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Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite
Escape of the Grand Duchess by Susan Appleyard follows Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna, who is trapped in a marriage to Prince Peter of Oldenburg, who has made his preference for men known. Olga requests a divorce, which both Peter and her brother, Nicholas II, refuse. When Olga meets Lieutenant Nikolai Kulikovsky, they correspond and meet secretly. As revolution and the fall of the monarchy swirl around her, Olga receives a release from Peter and marries Nikolai during wartime. Meanwhile, the Romanov family is detained, dispersed, or killed, and Olga, now a mother, lives under house arrest with food shortages and endures interrogations, Bolshevik raids on their village, and armed searches. Despite offers of aid, Olga’s mother refuses to leave, with Olga facing the decision of whether to stay or flee.
Escape of the Grand Duchess by Susan Appleyard delivers an absorbing, brilliantly paced account of Grand Duchess Olga's experiences during one of the most turbulent periods in Russian history. From court dinners with uneasy alliances to the stark realities of wartime hospitals and Petrograd's unrest, the book offers a sharp, consistently engaging look at a world on the brink of collapse. Appleyard presents Olga not as a distant historical figure but as a woman balancing duty, personal loyalties, and shifting power structures. Every scene, whether a quiet family moment or a politically charged confrontation, is necessary and impactful. Appleyard’s attention to historical context adds authenticity while keeping the focus on character and circumstance. With its careful balance of personal detail and sweeping historical change, this book is a historical and romance reader's dream. Very highly recommended.
