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OLDER FICTION
O'Neil, Carolyn Tara

Daughters of a Dead Empire

336 pp. | Roaring Brook | February, 2022 | Trade ISBN 978-1-25075-553-7 $18.99
(2) YA This historical-fiction thriller creatively imagines how events might have played out had Anastasia Romanov actually survived the massacre of her royal family. After stumbling out of the woods into a village, Anna offers a jewel sewn into her corset to Evgenia, a poor peasant girl, if Evgenia will help her get to safety. It's a deal that reluctant Evgenia cannot afford to turn down, but it will take lots of luck and skill to maneuver between the communist Red Army, the tsarist White Army, and the stranded Czechoslovak Legion. Anna and Evgenia eventually develop a strong bond of friendship, one that helps them arrive at a sense of healthy disillusionment as they grow to see the flaws of both the monarchy and the Bolsheviks. Their friendship is tested when Anna's true identity comes to light just as the plot climaxes with a suspenseful game of cat-and-mouse against the sadistic officer of the Red Army's secret police, a man hell-bent on tracking Anastasia down and completing the execution he had started. In her debut novel, O'Neil proves herself to be a capable storyteller with excellent command of her complex tale and its setting. An author's note provides historical background; a bibliography and pronunciation guide are also appended.
Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2022

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