The follow-up to the #1 bestseller The Winter Palace--perfect for the readers of Hilary Mantel and Alison Weir. Catherine the Great, the Romanov monarch reflects on her astonishing ascension to the throne, her leadership over the world's greatest power, and the lives sacrificed to make her the most feared woman in the world--lives including her own...
Catherine the Great muses on her life, her relentless battle between love and power, the country she brought into the glorious new century, and the bodies left in her wake. By the end of her life, she had accomplished more than virtually any other woman in history. She built and grew the Romanov empire, amassed a vast fortune of art and land, and controlled an unruly and conniving court. Now, in a voice both indelible and intimate, she reflects on the decisions that gained her the world and brought her enemies to their knees. And before her last breath, shadowed by the bloody French Revolution, she sets up the end game for her last political maneuver, ensuring her successor and the greater glory of Russia.
Have you ever read a book because that particular subject fascinates you, so you enjoy reading more than what you've already read? And then, as you are reading, the book begins to become eerily familiar - like you've read it before? This is how I felt about Empress of the Night. I love historical fiction, and Catherine the Great is such an intriguing figure that I enjoy reading about her from a variety of perspectives. Sadly, this book reminded me so much of the last book I read about Catherine (Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman) that I literally had to check a couple of times to make sure that I wasn't accidentally repeating myself. The only stark difference in what I read and what I recall reading was the interjections as Catherine appears to be suffering a stroke, and that it appeared to have more to do with her lovers and less to do with her fascinating ruling.
I suppose you can make the argument that, as an historical figure, there is little left to the imagination anymore. Not being a writer, I wouldn't know whether that could ever be true. But this just felt like a rehash of so much of what I have already read.
Having said that - the story is written well and would be a good starting point for anyone not overly familiar with Catherine and her ascent to the throne. I think it would be enjoyable for them. Unfortunately for me, it was a case of deja vu that was too strong to ignore.
