Each month Abington Library will feature a favorite book from a faculty, staff member, or student. They will give a brief synopsis of their chosen book.
Savannah Watkins is a student at ASU-Beebe.
Romanov
By Savannah Watkins
Romanov, written by Nadine Brandes, retells the story of Grand Duchess Anastasia and her family, the Romanovs. After being captured by the Bolsheviks, Anastasia or “Nastya” and her family are sent to exile in Siberia, Russia. While being held in the Ipatiev House near Ekaterinburg, Nastya is given a mission by her father: protect the Matryoshka doll from the Bolsheviks. Throughout her captivity and her family execution, Nastya remains strong and continues to complete her mission. She and her brother survive the execution and manage to find her executioner and secret lover, Zash. With the help from Zash, the trio manage to find Dochrin, the spell master, who can help all of them start a new life. However, Yurovsky, the commandant, follows them and tries to kill everyone. Nastya uses the spells Dochrin had given her and saves everyone by giving Yurovsky the spell that would have granted her freedom from the past. In the end, Nastya and Zash begin a new life together, as free people and not bound by royalty and service.
This book gives a new historical perspective on the life of the Romanov family as well as giving some fantasy and romance. Although Zash was never a real Bolshevik soldier who fell in love with Nastya, it gives a good ending and a thrill of suspense. In a historical view, the life of Anastasia is a mystery. Whether she survived the execution or died along with her family, the world may never know. Throughout this book, there are some values that stick out such as family, courage, and a bit of mystery. All of these are important in life. Family is key in everything. The people we love the most is who we would protect and even die for. Courage can sometimes come from family, but it usually comes from the individual who chooses to keep going no matter what. Mystery happens every day; without a little bit of mystery, life would be less exciting. I loved reading this book because it showed me the value of family.
