The Kitchen Boy

The Kitchen Boy

by

Robert Alexander

5/5 Stars

I checked out this book on the recommendations of several other bloggers. I have always been interested in the fate of Nicholas II and his family, so it seemed a natural choice. I was pleasantly surprised. The Kitchen Boy was a quick and very enjoyable read.

Beginning as the Romanovs are in exile, Alexander traces their final days and the events leading to their execution. The story is told by Leonka, a servant, who works in the Tsar's kitchen. Because of his close proximity to the Romanov family, Leonka is able to show us the daily intimacies that the family shares. It was refreshing to see Nicholas II as a husband and father, rather than just a soldier and last Tsar of Russia.

I must say that Alexander's solution to the Romanov mystery was both creative and exciting. The suspense builds until the final page.