THE WITCHES OF ST. PETERSBURG is the tale of two sisters
that have to fend for themselves at the Romanov court,
and they do so by not only befriending the Tsarina, they
use black magic as well. Militza and Stana are the
daughters of the King of Montenegro. They are forced to
marry men with status in the Romanov court and to secure the
future for their home country.
However, they are shunned by the aristocracy especially
the women. But, they soon find out that the lonely
Tsarina desperately needs a male heir, and they decide to
help her
even if that means using black magic.
I found the beginning of the book very promising when the
two sisters began their quest to help the Tsarina using
various "methods" to get her pregnant with a male child.
Sadly the pacing was a bit slow and the last part of the
book, when Rasputin entered the story, only turned my
interest further away from the story. That was a bit
disappointing since I've been waiting for Rasputin to
enter the picture, hoping he would to shake up
the story a bit.
I think the main problem was that Militza and Stana never
really made a big impression on me. As long as they were
focused on getting the Tsarina pregnant with a son
the story at least was interesting. However, later on, it
feels like they lost their focus a bit. I did like the
black magic part of the book as the sisters both had
gifts they used at the court. But, it just
couldn't completely save the story for me. The best part
is without a doubt the first half of the book, when I
felt that the sisters had a goal and I was intrigued by
their efforts of gaining a position at the court.
Inspired by real characters, this transporting historical
fiction debut spins the fascinating story of two princesses
in the Romanov court who practiced black magic, befriended
the Tsarina, and invited Rasputin into their lives—forever
changing the course of Russian history.
As daughters of the impoverished King of Montenegro, Militza
and Stana must fulfill their duty to their father and leave
their beloved home for St. Petersburg to be married into
senior positions in the Romanov court. For their new
alliances to the Russian nobility will help secure the
future of the sisters’ native country. Immediately, Militza
and Stana feel like outcasts as the aristocracy shuns them
for their provincial ways and for dabbling in the occult.
Undeterred, the sisters become resolved to make their mark
by falling in with the lonely, depressed Tsarina Alexandra,
who—as an Anglo-German—is also an outsider and is not fully
accepted by members of the court. After numerous failed
attempts to precipitate the birth of a son and heir, the
Tsarina is desperate and decides to place her faith in the
sisters’ expertise with black magic.
Promising the Tsarina that they will be able to secure an
heir for the Russian dynasty, Militza and Stana hold séances
and experiment with rituals and spells. Gurus, clairvoyants,
holy fools, and charlatans all try their luck. The closer
they become to the Tsarina and the royal family, the more
their status—and power—is elevated. But when the sisters
invoke a spiritual shaman, who goes by the name of Rasputin,
the die is cast. For they have not only irrevocably sealed
their own fates—but also that of Russia itself.
Brimming with black magic, sex and intrigue, The Witches
of St. Petersburg is an exquisite historical fiction
debut novel filled with lush historical details from the
Romanov era.
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