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I Was Anastasia

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I Was Anastasia

By: Ariel Lawhon
Narrated by: Jane Collingwood, Sian Thomas
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About this listen

 From the bestselling author of The Frozen River comes an enthralling historical mystery that unravels the extraordinary twists and turns in Anna Anderson’s fifty-year battle to be recognised as Anastasia Romanov. Is she the Russian grand duchess or the thief of another woman’s legacy?

Countless others have rendered their verdict. Now it is your turn.

Russia, 1918: Under direct orders from Vladimir Lenin, Bolshevik secret police herd Anastasia Romanov, along with the entire imperial family, into a damp basement in Siberia, where they face a merciless firing squad. None survive. At least that is what the executioners have always claimed.

Germany, 1920: A young woman bearing an uncanny resemblance to Anastasia Romanov is pulled shivering and senseless from a canal. Refusing to explain her presence in the freezing water or even acknowledge her rescuers, Anna Anderson is taken to the hospital where an examination reveals that her body is riddled with countless horrific scars. When she finally does speak, this frightened, mysterious young woman claims to be the Russian grand duchess. As rumours begin to circulate that the youngest Romanov daughter survived the massacre, old enemies and new threats awaken.

I Was Anastasia unravels the thrilling mystery around Anna Anderson in a tale that is every bit as moving and momentous as it is harrowing and twisted. 20th Century Biographical Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Historical Fiction Mystery Women's Fiction Russia Exciting Fiction

Critic Reviews

‘[Lawhon’s] effortless, eloquent prose transports the reader via a dramatic, suspenseful and satisfying work of historical fiction … Lawhon brilliantly employs an inventive and non-linear dual narrative to tell the tale of how Anastasia would become Anna Anderson, or, perhaps, how Anna became Anastasia … In the end, what Lawhon does so convincingly is shake up our notion of identity. And not just that of Anastasia and Anna. Are we who we say we are, or who others believe us to be? It’s a question that lingers long after the final page.’
‘I Was Anastasia is a wild train trip through time. The doors swish open here, then there, scenes sometimes racing by, sometimes drifting far into the mysterious lives of Anastasia Romanov and Anna Anderson. Every view is tantalising, surprising, compelling, and utterly fascinating. Ariel Lawhon unfolds a complicated story with skill, style, and compassion.’ (Lisa Wingate, author of Before We Were Yours)
‘A young Tsarina traveling towards tragedy and an aging Grand Duchess penniless and betrayed. Twin stories so gripping you will believe history itself can be rewritten. Told with masterful intensity and moments of true human compassion.’ (Helen Simonson, author of Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand)
‘Ariel Lawhon is a masterful storyteller; I Was Anastasia is a wild ride, extravagant with its vivid sensory experiences and page turning suspense. Inspired by history, and infused with imagination and intrigue, this novel satisfies with every twist and turn. I was both captivated and enchanted; I will carry this story – from its beguiling opening to its catch-my-breath ending – in my heart and imagination for a long, long while.’ (Patti Callahan Henry, author of The Secret Book of Flora Lea)
‘The fate of the Grand Duchess Anastasia, youngest daughter of the last Tsar, is an old mystery that never gets old. In the hands of Ariel Lawhon, it springs to life again, challenging everything we believe about what we remember and who we are. Was Anna Anderson really the only survivor of the Romanovs or was she a persistent fraud? Somehow, Lawhon, a masterly writer, not only leads her readers to ponder this riddle, but to care about it as well. This is a deft and deeply moving saga.’ (Jacquelyn Mitchard, author of The Deep End of the Ocean)
‘I don’t know what’s most impressive about I Was Anastasia: the wildly inventive structure, the ferocious heroine (or is it two?), or the dark, twisted questions it raises about the stories we tell – both to others and to ourselves. Ariel Lawhon has written a gorgeous, haunting puzzle of a book that will grip you until the final page.’ (Karen Abbott, author of Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy)
All stars
Most relevant
I loved this story. The only thing I will disagree with is with the authors opinion on royalty. As the Romanovs proved their so called privilege didn’t amount to much in the end. Today’s royal families work hard. One last thing they are a blessing from God for the nation… just look at Russia now without their royals… what a curse they live under.

A truly great read

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I found the constant jumping around of time very confusing and often unnecessary. I really had to concentrate on the title of each chapter to know where I was at in the story. The ending was disappointing although fully explained by the author and possibly necessary now that facts have been proven. Well narrated

Disappointing

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