The Winter Palace by Eva Stachniak

The Winter Palace by Eva Stachniak tells the epic story of Catherine the Great’s infamous rise to power as seen through the eyes of a young girl who eventually becomes her closest ally and confidant.

The story begins as Vavara, a young orphaned Polish girl, is brought to serve at Empress Elizabeth’s court in St. Petersburg. Shortly after her arrival, the court Chancellor strikes up an intriguing and provocative relationship with her; a relationship that propels her to the front lines of Empress Elizabeth’s alluring court. She becomes a close confidant and is soon set out to spy on Sophie, a prospective bride for Elizabeth’s future heir. Vavara unexpectedly shifts alliances and becomes her close friend and ally, guiding young Sophie through the treacherous, political pitfalls of the court. During the next twenty years, Sophie transforms into the renowned Catherine the Great. The Winter Palace follows her rise to infamy.

I found The Winter Palace to be a wonderful, historical tale about Catherine the Great. Stachniak transports you back into the 18th century, filling your senses with bold, authentic details about the intense world of the Russian Imperial Court. Overall, I had a lot of fun reading this story. The writing is crisp and clean and Stachniak does an excellent job bringing the story to life.