A novel close to the truth
What a wonderful story. Little K was real, her adventures were real, including being the prima ballarina assoluta of the Imperial Russian Ballet, mistress of the last tsar of Russia and survivor at age 99 of the Russian Revolution. This is historic fiction at its best.
Rated of 5
by Jeanne W. (Columbia, MD)
Great historical fiction!
Mathilde's stream-of-consciousness narration gives the reader a behind-the-scenes vantage point to her life and times. The author overlays future events with "current" happenings, giving a greater sense of importance and understanding to both. One quibble is that the stream-of-consciousness narration leads to some extremely run-on sentences that can be hard to understand. If you like lots of dialogue, you might not like this book. Fans of Philippa Gregory should give this book a try.
Rated of 5
by Sarah B. (Streamwood)
This is really good historical fiction
This book was fantastic. It weaves the known history of the time, and expanding on the story of a well known person of the time. There are also little sneak peaks, at what was coming in the future. Reading Little K's "memoir" was filled with the salacious gossip of the time, and gives the reader an insider's view. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys reading about the history of the czars, especially Nicholas II.
Rated of 5
by Theresa W. (Apollo Beach, FL)
Little K delivers Big!
Adrienne Sharp deftly weaves the tale of a prima ballerina and the Russian court who captured her love and catapulted her career. The reader is immersed in the excesses of the imperial Czars and the frustration and poverty of the masses. The love story travels the vast Russian kingdom and survives revolutions and wars. What more would you expect from a historical novel? Well done!
Rated of 5
by Jeanne M. (Vancouver, WA)
War and Peace
If you have read "War and Peace", you have read the prologue to "Little K's" memoir.
I found this memoir filled with details of the opulent era of the Russian Imperial Ballet, fascinating. Following her life as a dancer and as the mistress of Tsar Nikolai Romanov, was engaging and filled with intrigue.
Ms. Sharp brings to life "Little K" who escapes the chaos of the uprising of the Bolsheviks and finds her way to Paris where the glories and tragedies of a century of Russian Ballet and Russian history become the beginnings of the Paris Ballet. While this not an easy "read" (it is filled with the names of royalty on and off the stage) it brings to life the tremendous swing in the life of the Russian people and the movement of the center of the ballet world. I found the story engaging, and filled with descriptions of the best of times, and the worst of times in Russian history.
Rated of 5
by Susan F. (Rabun Gap, GA)
A Historical Rollercoaster
A recent trip to Russia prompted an intense study of "all things Russian", particularly those final tragic years of the Romanov dynasty. What a clever and entertaining way to live those years through the eye of the impetuous "Little K", prima ballerina and mistress of Nicholas II.
I felt like I had been seated on a rollercoaster beside Miss K as she lived those absorbing years of St. Petersburg glitter, yet I also felt the darker brooding of the "rest of Russia", so ignored by the doomed court which would lead to the Revolution and its aftermath.
Many readers, particularly the history buffs, will find this a delightful way to absorb the pageantry of this remarkable era in Russian history. I highly recommend to all.
Rated of 5
by Pamela F. (Grants Pass, OR)
Historical Fiction that makes you want to read more...
I love historical fiction. I especially love it if something moves me enough to make me want to find out more about and event during that time. This book does just that. I have put it down a couple of times to read up on Bloody Sunday...to look at the described Faberge eggs online, to find pictures of Little K.
Fascinating book, fascinating woman, fascinating time in history. Well written and true to the character who is telling the story. This book is going to be a great Christmas gift for several friends.
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of 5
by Portia A. (Mount Laurel, NJ)
