The Curse of the Romanovs
In 1916, Alexei, twelve-year-old tsarevich of Russia, records family history in his diary. Russia is in turmoil, and the people are angry with the royal family for their starvation. Siberian peasant Rasputin keeps a sinister hold on Alexei’s mother through his “magic” cures of the boy’s hemophilia. Alexei’s relatives vow to murder the too-influential Rasputin, and the Mad Monk attacks the young tsarevich in revenge. But through a mind transfer trick learned from Rasputin, Alexei escapes to 2010 New York where he meets his cousin Varda. Varda is working on a cure for hemophilia. When Alexei realizes—through Varda’s history books—that his family will be slaughtered by the Bolsheviks, he and Varda travel back to 1918 to try and save them. Of course, the outcome is inevitable, or is it? This young adult fantasy will have you guessing.
The hints of sex and the bloody violence might make this inappropriate for younger teens, but middle teens will find it a quick, intriguing read. The author gives an invaluable detailed history of the Romanovs and their times at the end of the book. Ages 12 and up.
