Praise for Tsarina : "A fascinating and extraordinary ride from slavery to royalty.[for] fans of historical fiction, Russia, political intrigue, and powerful women." -- Booklist (starred review) "Alpsten shines.Lovers of Russian history, strong women protagonists, and sweeping historicals will savor this vivid portrait." - Publishers Weekly "A sweeping debut. Tsarina evocatively explores how far one woman would go to stay alive, even if it means serving a man with unbridled power and then picking up that mantle herself." -- Shelf Awareness "Astonishing.the ultimate Cinderella story [that] makes Game of Thrones look like a nursery rhyme.
" -- Daisy Goodwin, bestselling author of The Fortune Hunter "As detailed as the jewels and enamel inlay on the creations of Faberge.[a] crisp, elegant fictional account of history, woven with emotion and brio." -- Adriana Trigiani, bestselling author of The Shoemaker's Wife "Gripping.Love, sex, and loyalty vie with war, intrigue, and treason to create an epic canvas as exotic and powerful as eighteenth-century Russia itself. Masterfully researched and beautifully written, this is historical fiction at its best." -- Nancy Goldstone, author of Daughters of the Winter Queen and Rival Queens "The extraordinary life and career of Catherine I of Russia is brought to life in Alpsten's colourful novel." -- Sunday Times, Summer Reading Picks 2020 (UK) "An entertaining romp through the endless intrigue, violence and debauchery of court life." -- Mail on Sunday (UK) "A vivid page-turner of a debut.
" --The Times (UK) "Intrigue, rivalry, and sumptuous decadence leap to vivid life in this fascinating story of Peter the Great's second wife.conjuring the gorgeous marble of the Winter Palace and deprivation of Russia in the 18th century, the perilous ascent to power of the first woman to rule as empress is a gripping and unforgettable journey." -- C.W. Gortner, author of The Romanov Empress "[Alpsten] recounts this remarkable woman's colourful life and times." -- Count Nikolai Tolstoy, historian and author "Luscious.Alpsten has clearly done some brilliant research. It reads like Game of Thrones without the dragons.
" -- Natasha Pulley, author of the international bestseller The Watchmaker of Filigree Street " Tsarina should come with a health warning--once you start reading, it's impossible to stop." -- Hannah Rothschild, bestselling author of House of Trelawney.