logo
Wrong email address or username
Wrong email address or username
Incorrect verification code
The Winter Palace: A Novel of Catherine the Great - Eva Stachniak
The Winter Palace: A Novel of Catherine the Great
by: (author)
3.20 25
From award-winning author Eva Stachniak comes this passionate novel that tells the epic story of Catherine the Great’s improbable rise to power—as seen through the ever-watchful eyes of an all-but-invisible servant close to the throne.   Her name is Barbara—in Russian, Varvara. Nimble-witted and... show more
From award-winning author Eva Stachniak comes this passionate novel that tells the epic story of Catherine the Great’s improbable rise to power—as seen through the ever-watchful eyes of an all-but-invisible servant close to the throne.   Her name is Barbara—in Russian, Varvara. Nimble-witted and attentive, she’s allowed into the employ of the Empress Elizabeth, amid the glitter and cruelty of the world’s most eminent court. Under the tutelage of Count Bestuzhev, Chancellor and spymaster, Varvara will be educated in skills from lock picking to lovemaking, learning above all else to listen—and to wait for opportunity. That opportunity arrives in a slender young princess from Zerbst named Sophie, a playful teenager destined to become the indomitable Catherine the Great. Sophie’s destiny at court is to marry the Empress’s nephew, but she has loftier, more dangerous ambitions. What Sophie needs is an insider at court, a loyal pair of eyes and ears who knows the traps, the conspiracies, and the treacheries that surround her. Varvara will become Sophie’s confidante—and together the two young women will rise to the pinnacle of absolute power.   “A majestic and splendidly written tale of pride, passion, intrigue, and deceit that is brought alive from the first page to the last.”—Rosalind Laker“At the same time baroque and intimate, worldly and domestic, wildly strange and soulfully familiar, The Winter Palace offers a flickering glimpse of history through the gauze of deft entertainment.”—The Washington Post   “A thrilling point of view . . . Readers are treated to a firsthand account of the young princess’s slow ascent to the throne, a path deliciously strewn with discarded lovers and sanguine court intrigues.”—Minneapolis Star-Tribune   “[A] brilliant, bold historical novel . . . This superb biographical epic proves the Tudors don’t have a monopoly on marital scandal, royal intrigue, or feminine triumph.”—Booklist (starred review)
show less
Format: paperback
ISBN: 9780553386899 (0553386891)
ASIN: 553386891
Publisher: Bantam
Pages no: 480
Edition language: English
Series: Catherine (#1)
Bookstores:
Community Reviews
meganbaxter
meganbaxter rated it
This is the other historical fiction I was reading while I was reading Wolf Hall, and musing about my reactions to both. I would still say that Wolf Hall is a step above most historical fiction I've ever read, but this wasn't bad. It wasn't earth-shattering, either. But not bad. The Winter Palace i...
Books, Dogs, and Other Blogs
Books, Dogs, and Other Blogs rated it
4.0 The Winter Palace
There were so many things that I loved and appreciated about this book. For one, I know nothing about Russian history, and this book didn't leave me in the dust. It made this part of Russian history interesting and accessible, and I didn't have to go researching all of the characters in order to k...
Olivia Smith... and her BookWorld
Olivia Smith... and her BookWorld rated it
4.5 "Katharina die Große" so nah wie noch nie!
Inhaltsangabe Geheime Gänge, verdeckte Türen, dunkle Nischen: Als die Waise Warwara als Dienstmädchen in den Winterpalast kommt, lernt sie schnell, sich ihre Verschwiegenheit und ihren aufmerksamen Blick zunutze zu machen. Keine Intrige, die ihr entginge, kein Getuschel, das ihren Ohren verborgen ...
snoylna
snoylna rated it
3.5 stars. The writing was decent but the protagonist was not well developed.
Dem
Dem rated it
3.0 The Winter Palace
The winter palace by Eva is an interesting and easy to read Novel and if you are somebody who does not like to get bogged down with historical dates and facts but like to learn a little of Russian royal courts, then this is the book for you, however if you are somebody who loves historical fiction ...
Other editions (19)
Books by Eva Stachniak
On shelves
Share this Book
Need help?