This was very interesting to read, through their letters, diaries, and other accounts. It changed my idea that Queen Victoria was a cold and somber person, when in fact she was quite jovial and liked to laugh. The deaths of Alexandra's mother and father brought a lifetime of grief, though her relationship with Nicholas seemed to help her, though they kept themselves very isolated from their subjects, which could very well have brought about their inevitable demise.

I look forward to reading more books by this author.

NetGalley, Missy Hungerford

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

This book offers an in-depth look at the relationship between Alix of Hesse and her grandmother, Queen Victoria. The daunting queen takes pity on her motherless grand-daughter after the death of her mother. What develops is a strong bond that shapes European history.

NetGalley, Allison Macias

I was extremely impressed with this book especially the work that was done by Melanie. This biography had everything in it that I could possibly wish for.

Read the full review here

Where There's Ink There's Paper

I have always found the Russian royal family fascinating and enjoyed finding out more about the Empress Alexandra.

NetGalley, Shelly Myers

Alexandra was amazing. I never believed that she was a terrible person. She was a damaged person possibly, both emotionally and mentally. Imagine inheriting such an obsessive need for love like what she inherited from Queen Victoria, thats a lot to deal with for any person especially a women in a place of high power who isn't exactly loved by her people. This emphasized the background of their connection with each other and how it affected their lives

NetGalley, Makenzie Erickson

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I am so glad I got to experience this masterpiece and dive into the lives of the Empress and Queen, and all the world happenings surrounding them.

NetGalley, Jordan Gomez

I enjoyed this step away from the sometimes dry and formal discussion of European royalty. This was an entertaining peek beyond the curtain and look at the humanity of far-off historical figures.

NetGalley, Trisha Chaffee

Definitely enjoyed this one! I love learning about people within our history, and the writing was well done. I'll be looking for more from this author.

NetGalley, Laura Tuttle

Melanie's fantastic biography of Queen Victoria's remarkable and charismatic granddaughter Alexandra (Alix) relates how the young princess Empress of Russia. Alix's conversion to the Russian Orthodox Church and her reliance on the advice of Rasputin are all covered - this is a terrific piece of Victorian/Edwardian history brought superbly to life in Melanie's superb book.

Books Monthly

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

This is a fascinating and detailed look at the relationship between Queen Victoria and her granddaughter, Alix, who would eventually become Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna. The early part of the book focuses on Queen Victoria's relationship with her daughter Alice, Alix's mother but I enjoyed this background information and how it led the Queen to feel more responsible for her Hesse grandchildren after Alice's death. I enjoyed reading about Alix as a shy but caring and devoted granddaughter as it contrasts with the image of her as the cold, unfeeling Empress of Russia.

NetGalley, Jen Lynch

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I knew as soon as I saw the cover, this was right up my street.
I absolutely loved this.

Beautifully researched and written.

A fascinating read.

NetGalley, Maria Martignetti

What a woman Queen Victoria was! Empress Alexandra is a wonderful book full of history and insights. A well-researched look at the relationship between Alexandra and her grandmother Queen Victoria.

NetGalley, P Loveday

This is such an interesting focus on a book, about the relationship between Queen Victoria and her granddaughter, Alix. And also Alix’s mother, Alice. Queen Victoria had a lot of children and grandchildren and Alix was apparently her favorite. We don’t hear much about Victoria except how she was heartbroken and in mourning after her husband’s death. The author uses her journals and finds some richly personal information there. We also really only know of Alix after she marries the Tsar, so this book is a unique look at the more personal side of these famous ladies. I found it to be well-researched, well-written and quite interesting.

NetGalley, Andrea Johnson

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

This was quite possibly the most interesting book I've read regarding Empress Alexandra. The author uses a very unique way of getting the reader to empathize with Alexandra. Clegg focuses greatly on how Queen Victoria's relationship with her daughter Alice was shaped and then subsequently how Alice's death molded the relationship between Queen Victoria and her granddaughter Alexandra. The reader is already 30% into the book before Alexandra is even born. This doesn't read like a typical, stuffy, non-fiction book but is fast paced and very easy to follow... this book is a great addition to the documentation of the Romanov story.

NetGalley, Kate Eminhizer

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

If you love history and RoyaL history then this book if for you. The author Melanie Clegg has done such detailed research into the Empress and her family.

I always knew the Russian royals were related to the British Royal family but not how. So I was delighted to find out that Alix was actually the favoured grandchild of Queen Victoria. The Queen had taken her under her wing following the early death of her mother. Albert and Victoria’s third child.
This in not a work of fiction just well put together facts from archives and letters.
A thoroughly enjoyable read.

NetGalley, Catherine Harrold

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Like most people I’m quite fascinated with the riches and excessive lifestyle of the Romanovs. Their endless glamour, jewels and palaces, and their preventable violent end has a allure akin to the sinking of the Titanic. The death of any family is more than tragic but the slaughter of a royal family who are buried in unmarked graves, missing for decades captures the imagination. That’s why when I saw this book I needed to read it.

Empress Alexandra, tells the story of the last Empress of Russia, Empress Alexandra (Alix) through her relationship with her grandmother. A perspective I’ve not come across before and a clever one as Alix’s grandmother is no other than the formidable Queen Victoria of Great Britain. The story doesn’t cover from Alix’s birth to her death, it covers from her mothers birth to Alix’s birth and until Queen Victoria’s death. I hadn’t expected Alix to first make her appearance quite so far into the book but I’m glad Clegg took the time to cover her mothers life and more importantly her mothers life with Queen Victoria. I had always assumed Queen Victoria to be an over bearing mother who was far too strict and who lacked in maternal instincts before her husbands death and certainly after. however I’ve changed my opinion since reading this book. I still think Queen Victoria can fit into the above but its far more complex than that. Queen Victoria was very protective and did love quite a bit, it just comes off overbearing. After Alix’s mother dies Queen Victoria really steps in to be an adoptive mother to Alix and her siblings and Alix was her favourite. It terrified her when she began to hear rumours of a possible romance between her beloved Alix and the heir of Russia. Queen Victoria was no idiot. Russia was a million miles away from the tastes and personality that Britain was and she feared for Alix’s survival and future if she choose this path. How right, she ended up being… But the fall of the Romanov’s came due to many reasons and one of the strongest was the ‘blood disease’ of the Alix’s heir, a disease inherited from Queen Victoria herself.

NetGalley, Zoe Pollock

This was a good book! While it covered a lot of information I was already familiar with, the focus was really on Alexandra and Victoria. Their relationship certainly was unique among grandmother-granddaughter lines, but I enjoyed it. This is one aspect of Victoria's life that I enjoy reading about. I've never really gotten into her history, but I've been fascinated with the fall of the Romanovs (and Empress Alexandra by extension) since I was a little kid.

NetGalley, Caidyn Young

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

This was a wonderful study of the relationship between two controversial women. I am quite familiar with both Victoria and Alix, and went into this expecting to read what I already knew. However, I absolutely loved digging deeper into this relationship! In fairness, most studies of Victoria can't look in depth at her relationships with her grandchildren, as there were just so many of them. This was absolutely a special relationship though, and Clegg highlights just how incredibly close these two were. My favourite part was looking at their relationship in Alix's younger and teenage years- I feel like it is the period that I know the least about Alix, and it was fascinating. Overall, a must-read!

NetGalley, Jessica Storoschuk

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

This was a great history lesson for me, since Queen Victoria is my most favorite of the royals with her impressive reign that lasted 64 years, when I first spotted this I knew I had to read it. Truthfully I will say that I did not know much of the history of her children's and grandchildren's lives and this book was informative as well as giving a us a look at how she influenced their lives and the tender love she had for them. The book chronicles the earlier years being married to Prince Leopold and his tragic death that had a long lasting affect all during the rest of her lifetime and sought to keep his memory alive through the years. While this does give us the details of all her children's lives, this centers on her favorite grandchild, Princess Alix as she was affectionately known. As a child Princess Alix was the compassionate caregiver of the family tirelessly offering to nurse her siblings when sickness and death overtook them as well as to her mother, Princess Alice who tragically died at an early age and to Queen Victoria who greatly mourned her. Growing up she became her constant companion and confidante spending time with her beloved Victoria who was much like a mother to her. Despite the tender love she had for her granddaughter, Queen Victoria was a force to be reckoned with especially when it came to marriage for her daughters and granddaughters with her opinions fiercely made known and the matches she was determined to make for them. When Alix fell in love with the Nicholas II of Russia who later would become Tsar of his troubled country Victoria feared greatly for her safety and the great task of Empress she would undertake when Nicholas' father suddenly died and he became at once the new Tsar of Russia. Sadly after Queen Victoria died in 1901 her fears for Alix's safety came to fruition when Tsar Nicholas, Empress Alexandra (as Alix was now known as) and their beautiful children which we all know from history as The Romanovs were tragically executed by the Bolsheviks in 1918.

Filled with lovely pictures of Queen Victoria and her family this was a fascinating read for me that I really enjoyed. Recommended.

NetGalley, Maryann Cole

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Empress Alexandra explores the special relationship between Alice and her grandmama, Queen Victoria. Cleft examines the care, love, and attention Victoria extended to Her precious Hesse from gramdchildren after the death of Princess Alice. Aliu was a particular favorite of Victoria's and she spent a great deal of time with her during her formative years. Clegg rehashes material,that has been written about previously so there's no new revelations, but it's a good examination interspersed with snippets from diaries and letters.

NetGalley, Janilyn Kocher

This was a beautifully written and fascinating biography of Empress Alexandra (or Alix/Alicky as she was nicknamed) the last Tsarina of Russia and a favourite granddaughter of Queen Victoria. Alix lost her mother and two of her siblings at an early age and her relationship with Queen Victoria was a huge comfort to her and both she and her brother Ernie and elder sisters spent a large amount of time in England with her beloved grandmother and many other relations.

Alix was also considered a great beauty and there was much interest in her future marriage prospects but she was to go against the wishes of Queen Victoria by marrying into the Russian Royal family. And indeed her grandmother was right to have worried as Alix would eventually be executed alongside her husband and children some years later during the Russian Revolution - a fate which also befell one of her elder sisters who married Russian royalty. Although I knew how her life would end I couldn’t help but become attached to Alix and I felt a deep sense of foreboding as I read her story.

I find it very sad that Victoria would live for many years longer than some of her children and grandchildren but I also learned a lot from this book and now I am even more interested and intrigued by Alix and her life. I was never bored reading this and the author obviously completed a large amount of research and the writing was impeccable throughout.

NetGalley, Sarah Smith

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Empress Alexandra had a life that was far from fairy tales that we read about. Her mother died when she was young, leaving her in a position to become closer to her grandmother. The illness that took her mother had already taken one of her sisters and she had lost a brother from a tragic fall several years earlier.

As the young Alexandra grew up, she spent quite a bit of time in the presence of her domineering grandmother, Queen Victoria. Victoria was set in her ways, devoted to her grandchildren, but not afraid to let them know what was on her mind. After the loss of her husband, Prince Albert, she grew increasingly withdrawn, saving only brief moments for brightness.

The grand marriage that Victoria wanted for her granddaughter was derailed slightly when the young Alexandra found herself drawn more and more to the young Russian Tsarevich. He was a handsome young man, quiet, and not one to give any affection easily. They had an easy bond, one that had started when they were much younger, having met at the wedding of another relative.

Melanie Clegg never disappoints in her work, and this one was no different. At the forefront, you are given quite a bit of history into the family life of Queen Victoria and her children, the loss and heartbreaks that they went through. It weaves together nicely with the story of Alexandra, and the heartaches that she was later to endure, which of course, ended with the monarchy being overthrown in Russia, and her family being murdered. This is a book that was enjoyable, and just the right amount of detail - giving you a picture of what is going on, without dragging you down.

NetGalley, Rebecca Hill

A historical marvel with a tale not currently written. I could not put this book down, reading it I was drawn into Queen Victoria's life and feelings, learning about her relations and struggles, while working with Empress Alexandra. Full of historic details, I learned so much about Russia and England individually and the lifestyle of what was going on at the time, and the relations that once stood between these two powers. Pull of power struggles, relations, history, and intrigue, this is one not to miss.

NetGalley, Mary Bickel

I have a real thing for Russian history, so was pretty delighted to receive an ARC via NetGalley. Many thanks to the publisher.

This is is an extremely enjoyable read of a fascinating period. It was great to get a better picture of Alix's mother and her early line. It really emphasised just how entwined the royal houses of Europe were in that period. It was not so much a family tree as a family wreath.

NetGalley, Madeline McCreanor

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I have read many books about the Romanov family and always lamented the lost correspondence that the Empress burned during her detention. Melanie Clegg teases out, aided by Queen Victoria's vast correspondence and journals, a full picture of who Alix was as a child and young adult and does the further favor of giving the reader a look at the grandmother and grandchild's special relationship. Clegg provided interesting details and context of the broader royal landscape of the time, allowing the reader to appreciate the nuanced relationships among family members spread throughout Europe.

I really enjoyed Clegg's writing style and her ability to round out and weave together all of the various figures. The facts themselves are naturally compelling and Clegg's research and narrative made their stories come to life.

NetGalley, Erin Loranger

Melanie has created such a well researched account of the relationship between Queen Victoria and her granddaughter Alix of Hasse who goes on to become Empress Alexandra. Their lives are surrounded by grief and loss but both, supported by one another in various ways, become the strongest women in British and Russian history of their time.

We learn of the families struggles and happier times via letters sent to family members and their diary entries. This gives a personal touch to the read and allows you to hear the royals personal thoughts and feelings. The photographs of Queen Victoria and family members at the end was also a welcomed touch.

NetGalley, Stephanie Cameron

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

This book was extraordinary! It satisfied my love for History, European Royalty and genealogy. What a woman Queen Victoria I was; so strong mentally and physically, she was one hell of a matriarch, and a phenomenal mother lwho stepped up to the plate when her daughter Alice died prematurely, leaving behind her motherless children. Stubbornness was clearly a family trait and it was pleasant to see strong-willed women living in the 1800s.

This was a delectable book and such a treat beginning to finish. I particularly loved the fact that there were so many quotes taken from diaries, which gave an intimate feel to the book. I also loved all the pictures and family portraits at the end, which I could understand after this reading.

I will now add Ms. Melanie Clegg’s full catalog to my TBR.

NetGalley, Mairy Tsirigotis

As a history and royal nerd, I really enjoyed this. Clegg pulls from Victoria's personal journals and letters (and some of her family's as well) and creates a very clear through line of Victoria's private life (and her massive domineering influence in her family). As Clegg acknowledges herself in the acknowledgements, this is really a story of Alice too - the book begins with Princess Alice's birth (Alexandra's mother), and it was really clear how the relationships developed and changed over time. The ARC that I had did not feature the pictures that are alluded to (a great disappointment), but the acknowledgments indicate that it will be in the fully published form - something I really wish I had access to as well. I also felt that a family tree would be useful, as once grandchildren enter the scene, it's really a lot to handle and keep straight (especially as so many of the names are repeated, and many of them go by a different name within the family). It also made me realize that I really only know German history starting with WWI, as so many of the ducal titles meant nothing to me due to lack of prior knowledge.
I really enjoyed this and it whetted my appetite to learn more about European history in the 19th century, and I would've also loved for Clegg to write more about the Romanovs, though I understand that that's outside the purview of this book, which ends with Victoria's death. Clegg has a solid handle as a historian, and I will be on the lookout for her other accounts as well.

Also, my personal favorite part was also Albert telling Alice that her mother tends towards melodrama, and now all I want is a visual adaption of Victoria flinging herself upon divans after Albert's passing and yelling at her kids not to smile.

NetGalley, Courtney Beresheim

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

A well-researched look at the relationship between Alexandra and her grandmother Queen Victoria.

I absolutely adored this and it will have pride of place on my bookshelf.

NetGalley, Julianne Freer

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

As someone who enjoys reading history books, I found Empress Alexandra fascinating.

The book centers around the relationship between Empress Alexandra and Queen Victoria. I have always been fascinated by the story of the Russian czar family.

A lot of people tend to forget that royal families are all related to each other, so it may come as a surprise that Tsarina Alexandra and Queen Victoria were members of the same family.

I was surprised at how domineering Queen Victoria was, even though I knew she was a powerful woman, I had never considered that she also inflicted her power onto her own family.

If you aren't a royal geek right now, you will be after reading Empress Alexandra!

NetGalley, Jemima Reads

It was an excellent book and makes me want to read more about Queen Victoria and her grandchildren.

NetGalley, Beth Bullington

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

It was a really informative read and gave an insight into past royals - definitely a book for people who love royal history.. I found it really interesting that through marriage a lot of the royals were related.
Melanie Clegg has written a book that you can curl up on the sofa with and gives an insight into the relationships between Victoria and her children - truly insightful.

I look forward to reading more of Melanie's books.

NetGalley, Emma Nelson

A nicely written book, providing some depth to the characters.

NetGalley, Ru Story Huffman

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

This was a fascinating look at both Queen Victoria and a wonderful look at the interactions within her huge brood of children who eventually ended up ruling in some way or other most of Europe and Russia. The first section of the novel begins with the early part of Victoria's marriage to her beloved Prince Albert and the birth of their first three children, the third being Alice who becomes the future mother of Victoria's favorite grandchild Alexandra. Alice marries Prince Louis of Hesse Darmstadt. It is a happy marriage with Alice having a great interest in helping others less fortunate especially through nursing being a great admirer and correspondent of Florence Nightengale. She is a wonderful mother who tries to instill independence in her children not letting them have the servants do everything for them as she was raised to be in her childhood also. Unfortunately when the children become ill at the same time she catches their illness while nursing them and dies prematurely. This leaves the youngest Alexandra or "Alicky" motherless at two. This is when Victoria really steps in and in a way takes over the mothering of the younger grandchildren but it is Alexandria to whom she is the closest. Alexandria is a lovely, shy girl who does better in smaller groups rather than huge gatherings of people and this is why Queen Victoria is so worried when she falls in love with Nicky Tsar Alexander III's heir. After Alexander's death and Nicholas's ascension to Tsar, Victoria really becomes alarmed at her having to change her religion from Lutheranism to Russian Orthodoxy and the amount of reponsibilities she will have to take on as Tsarina. The marriage begins fairly well because they are truly in love with one another but they are both too shy and weak for the enormous job of running the enormous empire and begin to become unpopular among the people. I never quite warmed up to Queen Victoria until I read this book.She was a strong, extremely intelligent, caring woman. Yes, she did run a little too much toward melancholia but which one of us has not struggled with grief after the loss of a loved one. I really want to read more about her and at the end of this book I could really begin to see some of the reasons for the Russian revolution although the massacre of the royal family was a despicable act of barbarism. It's a wonderful book and I thank Net Galley and Pen & Sword Publisher for granting me the pleasure of enjoying it.

NetGalley, Mark McGrath

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Empress Alexandra by Melanie Clegg is an excellent book that highlights the special relationship that Queen Victoria had with the fascinating, complicated, and sometimes challenging Empress Alexandra of Russia. As grandmother and granddaughter (Alix was the daughter of Victoria’s own daughter Alice), their bond was unique and special, especially considering their royal statuses, the volatile times, and their physical distance from one another.

The author does a superb job depicting this amazing relationship from historical records and letters/correspondence between Queen Victoria and Alix. The author clearly did her research, and what is presented to the reader is an excellent depiction that is appropriately detailed, spaced, and nicely flowing. As a huge fan of Queen Victoria and the Romanovs, this was right up my alley.

Excellent. 5/5 stars

NetGalley, Rachel Fox

This was an interesting book.

NetGalley, Karen Kenyon

History lovers will enjoy this in-depth account of the close relationship between two of the most famous women in British and Russian history. Melanie Clegg does a wonderful job of piecing together various details mostly from primary sources (letters to and from Queen Victoria to Alix) and various secondary sources. The photographs in the book provide a particularly special treat for readers.

NetGalley, Jess Salafia Ward

Queen Victoria's life is already well-mined in the literary world, so one must take some interesting side relationships in order to write a new book. Melanie Clegg's book "Empress Alexandra: The Special Relationship Between Russia's Last Tsarina and Queen Victoria" examines Queen Victoria's close relationship with her granddaughter Alix, who later marries Nicholas II to become Tsarina of Russia. The through line of this relationship is Victoria's third child, Alice, who was Alix's mother. Victoria and Alice were very close, though grew somewhat apart after Alice's marriage to Louis and move to Darmstadt where she became more independent. Princess Alice was an offspring of Victoria I did not know much about, as she on appearance does not play as big a role in history as some other children of Victoria's (e.g, Vicky who gives birth to Wilhelm II, Bertie who is a bit of a problem child who Victoria blamed partially for her husband Albert's death and becomes the future King Edward VII). Clegg describes Alice as a somewhat morose women, who appears quite frail as she ages. One of her children dies from a fall (he had hemophilia, and the book's first mention of illness that will be involved in Russia's downfall). Alice sets in motion the special relationship between Victoria and Alix as she dies of diptheria at a rather young age after having nursed her husband and children who had been stricken ill with it also. It took the life of her youngest daughter, and then Alice. As all of Alix's other grandparents are dead, Victoria takes a special interest in her life. The book focuses primarily on their relationship for the second half of the book, and Victoria's feelings about Alix's romance and ultimate marriage to Russia's Nicholas II who becomes Tsar right before they are married when his father, Tsar Alexander III dies unexpectedly without preparing Nicholas for the role he has ahead. The book ends with Victoria's death, and the reader is left to wonder what role she would have played as Alix finally gives birth to a son, and how Russia and England's relationship may or may not have changed in the events leading up to World War I. While parts of this book have been discussed at length in other great historical books, Clegg did a nice job of highlighting a relationship tying together a formidable Queen and her love for her granddaughter, the last Tsarina of Russia.

NetGalley, Kristina Nord

This is lovely book looking deeply at the relationship between Queen Victoria, her daughter Alice and granddaughter Alix, more so than on the eventual fate of The Tsarina. As such, it’s a really sweet and incredibly researched book which I recommend. Seeing aspects of the person behind the historical figures is always interesting and this really shows the love and connectedness that was there.

NetGalley, Jennifer Ruth

I'm fascinated by history and I've read several books about the Romanov family and Queen Victoria, they are fascinating subjects. This book is a wonderful addition to my understanding of the people behind the facade of royalty, making them so relatable and human. The book is laid out logically and the prose is wonderful I want to thank NetGalley for the advance copy that I read in exchange for this honest review.

NetGalley, Carrie Habib

Melanie Clegg is the Queen of sweeping royal biographies. With each history she recreates, the reader is left feeling as though they've been transported to the world of that particular royal subject. Brilliantly written, 'Empress Alexandra' comes across as a historical saga that feels as though you're reading a work of fiction.

Insightful from the very first page, Clegg successfully educates the reader on not only Empress Alexandra but a whole slew of characters from her royal family- beginning with the impressive, domineering figure of Queen Victoria. This biography is perfect for all types of readers! Whether you are a loyal follower of royal figures or a first timer, Clegg will provide readers with such rich details that hold your interest from start to finish. The tragically beautiful story that belongs to the Empress Alexandra is masterfully crafted by Clegg.

NetGalley, Sydney Harper

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars


This book gives a comprehensive study of the relationship between granddaughter Alix and her formidable grandmother, Queen Victoria of England.

Alix was the daughter of Victoria's second eldest daughter named Alice. Alice's upbringing and personality were thoroughly covered and described. She and her mother, Victoria, had a somewhat combative relationship, but it was evident that they did love one another. (perhaps they were too much alike – both headstrong.) When she showed a marked interest in Nicholas the tsarevich of Russia, Victoria's feathers were definitely ruffled.

Queen Victoria thought that the Russians were “decadent and degenerate.” I tried very hard to feel generous toward Queen Victoria, but her opinions and passive/aggressive treatment of her daughters and granddaughters drove me up the wall. I allow some leeway for the time in which she lived, but she really seemed to be a controlling old bat. She must have drove her relatives to distraction. When poor Alix was the only granddaughter left unmarried, what chance did she have?

I read a book about the life of “Minnie” Tsar Nicholas II's mother some time ago called “The Romanov Empress,” by C.W. Gortner and I got the distinct impression that Minnie did not care for Alix at all. She found her spoiled and opinionated. Both she and her husband Tsar Alexander III thought that Alix would be a major mistake for Nicholas and his reign. (And look how it turned out.) Interesting how these two formidable women viewed young Alix so differently.

It turned out that both sets of relatives finally gave their assent to the match, albeit with grudging and lingering doubts. Following the unexpected death of his father, the unready Nicholas was catapulted onto the throne. He felt little prepared for it. Alix was a somewhat standoffish young woman, and Queen Victoria presaged that this would not be to her benefit now that she was Empress and had to be friendly to all people. She was judged to be “aloof and unfriendly” by Nicholas' family and courtiers. Victoria, too, became concerned that they were shutting themselves away too much.

They were right...

This book shows the author's exhaustive research and attention to detail. Ms. Clegg was very careful to differentiate between all the Victoria's and other similar names. I really appreciated that aspect of her writing. It was not written in such a dry manner that it turned the casual reader away. This material is accessible to all readers of all interest levels. I found the material very interesting. I knew that Alix was Victoria's granddaughter, but was unaware of their close and sometimes rocky relationship until now. I am very glad that I was chosen to read this advanced review copy of the book. I immediately went to Amazon to peruse the rest of Ms. Clegg's books.

NetGalley, Joyce Fox

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Empress Alexandra by Melanie Clegg was such an interesting and informative read. She draws from Victoria's letters and journals, revealing a mother and grandmother who doted on her family. She was known as Grandmama to her granddaughter's spouses.

Clegg tells Alix's story in context of her relationship with her grandmother Queen Victoria. Alix was Queen Victoria's favorite granddaughter. Her mother Alice was the queen's companion and social secretary after the death of Prince Albert. Tragically, Alice died young.

The queen took Alice's children under her wing as a surrogate mother. They and their father Prince Louis became even closer to the monarch.

Alix was a beautiful child. At an early age, she caught her cousin Nicky's attention.

In spite of Queen Victoria's endeavors to arrange a marriage for Alix, she and and her cousin Nicky fell in love. When became Nicholas became Emperor of Russian, and Alix became Empress Alexandra, Victoria worried about her. She did not approve of the opulent lifestyle of the Russian Court, or the condition of Alicky converting to the Russian Orthodox Church. And especially, she worried about the social unrest and feared assassination attempts.

The queen loved Nicky and he enjoyed his time in Britain with her and his beloved Alix. The couple recreated a retreat inspired by British middle class style, and preferred a quiet life. When Nicky's father died, he was only twenty-six. He followed his father's autocratic style of governing.

Victoria and Albert raised their children to be self-sufficient, educating them well but also including fun and healthy activities in their lives. Alice patterned her mother's style, and so did granddaughter Alix when a mother.

Queen Victoria died in 1901 and happily never lived to know her beloved granddaughter and Tzar Nicholas and their children were assassinated in 1918.

Clegg's book is well presented, and for all the characters and royals to keep track of, I never felt confused.

The royal family suffered so many tragedies! But love also blossomed.

NetGalley, Nancy A. Bekofske