The Winter Palace : A Novel of Catherine the Great (Hardcover)

from Christiana5

An entertaining novel, although the title is somewhat misleading. While Catherine the Great does feature as a major character, this book is the story of Varvara (Barbara), a young teen who becomes a spy for Empress Elizabeth and her Chancellor. She "befriends" the Grand Duchess Catherine and spie...

from MHanover10

Another book that solidifies that I would never want to live back in this time. I don't know if I could survive. There is so much mistrust and deceit. Eva Stachniak brings to life a small time in Catherine the Great's life through the eyes of the daughter of a book binder who is orphaned after bo...

from LibraryCin

3.5 stars This book primarily follows Polish orphan Varvara, who has come to Russian Empress Elizabeth's court after her father died. She ends up doing some spying for the chancellor, then the Empress herself, before she becomes friends with Prussian princess, Sophie, who would later become Cathe...

from allisonmacias

The Winter Palace is a lush story of the Russian Court set in the life of Catherine the Great. Catherine, then German Princess Sophie, arrives at the Russian Court to meet Empress Elizabeth and Grand Duke Peter. Elizabeth arranges the marriage between Sophie and Peter with an iron fist. Sophie, n...

from scot2

Good book about life in the Winter Palace. Catherine isn't really the most important character in this story which is told from the viewpoint of a palace maid. We learn about the intrigue and subterfuge that occurred within the palace and about how people could be used and discarded when the empr...