After the Romanovs: Russian Exiles in Paris from the Belle Époque Through Revolution and War
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- Create Date：2022-02-20 17:21:35
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- Author：Helen Rappaport
- ISBN：1250273102
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Reviews
Debra Pawlak
，
I received an advance reading copy （arc） of this book from NetGalley。com in return for a fair review。 Most of us know about the tragic fall of the Romanov family when Czar Nicholas and his wife， Alexandra， were murdered along with their children in 1918 as the Bolsheviks took over Russia。 But what about the other family members， as well as titled aristocrats， artists， and other Russians who fled for their lives？ It's something I had never thought about until I read this book。 Author Helen Rappap I received an advance reading copy （arc） of this book from NetGalley。com in return for a fair review。 Most of us know about the tragic fall of the Romanov family when Czar Nicholas and his wife， Alexandra， were murdered along with their children in 1918 as the Bolsheviks took over Russia。 But what about the other family members， as well as titled aristocrats， artists， and other Russians who fled for their lives？ It's something I had never thought about until I read this book。 Author Helen Rappaport provides an eye-opening look at the many thousands of Russians who settled in Paris after the Revolution。 For the most part， they were ill-equipped to live a middle to lower class existence after their lavish lifestyle in Russia。 They had little to no training in the work force and found low-paying jobs in factories， while some drove taxi cabs， and many of the ladies took up needlecrafts as that was all they knew how to do。 They established a Russian colony where they had their own newspaper， restaurants， churches， etc。， but there was a sadness about all of them as they clung to the hope that one day they would return to Russia and the way they were。 It was quite a come-uppance for the refugees who were used to extravagance。 Part of me did not feel sorry for them as they suddenly faced living in the real world， but another part of me sympathized with them for losing their homeland。 They never quite fit in anywhere else。 It is a very depressing story with little triumph， but still quite interesting。 My only complaint was the multitude of characters。 It was very hard to keep them all straight--especially with their complex names--at least I thought they were complex。 The author certainly knows her Russian history， which makes this book a worthwhile read。 。。。more
Shirley McAllister
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The Fall of an EmpireBefore the revolution and the fall of the Romanov's you would find in Paris during the 1900's Grand Duke's and Duchesses， Prince and Princesses and Counts an Countesses of the Russian Empire in Paris having coffee at the Ritz。 They called it Five O Clock Tea。 They would be found shopping for Jewelry and fancy clothing。 For 40 years Paris was a place for Russian Royalty to visit。 One famous Russian on the Paris scene was Sergey Diaghilev。 He dabbled in the arts。 The Dance Com The Fall of an EmpireBefore the revolution and the fall of the Romanov's you would find in Paris during the 1900's Grand Duke's and Duchesses， Prince and Princesses and Counts an Countesses of the Russian Empire in Paris having coffee at the Ritz。 They called it Five O Clock Tea。 They would be found shopping for Jewelry and fancy clothing。 For 40 years Paris was a place for Russian Royalty to visit。 One famous Russian on the Paris scene was Sergey Diaghilev。 He dabbled in the arts。 The Dance Company "The Ballets Russes （Ballet）， the artistic group called "Mir Iskusstva"（World of Art）， and even music and the Paris Opera House。 After much trial and error his Ballet went on to International fame for the next sixteen years。 It was said that Paris was the Cafe of Europe。 The Parisian cafes served not only coffee， but as an important social club ，for literary and political discussion。 a meeting place for travelers， writers and artists from across Europe。 They served as a home for impoverished artists and political dissidents fleeing Tsar Russia。After the Revolution the Russian royalty immigrated to Paris。 At one point it was estimated that there was around 100，000 Russian immigrants in Paris。In 1921 the young American writer Ernest Hemingway came to Paris as a correspondent for the Toronto Star Newspaper。 He wrote to the Toronto Star Paris is full of Russians。The immigrated Russians were often forced to take low paying jobs such as washing cars ， opening doors for customers or working on farms in the country。 only a few were able to find jobs in their professional field。 Help was needed for the struggling refugees。 In 1934 Mother Maria founded a "Hospitality House" a homeless shelter and soup kitchen。 It was always filled day and night with the poor unemployed Russian Immigrants。This book is the story of Paris at and the Russian's that loved the city and immigrated there to escape persecution in Russia。 It was a good history of these times in history and very interesting to read。 If you are a history buff you will enjoy reading this book。 Thanks to Helen Rappaport for writing the book， to St。 Martin's Press for publishing it and to NetGalley for making it available to me。 。。。more
Marsha
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I generally enjoy reading books of this era but this one felt superficial to me。 Instead of an in-depth narrative delving into the post-revolution lives of a select number of Russian aristocrats， Rappaport gives an overload of minute information about a whole lot of them。 It seems unfocused and impersonal。 Having said that， I'm sure this book will appeal to a lot of readers， particularly those interested in reading about excess， fashion and gossip。#netgalley I generally enjoy reading books of this era but this one felt superficial to me。 Instead of an in-depth narrative delving into the post-revolution lives of a select number of Russian aristocrats， Rappaport gives an overload of minute information about a whole lot of them。 It seems unfocused and impersonal。 Having said that， I'm sure this book will appeal to a lot of readers， particularly those interested in reading about excess， fashion and gossip。#netgalley 。。。more
Toni Osborne
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Russian Exiles in Paris from the Belle Époque through revolution and warTaken from drawings， diaries and with help of researchers in the UK and France the author delivers a portrait of Russian aristocrats， artists and intellectuals who sought freedom and refuge in Paris in the late 19th and early 20th centuries。 This is not an easy read。 The author details the scandalous affairs， sumptuous parties， the extravagant shopping trips and gifts given to high class prostitutes。 She also describes how R Russian Exiles in Paris from the Belle Époque through revolution and warTaken from drawings， diaries and with help of researchers in the UK and France the author delivers a portrait of Russian aristocrats， artists and intellectuals who sought freedom and refuge in Paris in the late 19th and early 20th centuries。 This is not an easy read。 The author details the scandalous affairs， sumptuous parties， the extravagant shopping trips and gifts given to high class prostitutes。 She also describes how Russian artists entranced their Parisian audiences and overwhelmed cafes causing the local authorities to be concern that revolution might come to France。 After Stalin came to power in 1917， thousands of people were killed by the Bolshevists or sought refuge in other countries。 Paris was for the aristocrats the city of dreams。 Without money and no passports they needed to work， Russian noblewomen found work in the haute couture houses while Russian men found jobs as taxi drivers or worked in the auto industries。 Although some ended in Berlin it is estimated that over 50，000 people made Paris their home。This book was hard to get into I had to drop it many times and recoup in order to keep going。 They author throws names of people I barely knew about and a period long forgotten。 But interesting was how the exiled managed to earn their living and come to terms with their reduced circumstances。 The book focuses on several individuals and their story are sad。 Not easy to be chased from your country and see your life the ways you always lived it ending。Although I didn’t know much about the subject matter apart from the obvious Romanovs， Rasputin， Stalin and a few others like Coco Chanel now I can say I have a little bit more knowledge。 If I can only remember all those Russian names。。。 “After the Romanovs” is meticulously researched and written with tremendous details。 It places emphasis on the period following the Russian revolution and the White Russians who fled to Paris。On a side not: Russian aristocrats lived a life of opulence built on oppression of many。。。not surprising the uprising。。。。Thank you， St-Martin Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair review。 。。。more
Dianne
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This book is an arid history of the Russians and the Belle Époque era and how the Russians lived their lives after the Romanov's deaths。 This is a very stiff look into this time period， which I found to be very unemotional。 So I think this book will resonate with those who don't want to mix a bit of fluff （for example non verified conversations/relationships） with their history。We continue on to read how the titled managed to live in some of the countries they escaped to。This is a brilliant his This book is an arid history of the Russians and the Belle Époque era and how the Russians lived their lives after the Romanov's deaths。 This is a very stiff look into this time period， which I found to be very unemotional。 So I think this book will resonate with those who don't want to mix a bit of fluff （for example non verified conversations/relationships） with their history。We continue on to read how the titled managed to live in some of the countries they escaped to。This is a brilliant history with footnotes aplenty！*ARC supplied by St。 Martin's Press， NetGalley， and the author 。。。more
Nancy
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My knowledge of the historic era and the persons involved was minimal。 Therefore I learned a great deal but much went over my head。 This is one of those books that appears to be well researched （although I can't confirm the accuracy） but the writing does not flow easily。 More academic than readable by the general public。 My knowledge of the historic era and the persons involved was minimal。 Therefore I learned a great deal but much went over my head。 This is one of those books that appears to be well researched （although I can't confirm the accuracy） but the writing does not flow easily。 More academic than readable by the general public。 。。。more
Dawn Thomas
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After the Romanovs by Helen Rappaport9781250273109336 PagesPublisher: St。 Martin’s PressRelease Date: March 8， 2022Nonfiction， Russian HistoryThis is a very detailed book of Russian history including the execution of the Tsar’s family。 After the revolution， the royals and extended family fled the county any way possible。 Without money， they were at the mercy of others。 The ones that remained in the country were put in prison or executed。 I was unaware of the fate the families fell on after revol After the Romanovs by Helen Rappaport9781250273109336 PagesPublisher: St。 Martin’s PressRelease Date: March 8， 2022Nonfiction， Russian HistoryThis is a very detailed book of Russian history including the execution of the Tsar’s family。 After the revolution， the royals and extended family fled the county any way possible。 Without money， they were at the mercy of others。 The ones that remained in the country were put in prison or executed。 I was unaware of the fate the families fell on after revolution。 I also learned about the white and red armies。 The author did a remarkable job researching this book。 The information is very detailed an covers many of the royal family members。 If you have an interest in Russian history， you will enjoy reading this book。 。。。more
Sarah
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This is a well written non fiction account of life for the Russian aristocracy and others。 There is lots of background and info spreading over many layers of the community in France and Russia。 I’m not big on non fiction but I believe you could find this an interesting and informative book。
Cynthia
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Well researched and documented history of the thousands of displaced Russian emigres to France after the Russian Revolution。 Mostly royalty or intelligentsia， those who fled the Bolsheviks were the privileged classes prior to the Revolution。 Stripped of their status， property and wealth， they suffered hardships， sorrows and life-threatening experiences trying to establish new lives in foreign countries。 For many families， it was the strength of women who saved them。 Between the world wars， Russi Well researched and documented history of the thousands of displaced Russian emigres to France after the Russian Revolution。 Mostly royalty or intelligentsia， those who fled the Bolsheviks were the privileged classes prior to the Revolution。 Stripped of their status， property and wealth， they suffered hardships， sorrows and life-threatening experiences trying to establish new lives in foreign countries。 For many families， it was the strength of women who saved them。 Between the world wars， Russian women established haute couture houses， designing， sewing and modeling Prussian-style fashion。 But mostly we read about their failure to thrive， generally due to their inability to accept their new reality as permanent and their efforts to plot a comeback for the "rightful tsar。" Overall， I found this a difficult book to read as this non-fiction documentary doesn't include a storyline to connect the chapters。 Still， Helen Rappaport delivers a vivid picture of groups of emigres （royalty， dancers， composers， artists， writers， military officers and other privileged groups）， all longing for their homeland and old life。 A sad chapter in history， the book raises mixed emotions for a class of people who had （and lost） everything when they fled for their lives。Thanks to NetGalley and St。Martin's Press for an advanced reader copy。 Three stars。 。。。more
Linden
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Rappaport is an authority on the history of Russia， and her books embody both excellent scholarship and fascinating reading。 I didn't know much about what happened to the aristocrats who got out of Russia around the time of the revolution， and that is what this book describes。 Many went to Berlin， but the majority apparently settled in Paris， and were actually forced to work: as taxi drivers， maids， and dishwashers。 And they were the lucky ones who found employment。 The Russia they yearned to re Rappaport is an authority on the history of Russia， and her books embody both excellent scholarship and fascinating reading。 I didn't know much about what happened to the aristocrats who got out of Russia around the time of the revolution， and that is what this book describes。 Many went to Berlin， but the majority apparently settled in Paris， and were actually forced to work: as taxi drivers， maids， and dishwashers。 And they were the lucky ones who found employment。 The Russia they yearned to return to no longer existed and， resented by the French for taking jobs away from French citizens， many were unhappily living in poverty。 Some former soldiers dreamed of taking back the country from the Soviets， but this， they finally realized， was never going to happen。 Recommended for anyone with an interest in Russian history。 Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the ARC。 。。。more
Carol Perreault
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This book was too dry for me， just the facts， and I could not finish it。
Amy
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After the Romanovs is a look of all the Russian exiles that fled to Paris after the Russian Revolution。 I knew that some Russians fled to Paris but not the extent that is covered in this beautifully researched non-fiction。 From royalty to artists， Helen Rappaport gives a look into their new lives in Paris during the late 19010s and the 1920s。 Thank you to Netgalley for a chance to read this。
April
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Thank you to NetGalley and to St Martins Press for the invitation to review this book in exchange for an honest review！Wow， Helen Rappaport certainly did her due diligence on the historical aspects behind Paris and its history with Russian exiles from the Belle Epoque， Revolution， and War time era。 I did not realize how much of Paris' history in that era was influenced by Russian people and their presence were spread throughout different arrondissements to affect goods， services， and food with r Thank you to NetGalley and to St Martins Press for the invitation to review this book in exchange for an honest review！Wow， Helen Rappaport certainly did her due diligence on the historical aspects behind Paris and its history with Russian exiles from the Belle Epoque， Revolution， and War time era。 I did not realize how much of Paris' history in that era was influenced by Russian people and their presence were spread throughout different arrondissements to affect goods， services， and food with respect to their culture。 Seeing how many aristocrats are described in the book， it was compelling information to read and then see the differences of those same people and how their experiences changed from the revolution into wartime。 I truly enjoy the work that Helen Rappaport does and how well she executes her historical works。 I look forward to her next book！ 。。。more
Rosie Trzewik
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A very dry read。 Too much packed into this nonfiction history read。 Too many individuals that I felt overwhelmed trying to keep them all straight。 I think smaller doses would have been better。 I just gave up reading it。 If you are a history buff， then this is for you。 Very well researched， but I felt like I was back at school。 Not my cup of tea， 2。5 stars。Thank you NetGalley for this ARC。 I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an Advance Reader Copy of this story。 #NetGalley #Af A very dry read。 Too much packed into this nonfiction history read。 Too many individuals that I felt overwhelmed trying to keep them all straight。 I think smaller doses would have been better。 I just gave up reading it。 If you are a history buff， then this is for you。 Very well researched， but I felt like I was back at school。 Not my cup of tea， 2。5 stars。Thank you NetGalley for this ARC。 I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an Advance Reader Copy of this story。 #NetGalley #AftertheRomanovs #StMartinsPress 。。。more
Ashlee Bree
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A thorough and illuminating look at the Russian exodus to Paris before， during， and after the Russian Revolution。 Before reading this， I was only moderately aware of the number of Russian citizens - aristocrats， artists， writers， musicians， and intellectuals alike - who sought refuge in the City of Light at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries。 It was fascinating to learn how many people fled to what was once a vacation destination for them， a cultural hub of decadence and A thorough and illuminating look at the Russian exodus to Paris before， during， and after the Russian Revolution。 Before reading this， I was only moderately aware of the number of Russian citizens - aristocrats， artists， writers， musicians， and intellectuals alike - who sought refuge in the City of Light at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries。 It was fascinating to learn how many people fled to what was once a vacation destination for them， a cultural hub of decadence and indulgence， and see it become a place of exile and refuge from persecution instead。 In fact， by 1930， I learned there were over 43，250 Russians living in the twenty Paris arrondissements， with another 9，500 in the other suburbs。 That's a staggering number！ I was shocked to know there were that many emigres。 Clearly this was not something I remember being taught in history class。It was also gutting to read about the struggles， the cyclical nature of poverty and homesickness that many faced， which resulted in things like feelings of disgrace， alienation， frustration， and sometimes led to suicide。 Job opportunities were scarce as well， so the vast majority of emigrants worked in car manufacturing， construction， or industry。 Few were able to find work in France that matched the professional expertise they had attained in Russia so they took menial jobs in order to make a living。 Men often became taxi drivers， for instance， while women， if they could sew， would work for fashion houses。 There were those who were fortunate enough to find success， however。 Bunin， Stravinsky， and Chagall are a few reputable standouts。 Ballerinas were rather chic for a time as well， with the Ballet Russes becoming an extremely influential part of Paris' Russian emigre culture。 I found myself enthralled by all the ways in which Russian culture rubbed off on Paris， and likewise， how much Parisian culture rubbed off on Russian exiles--especially a generation or two down the line。It was difficult to keep up with the number of people who were being discussed at times， for some were more obscure or unknown to me， and the layout of their profession/influence/importance wasn't always as clear as I would've liked， but I am happy to have read this book。 It was well-researched and enlightening。 In addition to that， it helped broaden my understanding of the history surrounding both the pinnacle and the fall of the Romanovs。 Many thanks to NetGalley and St。 Martin's Press for the ARC。BOOK BLOG 。。。more
Letizia Firmani
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I am a big sucker for history， and I love Russian history specifically （I have history phases， I am in a russian one right now， lol。） so this was honestly the perfect non fiction for me。 I mostly read fiction so this was definitely an experience。 I always wondered what happened to the Romanovs after the 1914 revolution so I really read this with interest。 It was very well researched and organized and I think Helen Rappaport style of writing really made me enjoy the read even more。Thank you Sara I am a big sucker for history， and I love Russian history specifically （I have history phases， I am in a russian one right now， lol。） so this was honestly the perfect non fiction for me。 I mostly read fiction so this was definitely an experience。 I always wondered what happened to the Romanovs after the 1914 revolution so I really read this with interest。 It was very well researched and organized and I think Helen Rappaport style of writing really made me enjoy the read even more。Thank you Sara Beth Haring from St。 Martin's Press， St。 Martin's Press and NetGalley for sending me this ARC。 。。。more
Steve's Book Stuff
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Helen Rappaport has written several books about the Romanovs， and the Russian Revolution and its aftermath。 They are well researched and have been well received。 After the Romanovs， her latest， is due March 8th from St Martin's Press。 The focus here is on the Russian émigré community in Paris。 Many Russians， including members of the royal Romanov clan， fled Russia because of the Revolution。 Many of them went to Paris。Rappaport opens her book by exploring the Russian presence in Paris at the Helen Rappaport has written several books about the Romanovs， and the Russian Revolution and its aftermath。 They are well researched and have been well received。 After the Romanovs， her latest， is due March 8th from St Martin's Press。 The focus here is on the Russian émigré community in Paris。 Many Russians， including members of the royal Romanov clan， fled Russia because of the Revolution。 Many of them went to Paris。Rappaport opens her book by exploring the Russian presence in Paris at the turn of the twentieth century。 Paris had been a “home away from home” for the Russian aristocracy since at least the reign of Peter the Great。 By the 1900s it was referred to as the capital of Russia outside of Russia。 The countries were also politically aligned （much to the annoyance of Kaiser Wilhelm）。 The prewar years were a golden age for Franco-Russian relations and for Russians in France。 The Tsar and his family visited to great acclaim in 1896， and several Russian Grand Dukes were frequent visitors and part-time residents。 Many of the Russian Dukes and Duchesses maintained second homes in Paris， where they loved to shop and entertain lavishly。 Through the 1900s the French were becoming increasingly interested in Russian arts and literature。 The Russian entrepreneur Sergey Diaghilev had great success raising money from the Paris based Russian aristocracy to support bringing Russian art and artists to French audiences。 He produced magazines， art exhibits， opera and dance performances （featuring Nijinsky， Pavlova， Stravinsky and others）。The Russians in France lost all this prewar sophistication and extravagance after the 1917 Revolution。 With the success of the Bolsheviks and their Red Army， many royal family members fled Russia with little more than the clothes on their backs。 They were followed by other refugees and members of the losing White Army。 The highest numbers ended up in Paris and Berlin。 In Paris the ultimate number is estimated to be upwards of 50，000 people。 With no funds and no passports， the post-revolutionary Russians in Paris struggled。 Many held out hope for the fall of the Soviet government well into the 1930s。 They tended to focus within their own community。 Many were not inclined to assimilate into French society。 Poverty beset many of them。 Those who had been Dukes and Princes found themselves on the assembly line in the Renault factory， or driving cabs。 Their wives earned meager wages as seamstresses。 Over time， Parisians became less sensitive to the Russian émigré’s plight， and as the Depression set in， began to see them as job poachers。The book spends most of its time highlighting the postwar years。 Readers steeped in the history of the Romanovs and of Russia may find some names familiar， but I suspect many other names will not be。 For lovers of history who are not Russophiles， like myself， many of the tales told in the book will involve characters you’ve not heard of before， aside from perhaps Nabokov and Chagall。 Some of the tales are interesting。 Most， sadly， are depressing。The sheer volume of names cited and stories told in this well researched book proved a bit of a challenge to me。 It was not a "straight-through" reading experience。 I found it better to dip into a chapter or two and then walk away for a bit and absorb what I’d read。 But I kept coming back and was rewarded with a much better understanding of the fate of the losing side of the Russian Revolution。 If you have read and enjoyed any of Rappaport’s other Russia centered books， you’ll no doubt find this one just as enlightening。 For me， this was a Three and a Half Star ⭐⭐⭐🌠 trip into a world I knew next to nothing about beforehand。 NOTE: I received an advanced copy from Netgalley and St Martin's Press。 I am voluntarily providing this review。 。。。more
Liz Wine
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It was hard to follow all the different people and events。
Linda
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I'm fascinated by Russian history， especially the Romanovs and the fall of the Tsars。 This book was packed with information I'd never heard or read before。 Maybe a bit dense and erudite， but still very interesting。 I'm fascinated by Russian history， especially the Romanovs and the fall of the Tsars。 This book was packed with information I'd never heard or read before。 Maybe a bit dense and erudite， but still very interesting。 。。。more
Nancy
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In high school a fellow chorus member told me her heritage was White Russian。 Here I am， some fifty-plus years later， finally understanding her family history in the pages of After the Romanovs。 I had garnered some idea from books and movies， but had no real appreciation of the traumatic emigration of thousands of Russians， the poverty of their exile， and their heartbreaking longing for their lost homeland and life。Helen Rappaport begins the story with the Russian obsession with all things Frenc In high school a fellow chorus member told me her heritage was White Russian。 Here I am， some fifty-plus years later， finally understanding her family history in the pages of After the Romanovs。 I had garnered some idea from books and movies， but had no real appreciation of the traumatic emigration of thousands of Russians， the poverty of their exile， and their heartbreaking longing for their lost homeland and life。Helen Rappaport begins the story with the Russian obsession with all things French， dating to Peter the Great’s 1717 visit to Paris。 She recreates Belle Époque Paris and describes the wealthy Russian nobility who enjoyed Parisian society， both high society and it’s darker underworld。 By 1905， when Cossack troops slaughtered protesters calling for better wages and living conditions， it became obvious that， as Grand Duke Paul con Hohenfelsen expressed， “within and without， everything’s crumbling。”Each chapter concentrates on a specific experience of Russians in Paris， following the lives of specific aristocrats and artists。 There is Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes that propelled to fame previously unknown Russian composers like Rimsky-Korsakov， Borodin， and Mussorgsky， and dancers like Anna Pavlona and Nijinsky， a chapter I especially enjoyed。We read about Lenin’s time in Paris， the writers and poets and painters。 After the abdication of Nicholas II， the Russian aristocracy saw everything they had disappear， their rank and power， their land and possessions， their very lives at risk。 For the first time in generations， they had to work， and at the lowest occupations possible。 The alternative was to leave their homeland， making their way to the Crimea or Singapore， often with the clothes on their back and some jewelry they hoped would pay their keep for decades。 Perhaps 146，000 left in 1920。Rappaport paints a vivid picture of the gruesome journey on overcrowded ships， and the dire poverty that awaited them in exile。Before us darkness and terror。 Behind us–horror and hopelessness。Vera Bunin quoted in After the Romanovs by Helen RappaportAt first， the French government accepted the emigres to replace the population lost during WWI， and perhaps 120，000 settled there。 “Paris is full of Russians，” Ernest Hemingway wrote in 1922。 The flood of jewelry on the market drove their value down， and the emigres had few skills to fall back on。 The men aspired to become taxi drivers。 The women took up needlework that was featured in Coco Chanel’s collections， capitalizing on the fad for Russian inspired fashion， working 12 hour days for a barely enough money to feed themselves。The emigres longed for their homeland and old life， unable to accept their new reality as permanent。 The ‘rightful tsar’ organized and plotted a comeback with expectation that Russians would rebel against the Soviet government。 When a Russian emigrant assassinated the French president， there was a backlash against the Russians。Most of the exiled poets， writers， and artists failed to thrive。 Those who left for America faired better， and many Jews did leave with the rise of Hitler。 It is heartbreaking to read of people’s lonely， cruel aging， the suicides， all hope gone。 The poignant story of Mother Maria， who became a nun who organized soup kitchens and housing for the impoverished， ends with her death in Ravensbruck。I don’t often feel compassion for the rich and powerful， and the White Russians were certainly isolated from the reality of ‘real life’。 But what a marvelous study of a whole class and generation faced with the loss of everything they knew。I received a free egalley from the publisher through NetGalley。 My review is fair and unbiased。 。。。more
theliterateleprechaun
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Author Helen Rappaport gives us a glimpse of what life was like for the Russians， artistic exiles and refugees， who arrived in Paris in the late 19th and early 20th century and reveals how the city of light offered them a chance to reinvent themselves。 I enjoyed the way this book was organized。 It was necessary to see the luxury and excess the Russian elite enjoyed in Russia so that we could see what a transition it was for them to become dressmakers， taxi drivers， and menial workers in order to Author Helen Rappaport gives us a glimpse of what life was like for the Russians， artistic exiles and refugees， who arrived in Paris in the late 19th and early 20th century and reveals how the city of light offered them a chance to reinvent themselves。 I enjoyed the way this book was organized。 It was necessary to see the luxury and excess the Russian elite enjoyed in Russia so that we could see what a transition it was for them to become dressmakers， taxi drivers， and menial workers in order to survive。 It must have been difficult to balance a love of heritage and all that shaped them with a love of a new country and all it offered them。 Those who adapted and lived for the future did well。 Those who didn’t， found out the hard way。 I also appreciated being reminded that the influence was a two-way street; the Parisian artists were influenced by the Russian literature， ballet and opera while the Russians were influenced by the French fashion， food， and joie de vivre existence。 I had difficulty in keeping up with the vast number of people discussed and was wondering if it might have been easier to flip to the cast of characters list had I had a paper copy as opposed to my ebook。 This intriguing and extremely well-researched book is a must have for all who love following the Romanovs and with those with knowledge of the artists of the Belle Époque as well as the Russian Revolution and the civil war。 I was gifted this advance copy by Helen Rappaport， St。 Martin’s Press， and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review。 。。。more
Kristen Perry
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I received After the Romanovs as an ARC through Netgalley。 Before reading this book I had a very limited knowledge of the Romanovs and no idea about large amount of emigration to Paris from Russia before and after the rise of Lenin and death of the last Czar。 I cannot imagine the amount of time and research Helen Rappaport put into writing this book。 While there are a lot people that are written about from before WWI to WWII， reading it in chunks made it seem less overwhelming。 To flee the count I received After the Romanovs as an ARC through Netgalley。 Before reading this book I had a very limited knowledge of the Romanovs and no idea about large amount of emigration to Paris from Russia before and after the rise of Lenin and death of the last Czar。 I cannot imagine the amount of time and research Helen Rappaport put into writing this book。 While there are a lot people that are written about from before WWI to WWII， reading it in chunks made it seem less overwhelming。 To flee the country to love to escape prosecution and in some cases death， with just jewels and some belongings and no idea how you'd make a living had to be a harrowing journey for many。 Paris became a haven for many Russian aristocrats who then had to reinvent themselves from nobility to dress makers， factory workers， taxi drivers， and many other professions they never thought they would be pursuing。 。。。more
Rose
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This is a story of the Romanovs and all the Russians who escaped to Paris during the Russian Revolution。 France really didn't want them and many arrived without any skills to support themselves。This is definitely an interesting time in history。 However， this book reads too much like a textbook instead of a story。 Each chapter can stand on its own。 It is all the facts but I would have preferred more of a story instead of just facts。Thank you to #goodreads， @HelenRappaport and @StMartinsPress for This is a story of the Romanovs and all the Russians who escaped to Paris during the Russian Revolution。 France really didn't want them and many arrived without any skills to support themselves。This is definitely an interesting time in history。 However， this book reads too much like a textbook instead of a story。 Each chapter can stand on its own。 It is all the facts but I would have preferred more of a story instead of just facts。Thank you to #goodreads， @HelenRappaport and @StMartinsPress for a copy of this book。 。。。more
Patricia Romero
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Ms。 Rappaport has given us a well-researched story of Paris before and after the Russian Revolution and what led to the downfall of the Romanov dynasty。Paris has always been a gathering place for culture。 The food， the fashion， the ex-pats， including the Russian aristocracy。 The Russians brought money and spent it almost obscenely。 And those descriptions go a long way to explaining the Bolshevik’s rage and brutal acts。 Those who escaped were those who had either thought ahead or the ones who ran Ms。 Rappaport has given us a well-researched story of Paris before and after the Russian Revolution and what led to the downfall of the Romanov dynasty。Paris has always been a gathering place for culture。 The food， the fashion， the ex-pats， including the Russian aristocracy。 The Russians brought money and spent it almost obscenely。 And those descriptions go a long way to explaining the Bolshevik’s rage and brutal acts。 Those who escaped were those who had either thought ahead or the ones who ran with only what they could carry。In Paris， these same former royals were doing menial labor along with their families。 Paris welcomed everyone。 Artists， writers， and even spies。 Some did very well and some did very poorly。The research in this book is spot on。 I have always had a fascination with the Romanovs and this book went a long way in explaining the politics and the Romanovs。Very Well Done！NetGalley/ March 8th， 2022 by St。 Martin’s Press 。。。more
Katie Avalos
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Fascinating and compelling。 I didn't know much on this subject matter before reading this book and could not put it down。 While clearly well researched and well documented， the writing style is also quite enjoyable and easy to consume and comprehend。 I do think the title is a touch inaccurate given that many of the individuals followed through this book's journey are， in fact， Romanovs， but I'm not sure I would have picked it up with any other title。 Definitely worth a read。 Fascinating and compelling。 I didn't know much on this subject matter before reading this book and could not put it down。 While clearly well researched and well documented， the writing style is also quite enjoyable and easy to consume and comprehend。 I do think the title is a touch inaccurate given that many of the individuals followed through this book's journey are， in fact， Romanovs， but I'm not sure I would have picked it up with any other title。 Definitely worth a read。 。。。more
Lisa of Hopewell
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3。5My InterestFirst， thank you to NetGalley for giving me a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair review。I started reading on the Romanov's with Nicholas and Alexandra by Robert Massie in 1977。 It's a given that I'll at least skim just about any book with their name in it。 Plus， this one was a book I agreed to review on Netgalley and forgot about， so I needed to get that done。The StoryThere are two major stories here--what happened to some of the surviving Romanovs after Yekaterinburg an 3。5My InterestFirst， thank you to NetGalley for giving me a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair review。I started reading on the Romanov's with Nicholas and Alexandra by Robert Massie in 1977。 It's a given that I'll at least skim just about any book with their name in it。 Plus， this one was a book I agreed to review on Netgalley and forgot about， so I needed to get that done。The StoryThere are two major stories here--what happened to some of the surviving Romanovs after Yekaterinburg and what happened to other， mostly aristocratic or otherwise high-ranking Russians who escaped Russia after the Bolsheviks came to power， the Civil War started， etc。 The term "White Russians，" or those who were either pro-Tzar or just anti-Communist， is a generic term for most of them。 It refers to the side they were on in the Civil War， not to race or ethnicity。 The other story is various writers， dancers， artists and others in Paris at the time。 Hemingway even gets a mention。My ThoughtsOf all the author's work， this to me is her weakest。 Throwing names around about artists， then discussing Russian authors of the period who are barely known today just wasn't that interesting to me。 I DID however， LOVE reading how several aristocrats came to earn their living--especially the women and how various Romanovs ended up。 I also found it fascinating that parts of regiments stayed together in exile， working together in French car factories！ I also found it very interesting to see how the former aristocracy came to terms with their reduced circumstances。 Attitude is everything and some just plain got on with life。 I admire that。 To me， this was the story--forget Hemingway and a few others。 The artist or writer stories lack the sureness and polish of her Romanov chapters。 Her gift is in writing social history as it relates to the Imperial Family。My Verdict3。5 。。。more
A Broken Zebra
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NETGALLEY ARC ; personally selected via e-mail。Extensively researched and intelligently written， I learned quite a lot from this book， which is one reason I go into these sorts。 It wasn't dry and tended to be quite easy to read for the most part - I say 'for the most part'， because the translations were inconsistent and there were French and Russian words peppered throughout， causing me to pause reading to then look up what all of these meant。 I am not too sure on the reasoning behind translatin NETGALLEY ARC ; personally selected via e-mail。Extensively researched and intelligently written， I learned quite a lot from this book， which is one reason I go into these sorts。 It wasn't dry and tended to be quite easy to read for the most part - I say 'for the most part'， because the translations were inconsistent and there were French and Russian words peppered throughout， causing me to pause reading to then look up what all of these meant。 I am not too sure on the reasoning behind translating some things over others and it was a minor inconvenience， however， I enjoyed the read enough to see it through。 Depending on my mood， I either appreciated the abundance of quotes provided or found some to be like those times you had to write a paper that had a word/page count， but you were struggling to meet said requirement and defaulted to adding as many source quotes as possible。 Again， that shouldn't deter you from reading this if you're a history buff or at all interested in the Romanovs and their circles of Russian elites， the Russian revolution， or emigration of one exiled culture and peoples to another country。 It just， I don't know， made the flow funky or something。I also had a personal resonation at one point， as I hadn't realized/put two and two together that the exodus of Russians occurred when my own ancestors from Armenia were escaping their country。 When Rapport mentioned Russians boarding vessels that also contained fleeing Armenians， it was alarming to realizing just how much discord and turmoil was happening in that part of the world， and the strains undertaken by neighboring countries as they took in refugees， willingly or not。 。。。more
Kelly
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After the Romanovs is a bit of a misnomer as the title of this book， as Rappaport begins covering Russia and its elites several decades prior to the execution of the Tsar and his family and the rise of the Bolsheviks and continues through mainly to the beginning of World War II。 This does help establish the stark contrast though， between the lives members of the upper class were able to live in Paris prior to either fleeing or being forcibly removed from Russia。 The “before” period is without a After the Romanovs is a bit of a misnomer as the title of this book， as Rappaport begins covering Russia and its elites several decades prior to the execution of the Tsar and his family and the rise of the Bolsheviks and continues through mainly to the beginning of World War II。 This does help establish the stark contrast though， between the lives members of the upper class were able to live in Paris prior to either fleeing or being forcibly removed from Russia。 The “before” period is without a doubt the story of decadence – jewelry， high fashion， the upper crust of society in music and entertainment。 And oh， how the mighty have fallen several decades later。 With no funds to live off of， no practical skills for many and few jobs available for those with practical skills， the former Grand Dukes and Grand Duchesses are forced into menial labor to survive and artists， musicians and writers struggle to reconcile the world they now live in against the one that shaped and influenced them。 Rappaport covers the full gamut， and at times the book is richer for it by showing a full experience of every type of Russian émigré but it also bogs it down; trying to keep all of the different people and their occupations （or lack thereof） can be a struggle。 Any reader that has a great love of where they come from will certainly empathize with the Russians removed from their homeland; it may be more difficult to generate sympathy for Grand Dukes used to showering jewels on mistresses being forced to work as taxi drivers。 The author shows that there are those that acknowledge their circumstances and learn to adapt， but there are many that struggle to reconcile that a pampered existence is no longer theirs for the taking and prefer to live in the past – and their glory years。 A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review。 。。。more
Kristy Kouri
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Fascinating look at the Russian royal family， and specifically， the extended family members who survived the Russian revolution。 Unlike most books I have read about the Romanovs and others， all of the information in this book was new to me。。。 and it was fascinating。 Thank you so much to St Martins Press for this book！ I really enjoyed it！
Sallie
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