Anastasia's Secret by Susanne Dunlap

Reading Level: Young Adult

Hardcover: 352 pages

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's Books (March 2, 2010)

Summary: For Anastasia Romanov, life as the privileged daughter of Russia’s last tsar is about to be torn apart by the bloodshed of revolution. Ousted from the imperial palace when the Bolsheviks seize control of the government, Anastasia and her family are exiled to Siberia. But even while the rebels debate the family’s future with agonizing slowness and the threat to their lives grows more menacing, romance quietly blooms between Anastasia and Sasha, a sympathetic young guard she has known since childhood. But will the strength of their love be enough to save Anastasia from a violent death?

Inspired by the mysteries that have long surrounded the last days of the Romanov family, Susanne Dunlap’s new novel is a haunting vision of the life—and love story—of Russia’s last princess.

My Review: Anastasia’s Secret is a delightful tale of a young girl and the love and loss involved with becoming a woman. However, this girl is not so average, considering her status as Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanov, daughter of the last Tsar of Russia. While her family is exiled from her home country during revolution, Dunlap makes Anastasia seem like the average girl would: lost, confused, and yearning for love.

Anastasia’s innocent perspective as a curious princess locked away from the world quickly grabbed my sympathy. Dunlap’s grasp of Anasatasia as a vulnerable but strong girl in times of crisis is a plus - who would want a whiney, weeping narrator?

The relationship that blooms between revolutionary soldier, Sasha, and Anastasia, is what puts a twist to the historical story. The idea of Anastasia having relations with an enemy soldier could have proved crucial for the family and increased the chances of any escape. Although we don’t learn much about Sasha from his considerably short and secretive meetings with Anastasia, it is obvious that their love is true. For Sasha, he gets the comfort that is needed in the hard life of a soldier, and Anastasia is able to have someone to talk to and to assure her that everything will work out in the end.

Speaking of the end, I thought that it was rather rushed, considering that the rest of the story was dragged out and indulged with details. I suppose it might have been because no one truly knows what happened to the Romanov family that day, therefore it could be tough to go into detail.

Reading this book was the first time I had heard of the Romanov family and their tragic end, so those last few pages most definitely left me shocked. Although the story is rather subtle and not much excitement occurs, I once again found myself engorged in the beauty of the time, despite the war factor. Anastasia’s Secret is a nice, rather slow paced read that brings you back to the elegance and beauty of the Romanov family and their Russia.

Favorite Excerpt: (From page 66, ARC edition)

     "I made my way against the tide of incoming wounded, some walking and weary, clutching arms or sides covered with dirty bandages, others, like the one I feared was Sasha, carried by on stretchers or rolled on gurneys and already looking past help. Still I pushed determinedly toward the doors where the overworked admitting nurses kept lists and checked off names. 

     I should have been ashamed for putting my needs above the others then, but I could think of nothing but my desperate desire to know; was it Sasha, and what had happened to him?"

Rating: +++

Cover Comment: This cover suites the novel well – the innocence of a young princess and elegance of the time era.

Book Source: Other Shelf Tours