs: The Final Chapter
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A “masterful” (The Washington Post Book World) account of the quest to solve one of the great mysteries in Russian history—from the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Peter the Great, Nicholas and Alexandra, and Catherine the Great “Riveting . . . unfolds like a detective story.”—Los Angeles Times Book Review In July 1991, nine skeletons were exhumed from a shallow mass grave near Ekaterinburg, Siberia, a few miles from the infamous cellar room where the last tsar and his family had been murdered seventy-three years before. But were these the bones of the Romanovs? And if these were their remains, where were the bones of the two younger Romanovs supposedly murdered with the rest of the family? Was Anna Anderson, celebrated for more than sixty years in newspapers, books, and film, really Grand Duchess Anastasia? The Romanovs provides the answers, describing in suspenseful detail the dramatic efforts to discover the truth. Pulitzer Prize winner Robert K. Massie presents a colorful panorama of contemporary characters, illuminating the major scientific dispute between Russian experts and a team of Americans, whose findings, along with those of DNA scientists from Russia, America, and Great Britain, all contributed to solving one of the great mysteries of the twentieth century.
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I might use the start of this review to let everyone know that you must read [b:Nicholas and Alexandra 133486 Nicholas and Alexandra Robert K. Massie https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1333577599s/133486.jpg 2453716] if you haven't already. You really must. Read that first and if you are interested in reading more then [b:The Romanovs: The Final Chapter 155206 The Romanovs The Final Chapter Robert K. Massie https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1333577585s/155206.jpg 149815] might be a good choice.If you are interested in the history and lives of the Romanovs, right up the last moments before their murder, then Nicholas and Alexandra is what you want to read. The Romanovs: The Final Chapter is not focused on the victims themselves, but on what happened after their murders. In many ways, it felt like accompaniment to Nicholas and Alexandra, as it continues exactly where that book left off.There is certainly a lot to cover concerning the decades after the murder: the contradiction between the all the lies told by the Soviets (who had been killed, whether there were any survivors, where were they now...), the discovery of (most of) the bodies, the forensic science surrounding case, the bickering, competition and arrogance in the scientific community, imposters claiming to be the missing members of the Imperial family and the desperate desire to believe them, battles in court over who has control over evidence and the disputes of the remaining Romanov family members over their future. All this is very interesting, and as expected from Massie, impeccably researched. But, I will say it again, if it is Russian history that you are interested in and you have no interest in forensic science or law then this book is not for you. I found it fascinating and sped through it just as fast as with Nicholas and Alexandra. I never realised how complicated the investigation into their deaths were and just how many people were involved. Saying that, I can see how some would be disappointed if they picked this up expecting more of a history focused on the Romanovs, because this isn't really the book for that. (Again, I'll say go read Nicholas and Alexandra).One final point: it was clear to me while reading this, of course through no fault of Massie's, that this book, published in 1995, is now slightly out of date. At the time of its publication, Alexei and one of his sisters (either Anastasia or Marie) were still missing and the rest of the family hadn't yet been given a proper burial. The story has clearly moved on since then, which made it a little strange to read this, which at times seemed to be attempt to give the story some closure. Not a huge issue, but definitely something to keep in mind whilst reading.
