Dreaming Anastasia Review

PUB DATE: September 1, 2009

Thanks to Paul from Sourcebooks for sending me a copy of Dreaming Anastasia.

I found two different covers online for the book.

ABOUT THE BOOK:
What really happened to Anastasia Romanov?

Anastasia Romanov thought she would never feel more alone than when the gunfire started and her family began to fall around her. Surely the bullets would come for her next. But they didn’t. Instead, two gnarled old hands reached for her. When she wakes up she discovers that she is in the ancient hut of the witch Baba Yaga, and that some things are worse than being dead.

In modern-day Chicago, Anne doesn’t know much about Russian history. She is more concerned about getting into a good college?until the dreams start. She is somewhere else. She is someone else. And she is sharing a small room with a very old woman. The vivid dreams startle her, but not until a handsome stranger offers to explain them does she realize her life is going to change forever. She is the only one who can save Anastasia. But, Anastasia is having her own dreams?

MY THOUGHTS:

I love discovering debut authors and discovering Joy Preble was great. The book was everything I thought it would be and I was not disappointed at all.

I have to admit that before I start a book I always try to find out as much info as I can on the book and I have to admit I was really surprised when I found out that the book is based on real life events of the Romanov’s. I remember hearing about them but it was something I never pursued until I read this book and I think that I might be looking more into the Romanov’s now.

With that being said even if you have no idea who the Romanov’s were you won’t be lost in reading this book. Joy does a great job in telling the story and embracing the Romanov’s and the what they left behind. Plus she adds a little kick to the story.

The story is told from three different perspectives (Anastasia, Anne and Ethan) it’s all laid out very well and easy to understand. Its told in time frames of a week ago, present day and three months ago. Included in the story is some letters written by Anastasia.

The story takes place in the forest, (past) Chicago and Budapest, Hungary.

The chapters were short and the book was a quick read but I found myself wanting to take my time reading this and to take everything in. The book kept you drawn to the story and made you want to continue reading to find out what would happen next.

The main character Anne is having these weird and unusual, reoccurring dreams that she can’t explain. She is dreaming of a little girl in a beautiful white dress that has blood spattered on it and the little girl is watching as her family is being murdered one by one. The little girl is then being scooped up by a giant pair of hands.

The dreams don’t really have Anne worried. She is more worried about getting into a good college. Could it be the stress that is making her dream these dreams?

The other main character in the book is Ethan and he has been looking for Anne. Anne could possibly be the girl that could help Ethan rescue the Grand Duchess Anastasia. We discover that Anastasia has been kept basically like a prisoner for many many years by a witch called Baba Yaga. (I laughed when I came to that part. Who couldn’t love a witch with that name Baba Yaga?)

Ethan has to try and convince Anne to accept her destiny. Anne doesn’t really have a choice because meeting Ethan has caused events to be set in motion that have been idle for hundreds of years and its now getting ready to play out. Anne has the feeling she can’t trust Ethan but not sure why. (Gut Instinct) She decides that they both need to work together and put aside any feelings that they have to do what they need to do.

As you are reading the book you hope that Anne will accept her powers and let destiny take its path. Will she be able to rescue Anastasia in time? What will happen if she can’t?

I really enjoyed reading this book and will be checking out the story on the Romanov’s and any other future books by Joy. If you are looking for a great book then let me suggest this to you. Even though its a YA book I am sure adults would enjoy the storyline of the book.