The Romanov Brides – by Clare McHugh – independent book review – Historical Fiction (Russia, England, Germany, Hesse)

The full title of THE ROMANOV BRIDES includes the following tagline: A Novel of the Last Tsarina and Her Sisters. But while the novel begins in 1882 during the childhood of Princess “Alix” Alexandra of Hesse (1864-1918) and ends with her 1894 marriage to the last Tsar of Russia (Nicolas II) – it doesn’t exactly cover the other sisters in great depth. Awarded three stars on Goodreads.

Author Clare McHugh does a thorough job making Alexandra a three-dimensional character and a reasonable job with her elder sister, Princess “Ella” Elizabeth (1864-1918) who marries Russian Grand Duke Sergei (1857-1905), brother of Nicolas II’s father, the repressive Tsar Alexander III (1845-1883).

Ella’s selection of a husband is the focus of the first part of the book, while Alexandra’s coming-of-age and her own rocky road to matrimony is the focus of the second. Their other sisters — May, Irene, and Victoria — play much more incidental roles.

To say Ella’s marriage winds up being unconventional is an understatement. There are a number of important questions that remain unanswered by the historical record. But McHugh crafts a believable story by making use of what information is available.

No wonder Alix’s road to matrimony is so rocky. Beautiful, deeply religious, stubborn, and intensely shy, she isn’t exactly an ideal candidate to marry the Tsar of all the Russias and assume a very public role full of endless social obligations. 

Think of this novel as the story of a large extended family with all the inherent drama. Love and loyalty, power dynamics and sibling rivalry, and plenty of unsolicited advice from every direction. Then, on top of THAT, layer on all the complexity of royal politics, especially when it comes to selecting a spouse. With almost everyone looking down on Russia for its backward and outdated autocracy. 

Everyone you will meet in this book is connected to everyone else:

• All the Hesse sisters are granddaughters of England’s Queen Victoria whose dream it is to connect all the royalty of Europe in one peaceful family. As family matriarch, she views herself as chief matchmaker.

• Tsar Nicolas II’s mother, Maria Feodorovna, is the sister of England’s future Queen, Alexandra, Princess of Wales (married to the future British King Edward VII, firstborn son of Queen Victoria).

• The boorish German Kaiser Wilhelm II is Queen Victoria’s grandson, eldest son of her daughter Victoria*, Princess Royal, and longtime German Crown Princess.

I found there’s an episodic feel to the book – where chapters can skip a number of years and pick up people in a different point in life. No one comes off as a fabulous human being. The drama is drama of the privileged — conflicts over religion, in-law difficulties, and rigid expectations. (All the while covered in jewels!) But, overall, I found THE ROMANOV BRIDES easy and enjoyable, with no heavy lifting. I think maybe McHugh just tried to tell too many stories in this one novel.

More about author Clare McHugh.

You may be interested in my review of another book by McHugh: *A MOST ENGLISH PRINCESS