Review:I Was Anastasia

Title: I Was Anastasia 

Author: Ariel Lawhon

Publisher: 2nd October 2024 by Simon & Schuster Australia

Pages: 430 pages

Genre: General Fiction (Adult) | Historical Fiction | Russia

Rating: 4.5 cups

Synopsis:

From the bestselling author of  The Frozen River  comes an enthralling historical mystery that unravels the extraordinary twists and turns in Anna Anderson’s fifty-year battle to be recognised as Anastasia Romanov. Is she the Russian grand duchess or the thief of another woman’s legacy?

Countless others have rendered their verdict. Now it is your turn.

Russia, 1918: Under direct orders from Vladimir Lenin, Bolshevik secret police herd Anastasia Romanov, along with the entire imperial family, into a damp basement in Siberia, where they face a merciless firing squad. None survive. At least that is what the executioners have always claimed.

Germany, 1920: A young woman bearing an uncanny resemblance to Anastasia Romanov is pulled shivering and senseless from a canal. Refusing to explain her presence in the freezing water or even acknowledge her rescuers, Anna Anderson is taken to the hospital where an examination reveals that her body is riddled with countless horrific scars. When she finally does speak, this frightened, mysterious young woman claims to be the Russian grand duchess. As rumours begin to circulate that the youngest Romanov daughter survived the massacre, old enemies and new threats awaken.

I Was Anastasia unravels the thrilling mystery around Anna Anderson in a tale that is every bit as moving and momentous as it is harrowing and twisted.

My Thoughts

I first came across Ariel with her book, Flight of Dreams (about the Hindenburg disaster) in 2016 - it was brilliant. From that book on it has been wonder after wonder including last year’s huge success, The Frozen River. It is therefore needless to say, I was filled with anticipation about her latest to be finally released in Australia, I Was Anastasia. 

‘Am I truly Anastasia Romanov? A beloved daughter. A revered icon. A Russian grand duchess. Or am I an impostor? A fraud. A liar. The thief of another woman’s legacy.’

I have a fascination for the Romanov family, as Ariel states herself, ‘The Romanovs are not the only royal family to come to a tragic end, yet their story endures as few have. What do you think contributes to the timeless fascination - that of Anastasia in particular?  It was indeed an ambitious undertaking to tell a story of such famed repute and the way she delivers it is complex but I think, very rewarding. Yes the multiple timelines - Anastasia herself and Anna Anderson (see blurb) - are interwoven throughout. Make no mistake, they do jump around all over the place being nonlinear. Even Ariel admits the structure is very challenging and different but it was selected so as to enhance and bring out the absolute best in this tale. 

‘The recognized, legal, and surviving family of Tsar Nicholas the Second believe that you are a fraud.’

No matter how much or how little you know of the story of Anastasia Romanov, Ariel’s book brings these rich and highly engaging stories (yes, more than one!) to their most appealing. The detail and specifics that she delivers to her readers is nothing short of spectacular. Be sure to take time to truly sink into Ariel’s, ‘Author Notes’ at the conclusion. I Was Anastasia  is a definite stand out book for me and I highly recommend it as it ticks so many boxes. It is complex yet clear in regaling readers about an intriguing mystery from history. If a tale rich in research of time, place, people and mystery sounds inviting, then do yourself a favour and read it. 

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: The Masterpiece

Title: The Masterpiece 

Author: Belinda Alexandra

Publisher: 4th September 2024 by HarperCollins Australia

Pages: 419 pages

Genre: General Fiction (Adult) | Historical Fiction | Post WWII

Rating: 4.5 cups

Synopsis:

Paris 1946: A young woman, Eve Archer, has come to Paris to find Serge Lavertu, the father she never knew. But before Eve can find the courage to tell him who she is, Serge is arrested, accused of selling a French national treasure to Hitler during the war and murdering the original owner. Could Serge truly be guilty of treason or has he been set up?

Only one person knows the truth that might save Serge from execution: Kristina Belova, a beautiful Russian artist recently returned from a concentration camp and suffering amnesia. As Eve desperately prompts Kristina to recall what happened during the war, she uncovers a passionate love triangle and a secret about her own heritage that will change Eve's view of life forever.

My Thoughts

Eve Archer, has come to Paris to find the father she never knew only to discover he is accused of not only selling art to Hitler but murdering the original owners in order to do so. In Eve’s effort to prove her father’s innocence, she must not only take on Parisian society but also uncover the world of art pre and post war and an artist talented enough to defy them all. A betrayal of the highest order and the race again time to deliver justice. 

'It's a masterpiece, I said.

'It certainly deserves to be considered as one,' sighed Madame Bonne. 'Unfortunately, "masterpiece" is a title that seems reserved for works by male painters.’

With so many WWII stories out there for readers, it is essential that there is a key component that sets it apart from others. The focus and detail of the art world certainly ticks that criteria with the overall focus mainly on art from the 1920s through to the end of WWII. It gets especially engaging with art forgeries and resistance fighters in Paris during the Nazi invasion which makes for fascinating reading. Belinda has really done her homework in that department and it’s fascinating. Her attention to detail and accuracy is remarkable as the story delves into everything from aspiring artists pre world war, espionage and resistance during the occupation and then life and rebuilding post war, Belinda has done an amazing job in weaving storyline’s, plots and characters into a highly engaging story. It’s complex, it’s intriguing that all comes to a riveting and satisfying conclusion. 

‘It was then that she decided she would give each forgery a ‘time bomb'. She would make a tiny mark - a personal signature of her own - on all the forgeries so they could be identified as fake after the war.’

I have loved all Belinda’s books and she just seems to get better and better with each one. The Masterpiece being such a well rounded novel with love and loyalty, secrets and spies and a story that will sit with you long after turning the final page. I highly recommend this to not only historical fiction lovers but anyone who wants to get lost in a great story. 

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: A Girls' Guide to Winning the War

Title: A Girls' Guide to Winning the War

Author: Annie Lyons

Publisher: 30th June 2024 by Hachette Australia/Headline Review

Pages: 344 pages

Genre: General Fiction (Adult) | Historical Fiction | Women's Fiction

My Rating: 3.5 cups

Synopsis:

Can two young women, and one book, change the course of war . . .?

1940. Whip-smart librarian Peggy Sparks is determined to make sure that her brother Joe returns from the frontline to their London home, which they share with their beloved mother and grandmother. So when she is offered a once-in-a-lifetime job at the heart of the war effort, Peggy jumps at the prospect of making a real contribution to her country. 

But when she finds herself working under the fanciful socialite Lady Marigold Cecily, Peggy discovers that those around her are more keen on dancing at the Café de Paris than on ending the war. Writing accounts of her daily life is the only thing keeping Peggy's hopes alive. But when she finds her inner-most thoughts accidentally published by the Ministry of Information, Peggy realises she needs Marigold's help to save her job, and to bring her brother home . . .

From the author of The Air Raid Book Club comes a powerful tale of unexpected friendship, community and two remarkable women who change the course of the war. Full of heart, emotion and drama, it is the perfect uplifting story for fans of Kate Thompson and Natasha Lester.

My Thoughts

A Girls' Guide to Winning the War is a story of the love of family, female friendships and the power of the written word. Set during World War II readers will follow Peggy as she contributes to the war effort through the publication and writing of pamphlets and books to keep up morale on the homefront.

‘The war has offered a great opportunity to us and we would have been fools not to take it.’

Overall this is a lovely, heartwarming read about women on the home front in London and how families coped with bombings, rationing, taking on new roles and the importance of letters from loved ones at the front. The friendship between Peggy and Marigold highlights class differences and how friendship knows no bounds. 

‘Words have power, and yours have more power than most.’

This is a nice, charming story about the power of love from family and friends during challenging times. Lovers of historical fiction, particularly the changing roles of women during WWII will be most interested in this book. 

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: The Radio Hour

Title: The Radio Hour

Author: Victoria Purman

Publisher: 1st May 2023 by Harlequin Australia, HQ & MIRA

Pages: 320 pages

Genre: General Fiction (Adult) | Historical Fiction | Women's Fiction

Rating: 5 cups

Synopsis:

From the bestselling author of The Nurses' War comes this charming, funny, pointed look at the golden years of radio broadcasting in post-war Australia, celebrating the extraordinary unseen women who wrote the radio plays that held a nation captive. For readers of Lessons in Chemistry.

Martha Berry is fifty years old, a spinster, and one of an army of polite and invisible women in 1956 Sydney who go to work each day and get things done without fuss, fanfare or reward.

Working at the country's national broadcaster, she's seen highly praised talent come and go over the years but when she is sent to work as a secretary on a brand-new radio serial, created to follow in the footsteps of Australia's longest running show, Blue Hills, she finds herself at the mercy of an egotistical and erratic young producer without a clue, a conservative broadcaster frightened by the word 'pregnant' and a motley cast of actors with ideas of their own about their roles in the show.

When Martha is forced to step in to rescue the serial from impending cancellation, she ends up secretly ghost-writing scripts for As The Sun Sets, creating mayhem with management, and coming up with storylines that resonate with the serial's growing and loyal audience of women listeners.

But she can't keep her secret forever and when she's threatened with exposure, Martha has to decide if she wants to remain in the shadows, or to finally step into the spotlight.

My Thoughts

Following on from her last novel A Woman’s Work, Victoria continues with her theme of women from Australia of the 1950s and I am 100% here for it! Love! Love! Love! This is most definitely Australia’s Lesson in Chemistry moment as it highlights so much of what women achieved through challenging opposition.  

This period of time was not that long ago and Victoria does an incredible job of highlighting the struggles women experienced through laws, societal expectations and personal preferences. It is not only a journey of how far we have come (and still need to go) but also how together, women are stronger. It is such a fabulous read - a book about women, for women and what they have contended with (and sadly may continue to do so) in the workforce. 

I adore the structure of the book with each chapter providing a ‘set the scene’ as happened in radio serials of the day. Once more readers are immersed in not only the plight of Martha (a 50 year old spinster and all the stereotypical baggage that comes attached to that) but the making and production of a radio serial from go to whoa which is both enlightening and entertaining in and of itself. With so much to choose from in today’s world of entertainment, it is pure pleasure to slip back to a time when the whole nation embraced the medium of radio and the stories it provided.

‘If politeness had held her back for her first fifty years, the truth was going to win out from now on. Too many women kept too many secrets. For too long, women had buried their ambitions and their intelligence, succumbed to the law of the land made by men, and put up with behaviour and situations no man had a right to impose on them.’

Our lead Martha is wonderful - everyone needs a Martha in their workplace for sure. She is a brilliant protagonist in being both relatable and likeable for a woman of her era. The cheers are loud when she finally tells people they can make their own cup of tea! The themes that Victoria places throughout bring such a richness to an already vibrant and worthy tale. Sexism in the workplace, gender inequality, aging, female health issues, immigration - are just some of the themes addressed in this engaging read. 

I love learning about and from history, and once more Victoria has taken her readers on an incredible journey. I don’t think I fully appreciated the impact of the era of radio before the introduction of television on a nation. Woven into that is an incredible tale that is right in line with Victoria’s last few novels of the role of women at a time of change and, indeed, changes that still need to be faced and tackled in some ways. An engaging, emotive, enjoyable read that I highly recommend. 

‘That was what Martha could pass on to the next generation: the hope of something more.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.