I Was Anastasia

Not long after the execution of the Romanov family, headed by Tsar Nicholas, rumors fly that their youngest daughter, Anastasia, has escaped the carnage and is alive and well. Anna Anderson, a young woman rescued from a canal in Germany, bears an uncanny resemblance to the young tsarina, and her supporters are sure that she is, in fact, Anastasia and can regain the Romanov fortune and power. Her detractors see her as a money-hungry fake. Neither side offers definitive proof. Anastasia's story moves forward from the early months of 1917 to the executions in 1919, while Anna's begins when she is an older woman in the 1960s and works backward through time to the moment she is plucked from the canal. Readers move in and out of time and perspectives, switching sides and opinions along the way. The fate of the Romanovs directly clashes with the modern world that is emerging from the industrial revolution, the rise of social consciousness, and the questioning of the historical privilege granted to monarchs. Anastasia's tale reveals the family's disconnect with the common people, while Anna's narrative highlights the cultural shifts that underlie the time period. This is an excellent read for teens. The storytelling makes the novel come alive with tension and intrigue.