I Was Anastasia

A Novel

By: Ariel Lawhon

Narrated by: Jane Collingwood, Sian Thomas, Ariel Lawhon

Length: 13 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

“Compelling and utterly fascinating...drifts far into the mysterious lives of Anastasia Romanov and Anna Anderson.” (Lisa Wingate, author of Before We Were Yours)

In an enthralling new feat of historical suspense, Ariel Lawhon unravels the extraordinary twists and turns in Anna Anderson's 50 year battle to be recognized as Anastasia Romanov. Is she the Russian Grand Duchess, a beloved daughter and revered icon, or is she an imposter, the thief of another woman's legacy?

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

Russia, July 17, 1918: Under direct orders from Vladimir Lenin, Bolshevik secret police force Anastasia Romanov, along with the entire imperial family, into a damp basement in Siberia where they face a merciless firing squad. None survives. At least that is what the executioners have always claimed.

Germany, February 17, 1920: A young woman bearing an uncanny resemblance to Anastasia Romanov is pulled shivering and senseless from a canal in Berlin. Refusing to explain her presence in the freezing water, she 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 woman claims to be the Russian Grand Duchess Anastasia.

Her detractors, convinced that the young woman is only after the immense Romanov fortune, insist on calling her by a different name: Anna Anderson.

As rumors begin to circulate through European society that the youngest Romanov daughter has survived the massacre, old enemies and new threats are awakened. With a brilliantly crafted dual narrative structure, Lawhon wades into the most psychologically complex and emotionally compelling territory yet: the nature of identity itself.

The question of who Anna Anderson is and what actually happened to Anastasia Romanov creates a saga that spans 50 years and touches three continents. This thrilling story is every bit as moving and momentous as it is harrowing and twisted.

©2018 Ariel Lawhon (P)2018 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"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 tantalizing, surprising, compelling, and utterly fascinating. Ariel Lawhon unfolds a complicated story with skill, style, and compassion." (Lisa Wingate, New York Times best-selling 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, New York Times best-selling author of The Summer Before the War)

"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, New York Times best-selling author of Driftwood Summer and The Bookshop at Water's End)

I wasn’t expecting the end.

This novel is an excellent read and one that I highly recommend. As an older reader I enjoy digging into a well written story. One that takes the reader into the world of its characters.
This story doesn’t need a lot of sex and and violence, it delivers. The facts are sufficient, researched and well written.

A slow beginning but stick with it

Ok so this one took me a while to get into. Could just be me. I had to listen to the first few chapters multiple times. I just could not focus on it. That being said once I did it was really good. Great story, great narration

Excellent writing

Love the narration and the writing (superb!) but did not like the way the story was written against chronology. I understand why the author did this but it made the stories harder to follow.

I enjoyed the format

I enjoyed the “Mementoesque” format. The end was interesting. I had a hard time pushing pause.

Loved it

Fantastic story and narratives. It kept me hooked all of the way to the end.

Historical context

Very interesting structure and i enjoyed it very much! I intend to listen to more by this author.

So hard to follow!

I slugged through this book but was so tired of trying to follow the back and forth in time. I wanted to love it but sadly it was a flop!

We read with hope of a survivor .

I'll admit, I am a dreamer. I've been fascinated by the story of Anastasia ever since I first heard of it, well before Disney got ahold of it. I've always thought, what if she did survive the massacre? What if a sympathetic person took care of her, nursed her to health, and gave her a chance for life? I haven't thought as much about Anna Anderson who had claimed to be her, but Ariel Lawhon did and she gave her a story. It is compelling and sad, a bit too barbaric at times for me, but well done just the same. The narrators were outstanding.

compelling & raw

So rich in detail ! Never boring! Spellbinding with tragedy, empathy and trepidation. Wishing still it could have ended differently.

Enjoyable

The narration wasn't my favorite but the story was well written and very compelling. I really enjoy how this author takes 2 separate story lines at 2 different points and slowly merges them together. I didn't know much the Romanov's before reading and had never heard of Anna Anderson prior to reading this which probably made it easier to read. I didn't really like the narration but it was tolerable enough to listen to. The narrator who plays Anastasia is fine when she's depicting herself but awful when she's impersonating male voices and it was hard to listen to at times. Same goes for the narrator who played Anna. Other than that, I thought it was a good book and I'd recommend reading it vs listening to it.