This non-fiction takes a look at diaries, letters and accounts of the Romanov family before they were cruelly murdered in 1918.
Although the title focuses on the Romanov sisters, I felt that the book itself really looked at the mother (Alexandra) and the two older daughters (Olga and Tatiana) while mentioning the younger daughters (Maria and Anastasia), brother (Alexey) and father (Tsar Nicholas) here and there. The book shows how normal this royal family was and levelheaded, even in the midst of a revolution against them. The author does not go into their execution as she has a previous book that delves more into it.
Here are some things that really interested me:
The Russian people really did not like Alexandra, they felt she was distant and cold. She was also German and English which they didn't like. They also shamed her when it took forever to produce a male heir.
Alexandra suffered from a lot of illnesses and barely left the house. But it amazed the Russian people how she was very modern for their time (breastfeeding her own kid, dressing her kids in plain clothing...)
The children were VERY sheltered and didn't leave the house often. This was mainly due to Alexandras fear for their safety but also her being overprotective. Those who met the children found them to be out of touch with reality and naive.
Alexandra relied heavily on seers and mysticism. She worshipped Rasputin (a shady self-proclaimed holy man). Her closeness with Rasputin was a threat to the Romanovs.
Overall I found this book to be really interesting and it humanized the family. One can see how they were just a regular family but the old fashion ways couldn't evolve with the times and the family was sadly killed.
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