Georgy Jachmenev is eighty-two, living in England with his wife, Zoya. They came to England after escaping from Russia in the early nineteen hundreds, after World War I. Georgy was a simple farmer boy when fate gave him the chance to perform a heroic feat. As a result, he is chosen as the new companion/protector of the Tsar's son, Alexei.
Times are changing in Russia. The people are starting to demand change similar to what has occurred in France and other countries with monarchies. There are rumors that the Romanovs should be the last royal family, that the country should be run by politicians. As the war drags on and more and more young Russian men are killed, the tension increases.
Life in the royal household is more than Georgy could imagine. Sumptuous furnishings, wonderful food, and every luxury imaginable. A wish to one of the royal family is a command to those who serve them. Georgy is fascinated by this new way of life and by the change in his circumstances. He owes full allegiance to the family and falls madly in love with the youngest daughter, Anastasia. Of course, such a love can never come to anything, as she is royalty and he is a commoner.
John Boyne has written an interesting historical fiction. The reader is given insight into the life of the royals and the way that life changed for everyone as the common folks demanded a change. This book is recommended for readers of historical fiction.
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