I love it when I read a book featuring a strong female character, and that’s exactly what I found in this book. The author did an impressive job of painting a picture of the setting and the characters for the reader. Full of excitement, intrigue. The hardships they went through were written so realistically, I felt like I was right there in it all.

Princess Dagmar of Denmark or Minnie is a daughter to Denmark’s King Christian IX and sister to Alexandra, who would marry Edward VII and become Queen of the United Kingdom. Minnie knows she too must marry and would rather marry for love. When she meets Nicholas Alexandrovich or Nixa, the Tsarevich of Russia, Minnie is taken. However, as fate would have it, Minnie marries Nixa’s brother, Sasha, Tsarevich Alexander of Russia, and eventually becomes Grand Duchess Maria Feodorovna of Russia. Minnie must adjust to Russia, a new religion, and rules of the royalty. Minnie exceeds in her role and is a driving force within the Russian government. Although, times are changing in Russia and things become dangerous for Minnie and her family. Minnie sees that the government also needs to change. When her beloved Sasha passes Minnie’s son, Nicholas becomes Tsar. Nicholas’ wife, Alexandra, is not as diplomatic as Minnie and finds herself in a war of wills with Minnie. As actual war finds its way to Russia’s door, Nicholas heeds his wife’s opinion and that of her mystic Rasputin over Minnie’s and brings the downfall of the Russian empire with him.

With historically accurate detail, The Romanov Empress gives an in-depth and entertaining look at the amazing woman behind the story’s last Tsar of Russia. Told from Minnie’s point of view from the time she was a teenager through her son’s death, we get a full view of her life.

As always, Gortner does a magnificent job in setting his scenes. Maria’s dazzling wedding, endless parties and charities in the early years, rumblings of unrest in bombings galore, and the eventual takeover of Russia by the Bolsheviks suck the reader in by the author’s generous usage of descriptions and sensory details. He strikes a subtle balance between descriptive passages and dialogue that gives the reader a wonderful imaginary world to explore the events portrayed. All this without going overboard and drowning the reader in too many details.

The Romanov Empress does a superb job of making Maria Feodorovna come alive. The writing is very eloquent and elegant. Mr. Gortner also breathes new life into the Russian imperial court with all their customs and traditions. I also thought he did a marvelous job in portraying the mindset of the Romanovs.