Heard as an audiobook. It was a marvelous recreation of an era and another country. Masha, Rasputin's daughter, is requested by the Czarina to entertain the royal son, at a time which coincides with the Red Army uprising and captivity of the Romanovs.
I very much enjoyed Masha's perspective on her father, whom I've only heard of incidentally, and on the Romanov rulers, as real people and not greedy rulers. Altho there was quite a bit of opulence, it is not clear that the final Romanov's would have chosen that.
My only disappointment with the book were the sections at the end describing in excessive detail Alexei's first sexual experience.
The Author Interview at the end explained how Masha died, which is why the story of Masha in America didn't continue beyond her performance as a wild cat trainer for a circus. ( )

This fictional book follows one of Rasputin’s daughters after he has been murdered. She (a teenager by this time) goes to live with the Romanovs and is there (I think) when they are taken away before they are murdered.

I can’t really tell you much more than that. I listened to the audio and it did not hold my attention at all. She seemed to be all over the place chronologically, which didn’t help. There would be something about her father, then living with the Romanovs and back and forth. Oh, and throw in some after the Romanovs were killed. Too bad – I usually do enjoy reading about the Romanovs. ( )

This is my favorite type of historical fiction-great writing, fascinating topic, and and amazing storytelling. Loved it! ( )

I've read several versions of Rasputins life and death, as well as the fall of the Romanoff family. This book didn't provide much new, except for the old Russian tales mixed in throughout the book. Stopped partway through. ( )

Kathryn Harrison's latest novel, Enchantments, takes place primarily in the year leading up to the execution of Russian Tsar Nikolay II and his family. After the murder of their father, Masha and Varya Rasputin are sent to live with the Russian Royal Family. It is Tsarina's hope that Masha has the healing abilities of her late father, Grigori Rasputin, who tended to Prince Alyosha, the Romanov heir who suffered from hemophilia. It is not long after the arrival of the sisters, however, that Tsar Nikolay is forced to abdicate the throne and placed under house arrest with his family. To pass the time and keep Alyosha's mind off his illness, Masha spins stories about the Romanov's, Rasputin, her own childhood and some Russian legends. These stories are intertwined with narrative that is focused on the reality of life under house arrest, as well of Masha's activities after the death of the Romanov's.

I very much enjoyed certain parts of this novel, including the sections of the narrative that give the reader insight into the history of the Romanov downfall, as well as those that provide a glimpse into the life and sufferings of young Alyosha. It is not difficult for the reader to appreciate the pain and despair that young Alyosha must have felt when suffering from a bout of hemophilia. I also liked Harrison's characterization of Grigori Rasputin, who rather than being portrayed as a 'Mad Monk' comes across as a misunderstood and sympathetic figure. Another positive aspect of this novel is Harrison's eloquent prose, which helps to illicit emotion from the reader.

While there is much to like about Enchantments, I do have mixed feelings about this book. Most of the novel is told from Masha's perspective, a character I found difficult to garner an interest in. Although Harrison has a lovely way with words, certain of her descriptions are overdone. While I enjoyed Masha's stories about both the Romanov's and her father, I found myself skimming over those stories that seemingly had little connection to the plot. Masha's post-Revolution life outside of Russia also held little interest to me. Lastly, I thought the constant jumps back and forth in time disruptive to the overall flow of the novel.

Despite my issues with certain aspects of Enchantments, I think the positives of the novel ultimately outweigh the negatives and for this reason I would recommend the book to readers interested in Russian history, as well as to readers who enjoy historical fiction with a more literary bent.
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