The Winter Palace: A Novel of Catherine the Great Paperback – October 23, 2012

"The Winter Palace: A Novel of Catherine the Great" I enjoyed this book. I found it to be well researched, the dialogue and situations plausible and interesting, the plot well developed, and the surroundings (palaces, clothing, countryside, etc) to be a welcome addition to the story. I am a big fan of historical fiction, so I was excited to read this one. I judge this type of fiction by its historical accuracy, how well the story draws me in, the character development, how well the author relates other historical characters or events to the story, how well it is written, and how the writing propels me through the story. Stachniak does a pretty good job in nearly all of these areas, but the story does drag at times. I liked it well enough, though, to want to read the sequel to this book.

The author weaves a story that combines historical fact with plausible fiction. Rulers require assistance and loyalty. Shrewd rulers listen to many voices and are diligent about those they believe. The book is a story told from a loyal servant’s perspective and of her life. Barbara, an orphaned Polish book binder’s daughter serves in Empress Elizabeth’s Russian court, befriending Sophie who would become Catherine the Great. Barbara becomes an important “tongue” who makes choices regarding her loyalties in a game where life itself is the prize. The book is captivating. The decisions and consequences were written with knowledge and plausibility. The author provides a believable bridge to the known facts of the cruel reign of Elizabeth and the rise of Catherine within the framework of a tale of a strong woman.

The Winter Palace is about Catherine the Great's rise to power in Russia, although her actual rise and rule is only about the last 10% of the book. It is also the tale of a faithful servant, Varvara, who is employed at a young age as a servant/spy in the palace. It is heavy with themes of friendship, family, love, deceit, and betrayal.This book is not one you can just pick up to read and stroll on through. It does require some thought (deep at times) and close attention to detail. It is not uncommon for a single sentence to prove important three chapters later. It is well-written, but not 100% engaging. At times I felt a bit bored, but at others I was turning the pages with anticipation. All in all, I just feel lukewarm about this book. It is a good historical fiction read, but mostly lacking in intrigue.

I bought this on my Kindle quite a while ago & finally got to reading it as it was a monthly pick for a historical fiction reading group that I'm a member of. The story is told by Varvara (or Varenka, as she is called by Catherine) who is "the tongue" of Catherine. We are told of both Catherine's & Varvara's arrival to the palace of the Empress & how their lives entwine like the bees in the amber stone that Catherine once gifts to Varvara. It's a story that tells of great palace intrigue & there's plenty of spying and people doing their best to stay one step ahead of unfavor. I loved it. Varvara's voice easily swept along & I even enjoyed reading about her life when she and Catherine were estranged for long periods of time. Their woes, travails & victories were fascinating to read about.By the end, Catherine has ascended to the throne & I had the feeling that things we're really about to get good, especially since there's another estrangement between Catherine & Varvara. Alas, I'm still sure it does but that isn't in this book. This is a series you see, not a stand alone book. I had no idea when I bought this that this would be a series as there wasn't any indication of that in the titling or summary. And even with that being a mild disappointment, I am perfectly happy to read the next book. I'm so taken by both Varvara & Catherine as they've grown into women that I want to know where life & their decisions take them.I'd definitely recommend this but only if you're really wanting to get stuck into another series. I have more than a few to finish up & this series is now on that list.

i loved this book. I liked the way it was written, creating that world in Russia before the ascendency of Catherine the Great, with all its conspiracy, secrecy, greed and danger. Eva Strachniak's portrayal of these times and the intimate details of life at Court under Elizabeth, is so well written one seems to be living through them. The intrigue is often anxiety-producing, and as we follow the pre-Queen life of Catharine, we are given an in-depth look at her personality. It's all so interesting, and the only problem I have with it is that I want to know more about Catherine, and am hoping for the sequel, to read this author's depiction of life with Catherine the Great as Queen. We know there are many stories yet to be told. And this writer is very good at the job. And oh yes, the book cover is very handsome.

The Winter Palace Since I bought my Kindle at Amazon, I have nothing but good things to say about Amazon and their services. It is always prompt and the description of the books offered are also very informative in directing my choice in buying my books. The Winter Palace is a very good book for those,like me who loves history with a bit of story in it, and once I started reading the novel, I could not put it down! So, for me, it was a great experience! I enjoyed the book immensely, fictional history being my favourite, and I wasn't disappointed with "The Winter Palace". The author has the ability to make us part of the story, we want to know more and we get it. Just loved this book and I would greatly recommend it! The company Amazon from whom I bought this book is to be commended for such good service.Louise D. HebertBeing French Canadian, my English might need some editing,please feel free to do so! The Winter Palace

mal eine andere Sicht von Katharina der Großen: als junges Mädchen aus Sicht einer einfacheren jungen Frau. Interessant zu lesen, auch schön die Berichterstattung über die Mammutbauten von Kaiserin Elisabeth. Russische Politik wird einleuchtend erklärt. Russische Denkweise auch. Insgesamt sehr lesenswert

This absorbing tale employs the device of using a non-historical, but deeply involved character to narrate the story to great effect. Taken into the Imperial household after the death of her Polish bookbinder father, Varvara quickly escapes the confines of life as a seamstress for more dangerous pursuits. As a spy (a tongue) recruited by the devious Russian Chancellor, Varvara learns to look, to listen, to lie, to placate and manipulate - in it up to her pretty neck, to be honest! Even cynical sexual abuse by her spymaster is dealt with as yet another aspect of her new life, that has to be endured without question or complaint. Thus young Varvara is corrupted and compromised as part and parcel of the seedy underbelly of life at court, where survival is what counts.She is also our "tongue" as she observes court life, and the dangerous personalities circling around the young Princess Sophie of Anhalt-Serbst as she takes her first tentative steps on the road which will lead to her becoming Empress of all the Russias. Varvara takes us behind the scenes so intimately that we see powerful historical characters, such as the Empress Elizabeth (Sophie's mother in law from hell!!) and her unstable nephew and heir, as completely fallible people who are capable of great cruelty, and incapable of much in the way of trust or human love. Small wonder that the young Lutheran Sophie, as she becomes the Orthodox Grand Duchess Catherine, sheds not just the religion of her childhood, but much of the sweetness and charm that so capitivated Varvara. Varvara thinks she is special to the Grand Duchess, and for a while, particularly during the the dangerous and painful business of bearing heirs for Mother Russia, she is. However, court life at the Winter Palace is no place for friendship to flourish and Varvara eventually realises that pretty well everyone she has known there has used her as a spy, and spied on her in turn. There are many "tongues" at work at court.Varvara's own arranged marriage (not wholly gruesome like that of the Grand Duchess, but still not her own choice) produces a beloved daughter, who is the apple of her father's eye from almost her first breath. The child draws her parents closer together in what becomes a workable marriage. Thus her daughter receives the love and nurture so lacking in the lives of the Imperial family and grows towards maturity secure and cherished, which is Varvara's greatest achievement.The scope of events observed by Varvara is huge, encompassing intrigue, war, illicit lovers, betrayals, high politics and heartbreak. As she watches the Grand Duchess grow towards her unstoppable destiny, she also sees, with dread, that her beloved child is at risk of being drawn into the same web, by this powerful, charming, perfumed spider, thus calling into question every shabby compromise she has been forced to make over the years.This period of Russian history used to be one of my favourite reading areas, and although I have been absorbed in other periods lately, this book has reminded me why I found Catherine the Great and her court so fascinating in the past.It's pacy and enjoyable stuff, with sufficient historical accuracy to be highly believeable.

I chose this book as I have enjoyed reading some other similar style historical drama books. Although I really enjoyed reading the book and got into the characters i sometimes felt it was a bit stagnant and I was a little disappointed by the ending, it felt a bit random to me. But overall it was a very enjoyable read and would recommend.

What I enjoyed about this book, as I continue to explore my interests in Russian history, is that you get a novel that is well written, well detailed, with a lot of information that is true to history. A book that I wanted to continue reading. The novel inspires you to want to explore these characters lives further, and research them. It opened my eyes to who Catherine the Great was, and delve deeper into Russian history. Before reading this book, I tended to lean more towards novels about the last Imperial family however this broadened my horizons to the very interesting history that unfolded well prior to the 1900s. A great read for women like myself, who by no means are history majors, but enjoy learning through well developed female lead characters.