The Winter Palace: A Novel of Catherine the Great by Eva Stachniak

Oct 14, 2011 Erin rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historic-fiction-1700s

Find the enhanced version of this and other reviews at: http://flashlightcommentary.blogspot....

Straight out of the gate I have to give Stachniak a lot of points. In a market flooded with Tudor lit, The Winter Palace stands apart. A lover of history and historic fiction, I was overjoyed to see an author branching out. Of course, I wont be happy until someone writes a solid fiction on Crown Prince Rudolf and Baroness Marie Vetsera but Catherine the Great is definitely a step in the right directio...more Find the enhanced version of this and other reviews at: http://flashlightcommentary.blogspot....

Straight out of the gate I have to give Stachniak a lot of points. In a market flooded with Tudor lit, The Winter Palace stands apart. A lover of history and historic fiction, I was overjoyed to see an author branching out. Of course, I wont be happy until someone writes a solid fiction on Crown Prince Rudolf and Baroness Marie Vetsera but Catherine the Great is definitely a step in the right direction.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. There were times I was frustrated with the narrator, Varvara's long absence from court especially, but in general, I liked the female spy. Her ability to adapt to survive was intriguing but the nature of her work was down right fun to read. To Stachniak's credit, Varvara provides tidbits on several members of the court in addition to the young princess. I can't speak to the validity of these accounts but they were entertaining nonetheless.

For all that I appreciated Varvara, I can't say I enjoyed Catherine. She just didn't jump off the page for me. Catherine was a remarkable woman who would redefine her empire over the course of her thirty four year reign. Stachniak's characterization was too delicate to read as strong or astute as her historic counterpart. Likewise, Peter came off as childish and mildly unstable. Classically, Peter was a neurotic, mean and loathsome individual who was consumed by his obsession with the military and a steadfast hatred of his people. In comparison, Stachniak's interpretation was almost boring.

My commentary doesn't end with the issues of characterization. Lets examine the cover art. There is no shortage of artwork of Catherine the Great so I have to ask why the publisher chose to feature a partial portrait of one of her contemporaries for the cover image. While you can't see the head, the slim white hand caressing the golden robe actually belongs to the Empress Maria Theresa, mother of Marie Antoinette.

My second question regards the tagline 'A novel of Catherine the Great.' The book is not about the Empress so much as it is Varvara and her observations of life at court during the reigns of Elizabeth, Peter and Catherine. I feel something like 'A novel of Romanov Russia' or 'A novel of the Romanov Court' would have been more appropriate when the content is considered. Additionally, I think the family name would generate equal if not more interest. I understand the concept of a head liner but thanks to the conspiracy theories surrounding the of death of Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanov, the surname is far more recognizable than Catherine's name alone.

On the subject of content I have to concede a certain resemblance to Philippa Gregory's The Queen's Fool. Hannah spies for Lord Robert and Queen Mary, Varvara for Chancellor Bestuzhuv and Empress Elizabeth. Both befriend the individual they are meant to be spying on, Elizabeth and Catherine respectively. Varvara is Roman Catholic in an Eastern Orthodox court and Hannah is Jewish in a... well it depends on the year but you see what I am getting at. Don't misunderstand, I appreciated both novels. I am just commenting that there are more than a few similarities between the two titles. Consider yourself warned.

My personal concerns aside, The Winter Palace is a clever introduction to the Romanov Court. Recommended to fans of Phillip Gregory and Juliet Grey. (less)

like 16 likes · see review

Oct 02, 2011 Lolly's rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: amazon-vine, historical-fiction, young-adult

3.5 stars

Eva Stachniak is an excellent writer. She immerses the reader fully into the story, allowing one to hear the susurration of silken petticoats, feel the chill bite of the howling Russian winter wind, smell the perfume and mildew which permeated the grand yet dilapidated Winter Palace. She does so with complex sentences, unlike some historical fiction writers *cough* Philippa Gregory *cough* who can't seem to string together sentences more involved than the "See Jane, See Spot, See Jane a...more 3.5 stars

Eva Stachniak is an excellent writer. She immerses the reader fully into the story, allowing one to hear the susurration of silken petticoats, feel the chill bite of the howling Russian winter wind, smell the perfume and mildew which permeated the grand yet dilapidated Winter Palace. She does so with complex sentences, unlike some historical fiction writers *cough* Philippa Gregory *cough* who can't seem to string together sentences more involved than the "See Jane, See Spot, See Jane and Spot" variety, weaving together a intricate and compelling story. Eva also managed to introduce numerous characters without overwhelming the reader or constantly repeating how each character related to another and the importance of said relationship as some writers *cough* Philippa Gregory *cough* do, relying on the reader's intelligence to keep names straight (as well as a handy list at the back of the book, identifying the major players in the Russian Court).

However, I did encounter a few problems. The first was the story really wasn't about Catherine the Great, at least, not in the way I had imagined the novel might be. The book is told from the first-person perspective of Barbara, or as she's known in Russia, Varvara, the daughter of a lowly bookbinder who comes to the court of Empress Elizabeth and eventually becomes her "tongue" or spy. Varvara's job is to ingratiate herself with the young Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst, the future Catherine and bride of Empress Elizabeth's nephew, Ivan, in order to spy on her activities and report back to the Empress. Along the way, Varvara becomes conflicted over her duties as she finds herself truly liking the naive Grand Duchess and instead of helping the Empress, she begins to help Catherine become a power player in the Russian court, actions which inevitably lead to a clashing of forces and a palace coup. While the story told is powerful and entrancing, I found it was more about Varvara and her fortunes and follies than anyone else; Catherine, while present, seemed to be a side note. Yes, we see Catherine change from a frightened, lonely young woman to a confident manipulator of her surroundings. However, all the thoughts we see are Varvara's. All the emotions and upheavals we experience are Varvara's. Everything of Catherine's is second-hand and, thus, less poignant. Also, the first-person narration didn't always serve the story well and this is something I'd like to dwell upon for a moment. It seems to be the "in" thing lately to have historical fiction novels told from a first-person perspective, often from a secondary source. Why? If you want to have first-person narration, why can't the principal character do the narration? Why does it have to be first-person? Why can't we go back to the tried-and-true third person omniscient narration? Or be truly daring and try an epistolary narration? Because, and here's the problem with first-person narration from a secondary character, you lose some of the immediacy and flow of the tale, especially if, as in the case with The Winter Palace, your character leaves the main action. For seven years, after she displeases the Empress and is forcefully married off, Varvara is banished from court and the novel focuses on her time spent with her husband and child. As such, we hear about the actions of Catherine, who is supposedly meant to be the main thrust of the novel, from tertiary sources--letters, reports, rumors--passed on to Varvara. If this is a book about Catherine, why is Varvara the one we sympathize with, suffer with, ride along with? Shouldn't it be Catherine?

Ultimately, that is the reason behind my rating. While the writing is beautiful and the story excellently told, it's mislabeled. It should be subtitled A Novel Set in the Court of Catherine the Great. Because, in the end, it's Varvara who takes center stage, about whom all the other characters dance.(less)

like 10 likes · see review

Feb 26, 2013 Sheila rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was a complicated, challenging and enjoyable read - lots of characters with difficult names. It followed the up and downs of the Russian court under first, Elizabeth, then briefly Grand Duke Peter and finally Catherine the Great/II as seen through the eyes of Vavara/Barbara a Polish Bookbinder's daughter. As a spy at court and later a friend and confident of the young Catherine, she is given intimate access to the Russian royals both in state and in private. Largely the book is about power...more

like 1 like · see review

Mar 04, 2012 librarianka rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: biography, canadian-authors, historical, russia, women

This book sets the stage for the next book, a clever idea. In The Winter Palace we read about what went on before the relatively obscure German princess Sophie Friederike Auguste von Anhalt-Zerbst-Dornburg transformed herself into the empress Catherine the Great.

I found it quite an intense story about what, we would call today, an abusive and toxic environment and women who found themselves living inside it. Sophie and everybody else is placed under the tyranny of empress Elizabeth, who is a cru...more

like 7 likes · see review

May 04, 2013 Bibi rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a historical novel which is well researched so that the story/plot revolves around historical facts and events. It is therefore a most interesting read. Eva Stachniak portrays strong female characters in this outstanding novel set in the famed palace of St. Petersburg.

The story is narrated by Varara Nikolayevna, the daughter of a Polish bookbinder who moves to Russia to improve the lot of his family. Varara is the Russian version of her Polish name, Barbara. When Varara became an orphan...more This is a historical novel which is well researched so that the story/plot revolves around historical facts and events. It is therefore a most interesting read. Eva Stachniak portrays strong female characters in this outstanding novel set in the famed palace of St. Petersburg.

The story is narrated by Varara Nikolayevna, the daughter of a Polish bookbinder who moves to Russia to improve the lot of his family. Varara is the Russian version of her Polish name, Barbara. When Varara became an orphan at a very young age, she sought refuge at the palace where she hoped Empress Elizabeth, who was the ruler at that time, would be kind to her in recognition of her father's generosity and skill in bookbinding; in fact, Varara's dad was able to restore Empress Elizabeth's prayer book and many other books at the palace.

Varara started out in the Imperial Wardrobe Department where she proved to be inept at sewing and was constantly rebuked and humiliated. A chance meeting with Chancellor Bestuzhev resulted in Varara becoming a "tongue, a gazette"; in short a spy. Under the tutelage of Bestuzhev, Varara mastered the art: from lock-picking to hollowed books, trunks with false bottoms, spy holes and the maze of secret corridors. Once dubbed a "polish stray", Varara was elevated to the position of the "ears and eyes" of the Empress Elizabeth and, as the story progresses, to Catherine as well.

The story focuses on the 1743- 1764 era at the Russian Court. It depicts the entrance of the German princess, Sophie Anhalt-Zerbst who was summoned to the court with the possibility of a marriage to the Grand Duke (nephew to the Empress) and hopefully to produce a heir. Sophie was transformed to Catherine Alexeyevna when she converted from Lutheranism to the Orthodox Church. Readers found the fictional Catherine mirroring the real Catherine as an intellectually curious, smart, and ambitious individual - she mastered the Russian language, read profusely, learnt the rules of etiquette, and understood the political games.

The Grand Duke - Peter - Catherine's husband displayed poor manners, appeared weird with his fascination of toy soldiers and puppets. He shared nothing in common with his wife and for the most part ignored her; she later dethroned him in a spectacular manner. On account of his foolhardiness, alcoholism, and a loyalty to Prussia as opposed to glorifying Russia, Peter was not perceived by the Russian populace as a suitable replacement for Empress Elizabeth when she died.

Varara, Catherine, and the Empress Elizabeth featured as a trio of strong, feisty women characters. The novel captured real events such as the revolution featuring the Orlov brothers, Grigory (one of Catherine's lovers) and Alexei. It also provides an engrossing read about behind-the-scenes intrigue, secret love letters, illicit trysts, subterfuge and the perils of absolute power. I also found the tidbits of daily life, practices and routines at the palace and during that era to be fascinating as well. The only far-fetched notion in the novel is the rise of a lowly maid to the ranks of Countess on account of her spying prowess and political patronage. I enjoyed Stachniak's superb writing style and the historical component. Can't wait for the sequel. Besides, a visit to Russia is definitely on my bucket list.
(less)

like · see review

Apr 25, 2013 Laura rated it 3 of 5 stars

Stachniak's piece of historical fiction, centered on Barbara, a servant and spy in the court of Elizabeth I of Russia, provides the back story for the accession of Catherine the Great to the throne of "All the Russias." It is a smooth and easy read, but it is disappointing on a couple of levels. First, for a book which covers a couple of wars, several murders,lots of political espionage, arranged marriages with unwilling participants and a coup d'etat, there is almost no dramatic tension. The au...more

like · see review

Apr 07, 2013 Kat rated it 2 of 5 stars

I tried reading Anna Karenina, and I'm not sure if it was the translation or the story, but it was a painful read. On the one hand, I'm not sure what that says about my literary tastes as a recent poll of 125 contemporary authors declared it "the greatest novel ever written." On the other hand, when I saw that William Faulkner was one of those polled, things made a bit more sense to me. But I was craving a tale of Russian romance and nobility, so I picked up "The Winter Palace." This book was re...more

like 2 likes · see review

Mar 28, 2013 Christina rated it 3 of 5 stars

SPOILERS! I really liked the beginning of this book. The idea of a look into the world of a Queen's spy was really interesting to me. About halfway through the book got really boring for me. The author is great at descriptions and really making you feel like you're actually there in the book's setting. But there were many times when the long details got in the way of the actual storyline. For example, when Catherine finally overthrows the Emporer I feel like that should've been the climax of the...more

like · see review

Mar 23, 2013 Doreen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle

Covering approximately 20 years (1743 – 1764), this novel is about life in the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia, during the reign of Empress Elizabeth. It ends shortly after the coup d’etat that brought Catherine to the throne.

The protagonist, despite what the subtitle suggests, is Barbara Nikolayevna, a Polish orphan who enters the court as a working girl. The Chancellor, Count Bestuzhev, molds her into a tongue, a spy, who is to report everything she sees and hears. When Sophie, a mino...more Covering approximately 20 years (1743 – 1764), this novel is about life in the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia, during the reign of Empress Elizabeth. It ends shortly after the coup d’etat that brought Catherine to the throne.

The protagonist, despite what the subtitle suggests, is Barbara Nikolayevna, a Polish orphan who enters the court as a working girl. The Chancellor, Count Bestuzhev, molds her into a tongue, a spy, who is to report everything she sees and hears. When Sophie, a minor German princess, is brought to the Imperial Court as a wife for Crown Prince Peter, Barbara befriends her (who is renamed Catherine) and becomes her informant.

Barbara (renamed Varvara in Russian) seems the typical heroine of a historical romance. She is born into genteel poverty (to a bookbinder), but a twist of fate brings her to the very heart of Russian power when she finds herself orphaned. Because of her education, she is not a typical servant in the Winter Palace; her exceptionality brings her attention and helps her escape a life of total drudgery. The friendship between Barbara and Catherine develops because they share much in common: both come to Russia as young foreigners, both have arranged marriages, and both are at the mercy of the Empress.

As a spy, Barbara is taught to stay in the shadows; the problem is that as a character she remains shadowy throughout the novel. She never comes fully to life and so I did not find myself drawn to her. The same can be said for Catherine who, until the end, is a rather hazy character in the background. It is Empress Elizabeth who draws the reader’s attention with her vanity, selfishness and capriciousness. She possesses the only vitality amongst the characters.

Both Barbara and Catherine are dynamic characters; they live and learn. Catherine arrives as lonely, frightened and naïve, but the toxic environment of the Palace turns her into someone closely resembling her predecessor: selfish and manipulative. It is Barbara’s change that is problematic; she learns very slowly for someone who is so adept at observing others and determining the significance of their smallest actions. She is betrayed by Empress Elizabeth, exploited by the Chancellor, and even banished from court for a period of time, yet she has a “conviction of [her] own importance” and sees herself as indispensable. From the beginning she is warned that “there are no safe places . . . Do not believe the displays of kindness. All gifts and smiles are bribes” yet at the end the Chancellor still has to tell her, “’You were commonplace, Varvara. Another disposable spy. The only difference with you was that you believed you were special.’” It is only in retrospect too that Barbara realizes some truths about her husband. Sometimes she seems willfully blind.

The descriptions of court life are interesting. Meals and clothing are described in sumptuous detail. Everywhere there is splendor and overindulgence, and intrigue, power struggles, conspiracies, hypocrisy, and illicit trysts abound. In the opening, Barbara describes the court as “a slippery ground [where one can] be deceived by tender looks and flattering words, promises of splendor and triumph. This place is where hopes shrivel and die. This is where dreams turn to ashes.” Unfortunately, the duplicity and treachery become tedious: new players but same old game. As a result, the novel drags after a while.

There are also some interesting observations about power and governance: “To govern is to understand the weaknesses of the human heart. And to use such weaknesses to your own advantage.” Barbara realizes that rulers are dangerous not only because of the power they possess but also because they fear to lose that power: “I know what power does to your heart. I know the price of fear.” A ruler may take certain actions in the name of justice, but “justice might merely be another word for getting even.” If power is attained through a coup, “A coup is a debt, and after it, debts multiply.”

This book certainly shows evidence of extensive research and is sufficiently interesting, but I, unlike The Globe and Mail, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post, would not choose it as one of the top books of 2012.
(less)

like 1 like · see review

Feb 22, 2013 Jodi rated it 3 of 5 stars

Winter Palace was a bit like 19th century Russian literature—dark, very descriptive, poetic and way too long. Sorry, but once I finished Anna Karenina I had to wonder why she didn’t face the train 25 pages into the book. Never have blanched at a long book, but this one was needlessly so.
My other issue was that the main character (forget it being about Empress Catherine, it was mostly about Empress Elizabeth) was a humble girl who worked her way up to be a spy for Elizabeth, for the Chancellor a...more

like 4 likes · see review

Jan 21, 2013 Ann Roberts rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Winter Palace (A novel of the young Catherine the Great)
This book was chosen for me to read by my local book group - I looked forward to it, since it was historical and also about Imperial Russia, which fascinates me.
The novel is well-written, and the rebuilding of the Winter Palace was used as an excellent metaphor for the changes taking place in Russia at the time. A decrepit, creaking autocracy was being replaced by the Empress Elizabeth - the moves from old palace to temporary accommoda...more The Winter Palace (A novel of the young Catherine the Great)
This book was chosen for me to read by my local book group - I looked forward to it, since it was historical and also about Imperial Russia, which fascinates me.
The novel is well-written, and the rebuilding of the Winter Palace was used as an excellent metaphor for the changes taking place in Russia at the time. A decrepit, creaking autocracy was being replaced by the Empress Elizabeth - the moves from old palace to temporary accommodation illustrated that very well. This interim period was about to be followed by a 'modern' state under Catherine the Great. The consolidation of walls, floors and giant windows showing the improvements along the Neva - recently completed as Catherine came to power - were again an excellent reference to the emergence of Russia as a western-looking state. Eva Stachniak used this hiatus in a subtle and intriguing manner.

The broad picture as well as the detail felt authentic, and I like that in an historical novel. BUT - it was just a picture - fascinating, but not enthralling. I did not feel that I knew the narrator, the young spy Varvara Nikolyevna, very well. I did not engage with her - she was a shadow, a cipher - as no doubt she would have wished to appear in reality. She was bloodless, except where her daughter was concerned. I longed for her to find love with her husband - but it was only in retrospect that she realised how much he had meant to her.

Several Amazon reviewers have called this book boring - well, it wasn't quite that for me, but I did have to persevere with it. One normally expects a bit of passion in an historical novel - I don't mean bodice-ripping, but genuine emotion - and emotion was sadly lacking in The Winter Palace. And in Varvara herself. In the end - at the end - I felt cheated. The story just finished. Not good at all. I will not be looking for the sequel to this book, as I didn't care enough for the central character. But Eva Stachniak is an excellent writer, so I hope she'll give her readers a character to identify with in the next book.
(less)

like · see review

Jan 08, 2013 Aban (Aby) rated it 3 of 5 stars

The Winter Palace was nominated as one of the top 100 books for 2012 by the Globe and Mail and, since some of our book club members wanted to read a historical novel, I suggested this book.

This is the story of a young woman, Varvara, attendant to the Empress Elizabeth, daughter of Peter the Great. Along with others, Varvara is expected to keep her mistress informed of all that's going on and report back to her. At the same time, she befriends the young princess, Sophie, newly arrived at the Rus...more

like · see review

Nov 04, 2012 Josie rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, historical-fiction

[Audiobook version]

Now that the days are shorter, I was looking for a sweeping historical novel to listen to on the dark drive to and from work. This seemed ideal -- an orphaned Polish girl working in the Russian court becomes one of Empress Elizabeth's "tongues" (a palace spy) but ultimately ends up helping the young German princess Sophie to become the notorious Catherine the Great.

Except, my knowledge of Russian (and European) history of that era is veeeery vague, so I honestly have no idea w...more

like 5 likes · see review

Sep 10, 2012 Larry rated it 5 of 5 stars

Eva Stachniak personalizes the experience of living in the royal environment of Russia following the life of Varvara (Barbara), an orphan accepted into the court of Empress Elizabeth of Russia. Her life as a ward of the state is anything but easy and as a young girl, she is trained as a ‘tongue’ by the spymaster Count Bestuzhev. This role brings her into intimate contact with the mercurial empress and the endless palace intrigues.

Childless, Elizabeth imports young princess Sophie from Prussia t...more

like 1 like · see review

Jun 25, 2012 Karly rated it 3 of 5 stars

As a lover of historical fiction, I enjoyed this novel very much. In all honesty, I am a Tudor's snob, so taking a break from Henry VIII's escapades was a surprisingly welcome relief. The book is long, but I got through it quickly, as I found Stachniak's plot was circular and repetitive at times. I liked Varvara very much, but felt the book could have centered on her more than it did. For a novel boasting it's intricate, candid look at Catherine the Great, it focused a heck of a lot on her prede...more

like 3 likes · see review

May 12, 2012 AliceinWonderland rated it 2 of 5 stars

- I was so looking forward to this book, only to be disappointed AGAIN!
- The unfortunate part is that the premise of the book, including the time period and all of the characters *could* have had such an interesting story to tell, but Stachniak falls short.
- To start off with, I believe the choice of a first person narrator told from the point of a view of a spy or "tongue" under the guise as a chamber maid ruined the writer's ability to truly potray Catherine the Great.
- I mean, who is she real...more

like 8 likes · see review

Mar 12, 2012 Dorine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical

The Winter Palace A Novel of Catherine the Great

For hardcore Historical fiction lovers, THE WINTER PALACE by Eva Stachniak is an excellent book. The novel gives great insight into Russian history and I thought it was fascinating.

It's written from the point of view of Varvara, a young orphaned woman, who becomes a spy within the Empress' palace. Her father was a bookbinder and upon his death, Varvara is left within the Empress' care. At first, she doesn't have much choice about becoming a spy - it's either that or continue working as a seams...more

like 3 likes · see review

Feb 29, 2012 Linda C rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is another example of the need for Goodreads to offer half stars. I am somewhat reluctantly giving it four stars, because I think it was better than a 3 star book, but I'm not sure that it really deserves four. That being said, although it had some flaws, it was a good read.

As other reviewers noted, this really wasn't a novel of Catherine the Great, but rather a novel of her friend and spy, Barbara (or Varvara in Russian), a Polish girl working in the imperial palace. I didn't read it...more This book is another example of the need for Goodreads to offer half stars. I am somewhat reluctantly giving it four stars, because I think it was better than a 3 star book, but I'm not sure that it really deserves four. That being said, although it had some flaws, it was a good read.

As other reviewers noted, this really wasn't a novel of Catherine the Great, but rather a novel of her friend and spy, Barbara (or Varvara in Russian), a Polish girl working in the imperial palace. I didn't read it expecting a novel about Catherine, so that part didn't bother me, but I can see that readers who expected to read a book about Catherine may have been annoyed, especially since the book was told in the first person by Barbara. The author masterfully re-created St. Petersburg of the early-to-mid 1700s. It was cold; it was smelly; people lived hard and died young. As with all good historical novels, it made me very grateful for central heat, indoor plumbing, and the dentist.

My biggest problem with the book came in the middle section. The author covered a lot of years and she generally moved things along at a rapid clip. However, the middle section dragged quite a bit. The court was waiting for death of the prior Empress (a very painful death, by the way, so I am also grateful for modern hospitals)-- We were ALL waiting for the Empress to die and I, personally, wanted her to get along with it. Once she died, then the last 100 pages again moved rapidly.

I was a bit disappointed with the ending. Barbara/Varvara had a falling out with Catherine and retreats with her teenage daughter to Poland. Without giving away the ending, I thought that it was quite immature for Barbara to believe that she had been Catherine's only friend and to get pissy when she realized that she was not the only one.

I also think that the author left the door open for a sequel about Barbara's daughter, Darya, who played with Catherine's son as a child. When the book ended, Barbara was moving to a small castle in the Polish countryside, not the place that a beautiful teenage girl who grew up in the palaces of St. Petersburg will want to stay for very long. Barbara believed that she was giving her daughter a better life by leaving Russia, but we will see... I think we may see Darya again...(less)

like 3 likes · see review

Feb 26, 2012 Care rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: hf-european

More than anything else I hate to see a truly gifted writer fail to achieve potential. To succeed in crafting wonderful prose, creating an enveloping atmosphere, only then to fail when history itself has given you the very plot and characters you need spin out your tale in a stunning coup de grace!

Eva Stachniak chose an interesting, completely fictional narrator, which does allow her interesting roving viewpoints throughout the palace. Her narrator is the orphaned daughter of the bookbinder to t...more More than anything else I hate to see a truly gifted writer fail to achieve potential. To succeed in crafting wonderful prose, creating an enveloping atmosphere, only then to fail when history itself has given you the very plot and characters you need spin out your tale in a stunning coup de grace!

Eva Stachniak chose an interesting, completely fictional narrator, which does allow her interesting roving viewpoints throughout the palace. Her narrator is the orphaned daughter of the bookbinder to the Empress Elizabeth I of Russia, whom he begged to care for the girl in the event of his death. Upon that event she ends up in various lowly positions in the court, is made a mistress and spy of the Chancellor of Russia and begins her rise to fame. The author uses her considerable talents to create an ambience of espionage, sumptuous feasts, decadent clothing, and furtive love affairs, all of which the Russian courts of the age were well known for.

There is no “author’s note” attached to the book, other than one which states that this is a work of fiction. So why attach the subtitle “A novel of Catherine the Great” to the book? To serious readers of historical fiction such a note is a tag denoting a work which is seriously researched and essentially a work “biographical fiction”. Catherine is not even the major character in the book-Elizabeth is. Catherine comes to Elizabeth’s court as a young bride to Elizabeth’s heir, her nephew, Peter, and she and the narrator, Varvara, form an uneasy friendship, but Elizabeth remains that dominante force in the novel.

Some historical elements of the novel, such as Elizabeth’s relationships with Peter and Catherine’s children (and their paternity), the access that Elizabeth allowed Catherine to her children, and Peter’s character were fairly well portrayed. However, I felt that she grossly missed the mark in her portrayals of Elizabeth and Catherine. Elizabeth is portrayed as a completely debauched woman. There is no doubt that she loved parties and beautiful things, but she ruled Russia for twenty years and was very much the daughter of Peter the Great, continuing many of the positive things which he began, none of which comes across in this novel at all. Due to it’s subtitle, you feel like you are supposed to be focusing your attentions on Catherine, but so much attention is paid to Elizabeth that I couldn’t help but feel dissatisfied that her character was not fully developed and that it was so one-sided and unfairly portrayed. She was a woman of many talents who made many contributions to Russia during her reign. This novel ends shortly after the death of Elizabeth and Catherine’s seizure of power. Eva Stachniak is working on a sequel, continuing the reign of Catherine, as she becomes Catherine the Great. I sure hope she focuses on something other than the twenty something lovers that Catherine cycled through her bed in her lifetime. This could have been a wonderful book about two very strong empresses and a narrator who fought her way up from nothing. Instead it felt like two debauched empresses and an abused orphan-made-whore swimming through the mire that was imperial Russia.

This one barely merits three stars from me, and that only because Eva Stachniak writes some lovely atmospheric prose, and while she often fails to develop her characters, she does perfectly capture their personae: sultry, snide, catty, bored, swaggering, imperious-you name it, each in turn. I hope she learns from this one and makes Catherine more dimensional in her next book. There is a legion of serious historical fiction readers out there that is hers, either to win or lose.(less)

like 2 likes · see review

Dec 29, 2011 Sally rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. As a First Reads winner, I received an advanced reader's copy, and a part of my perception of the book might be because of that. As a work of historical fiction, it serves its purpose; it describes the atmosphere and the social classes of the era in rich detail. The level of distrust and paranoia within the Russian court during Empress Elizabeth's reign is emphasized in a realistic and informational manner. However, I felt the novel lacks certain qualities that prevented me from enjoying it as m...more

like 3 likes · see review

Nov 09, 2011 Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars

I received an advanced reading copy of this novel to read. Please note this is a review of the uncorrected advanced reader's edition, which I received for free, but I have no ties to the publisher. The book is due to be published in January 2012. Please be warned this may contain spoilers especially if you are unfamiliar with the history.

I thought the book was interesting, and definitely well-researched. Overall I greatly enjoyed it although I had a few issues with it, which I will mention here....more

like 1 like · see review

Oct 02, 2011 Manda Scott rated it 5 of 5 stars

I was recently sent two outstanding books for cover quotes. This is the first:

Published in January next year by Doubleday, 'The Winter Palace' is the story of the ascent of the poor little German princess, Sophie who, dragged to the Russian court as bride for the youthful Grand Duke (a Prussian, who spends his life playing with his toy soldiers and fails to consummate their marriage), rises in time to become Catherine the Great.

But she is not great when we meet her: she's the princess with darne...more I was recently sent two outstanding books for cover quotes. This is the first:

Published in January next year by Doubleday, 'The Winter Palace' is the story of the ascent of the poor little German princess, Sophie who, dragged to the Russian court as bride for the youthful Grand Duke (a Prussian, who spends his life playing with his toy soldiers and fails to consummate their marriage), rises in time to become Catherine the Great.

But she is not great when we meet her: she's the princess with darned stockings, who risks death or exile daily in a court that hums with intrigue and secrecy, where every lock is waiting to be picked with a hairpin, every secret compartment is known, every conversation overheard by those who stand in the dust-laden corridors behind the walls, with their eyes pressed to peep holes. This is a place where the Empress' word is law and it changes daily with the whims and tempers of the strange, over-indulged, over-sexed, over-pampered woman whose increasingly dissolute lifestyle threatens to bankrupt her country. And to destroy Sophie.

She also has power of life and death over our narrator, Barbara. Daughter of a Poilish bookbinder, Barbara is brought to court to be viewed by the Empress when her father is asked to bind an old book for her. Soon, orphaned, the girl now known as Varvara (the Russian pronunciation of her name) is taken in and dumped into a life as a seamstress. But she is clever, and can read in several languages and soon she is a 'tongue' - one of those spies whose job it is to see and hear all that happens and report to the Empress. Set to spy on Sophie, she becomes her friend and confidante.

And so we see the rise to power of a woman whose ultimate fate we all know. But I didn't know the depradations and cruelty, the mental torture she had suffered; that her children were taken from her at birth and grew up as strangers, that she was taunted by her husband who publicly supplanted her and installed his mistress, how the Orlov brothers gave her love and demanded power in return.

As with Wolf Hall, the tension arises because we know the ultimate outcome, not because we don't. Catherine the Great was a merciless woman, but here, she is shown in all her vulnerability, and if she is without compassion later, there are good reasons. The writing is beautiful: light, assured, intricate but never boring. The author manages to span half a life - from Varvara's youth to her own daughter's adolescence and never once do we miss the intimacy and the passion, the small details of a daughter's foot, kissed in wonder, the terror of a night spent watching and waiting when death might fall at any moment - but never do we lose the momentum, the inexorable forward march of history. It's a book to fall into and become lost in - I genuinely nearly missed my stop on the train because I couldn't bear to put it down and was lost again in the Imperial palace, in the spying and the lies and the half-truths and the ultimate truth beneath.

Few books are worth reading again these days - this is definitely one of them. Like the Russian dolls we all know, each layer peeled opens another beneath, just as intricate, just as beautiful, just as perfect.

This comes out in January - so if you have some book-buying money or a token from Christmas, this will be the one to spend it on.

Manda (less)

like 3 likes · see review

Jan 05, 2013 Sarah rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

like · see review

Dec 05, 2012 Cheryl rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

Misleading back cover or reader error? Maybe a little bit of both. While I thought that the book would be a lot about the Catherine the Great, with some of the Catherinian Era enlightenment, Catherine really takes a back seat to Empress Elizabeth until about 300 pages in. About 75 pages in, Catherine slowly enters her story, 200 pages in and Elizabeth might as well have been the main character, and 300 pages in, you get to see some of Catherine's prowess (because before all this, her character s...more

like 2 likes · see review

Jan 10, 2012 Christina (A Reader of Fictions) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley

Brief Summary:
Barbara is Polish, daughter of a bookbinder who moved the family to St. Petersburg for work. Before his death, her father asks a request of Empress Elizabeth, for whom he once excellently repaired a book: that she watch out for his daughter. This earns Barbara, or Varvara in Russian, a place working in the winter palace. She works, for a time, with the seamstresses, something for which she has no talent. Then, because of her own intelligence and her desperation to do something bett...more Brief Summary:
Barbara is Polish, daughter of a bookbinder who moved the family to St. Petersburg for work. Before his death, her father asks a request of Empress Elizabeth, for whom he once excellently repaired a book: that she watch out for his daughter. This earns Barbara, or Varvara in Russian, a place working in the winter palace. She works, for a time, with the seamstresses, something for which she has no talent. Then, because of her own intelligence and her desperation to do something better, she becomes a tongue, a spy for the empress. In the process, she befriends, as dangerous as such a concept is in the world of politics, Sophie, a young German, who will later become Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia.

Review:
What a completely beautiful and tragic book. I was hooked from the first page. Barbara has such a realistic and strong voice. Plus, I really love reading about Russia, which has always fascinated me for some reason, although I really could not say why.

Most little girls really want to be princesses at one point or another, and, although it wasn't my biggest dream, I certainly went through phases where I thought it would be awesome. After reading this, imagine me stomping those dreams down, because, good lord, I do not want to go through any of that business. All the spying, the court politics, the hypocrisy and the paranoia (is there a word for paranoia when it's completely justified?) would either drive you insane or turn you into a total bitch.

Speaking of, it is entirely terrifying to me that rulers managed to maintain for dominion when so many of them were so awful. Elizabeth does not seem to actually do much of anything but sleep with her guards and spend money on shiny new things for herself, even when Russia is in the midst of a war and does not have enough guns or food for the soldiers. Peter, the Grand Duke, clearly has some sort of mental deficiencies going on and yet is considered a candidate for the throne. How did such governmental systems last for so long?

The history herein is entirely fascinating, and I definitely felt everything along with Barbara. I loved how she did the best she could in every situation, and did it decisively. When she couldn't fight, she went along with things, like her marriage. And, in the end, she made that into a positive.

If you like historical fiction and have been disappointed by the quality of some of the books out there, read this one without worrying. I promise it's good!(less)

like 2 likes · see review

Mar 28, 2012 Sharon Browning rated it 4 of 5 stars

Eva Stachniak has painted a wonderfully detailed picture of the court of 18th century Russian ruler Elizabeth. One can picture the rooms, the dress, the food, the people who swirl in and out of the life of Vavara, the central character - a bookbinder's daughter who becomes attached to the court as a "tongue" for the conniving Chancellor, and then befriends the lonely Prussian princess who would become Catherine the Great.

By seeing the world through Vavara's eyes, we are a party to both the decad...more

like · see review

Feb 14, 2012 Liz rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Winter Palace is one of my favorite books that I've read so far this year. It takes you into the Russian Imperial court in the time of the Empress Elizabeth. Barbara is a lady in waiting first for Elizabeth, and also at times for "Sophie" a young Princess who would eventually become Catherine the Great. Fiercely loyal to Sophie while still faithfully serving the Empress Elizabeth Barbara is used by both of her mistresses, and other monarchs of the court to their own selfish means, she must u...more

like 1 like · see review

Jan 09, 2012 Sam rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: europe, fiction, historical-fiction, owned, review-copies, kindle

Although the subtitle of The Winter Palace is 'a novel of Catherine the Great', it's really a novel about a young Polish woman called Barbara (Varvara when she arrives in Russia). The daughter of a bookbinder, she is orphaned and left in the care of Empress Elizabeth's Court in the Winter Palace of St Petersburg. Initially a lowly seamstress, her intelligence and quick wit catches the eye of Chancellor Bestuzhev and she is trained as a 'tongue', or spy for a variety of masters. Eventually, she t...more Although the subtitle of The Winter Palace is 'a novel of Catherine the Great', it's really a novel about a young Polish woman called Barbara (Varvara when she arrives in Russia). The daughter of a bookbinder, she is orphaned and left in the care of Empress Elizabeth's Court in the Winter Palace of St Petersburg. Initially a lowly seamstress, her intelligence and quick wit catches the eye of Chancellor Bestuzhev and she is trained as a 'tongue', or spy for a variety of masters. Eventually, she throws in her lot with Princess Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst, the future Catherine the Great and becomes entangled in many plots and intrigues.

The Winter Palace was a well written book, the kind of historical fiction that I enjoy. It was obvious upon reading it that Stachniak had done her research and was keen to share this with the reader. Aside from the lives of the main characters, there were lots of smaller facts and details that made it easy to imagine the court and the cast of secondary characters. There was also a romance about the Russia Stachniak set her story in; she has Varvara at one point feeling homesick for;

"January nights, white not from the sun that refuses to set but from the silver light of the moon. For ice floes screeching as they rub again against one another, for rocks in which precious stones look like frozen drops of blood. For sacred places where, in a solemn moment, you can peek into the other world."

Russia itself was almost another character in the novel and the Russian winter was always intruding on the lives of the protagonists. I loved this element of the writing.

Despite all of this, I didn't love The Winter Palace. Although I enjoy detailed historical fiction, I felt as though this novel was over-long in parts. For whole sections of the text, Varvara is away from the Court and the royal characters and these sections could have been shortened. I was interested in what she did during these times, I just wanted to get back to the main action as well. And whilst Varvara was a wonderfully drawn character, the royal characters did feel a bit one-dimensional. It's only in the closing sections that we get a glimpse of the ruthlessness Catherine the Great was famous for, and Peter III comes across as childish, rather than the unpleasant character he really was.

Still, at the end of this novel I felt as though I had learned a lot about a period of history relatively unknown to me. Fans of Juliet Grey's Becoming Marie Antoinette will definitely enjoy this one.
(less)

like · see review

Jun 01, 2012 Rusty rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is an ARC I received from a friend. Not as good as Catherine The Great but it's a different style. Catherine had a great deal more history in the text. In addition, the story is about a spy. Catherine is a less important character in the book. Stachniak does give one another look at how Catherine might have played the political games to protect herself during her marriage.

The teller of the story is Barbara or Basienka, daughter of a book binder. When her mother dies of cholera, her father...more

like · see review

Dec 23, 2011 Melissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: gr-lt-early-review

I received this book as an ARC for review before publication.
Solid 4.5 stars. .I really liked The Winter Palace, it was one of those books that once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down (literally). Probably the biggest issue with the book is that it isn't really about Catherine the Great. While she is a main character, the actual heroine of the story is Varvara, a spy for Elizabeth the Empress and then for Catherine herself. The whole story is told through the intrigues of the court and how t...more

like · see review

topics	posts	views	last activity
European Royalty: The Winter Palace, Chapters 1-4	11	57	Aug 20, 2012 11:43am
European Royalty: The Winter Palace, Chapters 5-9	7	35	Aug 20, 2012 09:32am
European Royalty: The Winter Palace, Overall	1	9	Jul 16, 2012 09:35am

title link	preview: The Winter Palace: A Novel of Catherine the Great
avg rating	preview: The Winter Palace: A Novel of Catherine the Great Goodreads rating: 3.53 (3564 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11149173-the-winter-palace?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320493850l/11149173.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11149173-the-winter-palace?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Winter Palace: A Novel of Catherine the Great by Eva Stachniak[/url]

The Winter Palace: A Novel of Catherine the Great (Catherine #1)

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (19)

Genres

Readers also enjoyed similar books

Books by Eva Stachniak

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About The Winter Palace...

Quotes from The Winter Palace: A N...