THE TSARINA’S DAUGHTER is an impressive installment in Ellen Alpsten’s trilogy about important, early modern Romanov women. This second volume focuses on Empress Elizabeth, the daughter of Peter the Great and Catherine I (the titular Tsarina featured in the first book). The rise and fall of this imperial powerhouse makes for an intriguing story, as Elizabeth’s life is often overshadowed by the lives and deaths of later Romanovs.

"Alpsten’s focus on emotional bonds amidst the opulence of Romanov reigns puts THE TSARINA’S DAUGHTER on solid footing."

In some ways, Elizabeth’s parents were self-made. Peter the Great was a younger son who came to power by dominating his own brother, albeit in ruthless fashion, yanked Russia into early modernity single-handedly, and built St. Petersburg out of nothing. He even blazed a trail by marrying as his second wife a former serf renamed Catherine, whom he later even crowned as empress in her own right. These two tremendous individuals loom large in Elizabeth’s early life, funneling what might otherwise be a mostly idyllic childhood into a corridor that would lead to power.

Peter the Great’s larger-than-life presence is the backbone of Russia and his family. When he dies, his empire and clan crumble, casting the lives of Elizabeth and her sister, Anna, into shadow. As imperial favorites soar and sink, and her own mother proves not to have her back, Elizabeth must become her father’s daughter in truth and learn to fly…to save Mother Russia. Even if it means sacrificing what she loves most.

Alpsten crafts a compelling narrative of growth and court intrigue, occasionally weighed down by an unnecessary supernatural element that detracts from the character development. The story stops short, wrapping at the beginning of Elizabeth’s reign. One can hope that the concluding volume will focus more heavily on her rule, not just her relationship with niece-in-law Catherine the Great.

Still, Alpsten’s focus on emotional bonds amidst the opulence of Romanov reigns puts THE TSARINA’S DAUGHTER on solid footing.