What doyouthink?
Rate this book
The Royal Diaries
Catherine: The Great Journey, Russia, 1743
Fourteen-year-old Prussian princess Sophia finds herself entangled in her mother's efforts to arrange a marriage between Sophia and Charles-Peter, a young German duke and nephew of the Russian empress Elizabeth. As Sophia's mother moves to make the match, she and Sophia must travel from their humble home in Zerbst, Prussia, to Russia--the kingdom of Elizabeth. There, Sophia is renamed Catherine and married to Charles-Peter, but she watches helplessly as her family is torn from her, her own mother is involved in a spying ring against the empress, and all that is familiar to her disappears.
169 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2006
About the author
Kristiana Gregory
66books326followersKristiana Gregory grew up in Manhattan Beach, California, two blocks from the ocean. She's always loved to make up stories [ask her family!], telling her younger siblings whoppers that would leave them wide-eyed and shivering. Her first rejection letter at age ten was for a poem she wrote in class when she was supposed to be doing a math assignment. She's had a myriad of odd jobs: telephone operator, lifeguard, camp counselor, reporter, book reviewer & columnist for the LA Times, and finally author.
Her award-winning books include STALKED, which earned the 2012 Gold Medal for Young Adult Mystery from Literary Classics and is hailed as "historical fiction with a thrilling twist." KIRKUS calls it "an atmospheric confection that will thrill YA readers... Gregory achieves a realistic, rich atmosphere with insightful details about the immigration process and New York tenements in the early 1900s." Now available on Kindle and in paperback.
JENNY OF THE TETONS [Harcourt] won the Golden Kite Award in 1989 and was the first of two-dozen historical novels for middle grade readers. Several of Kristiana's titles are now available on Kindle including "Curiously Odd Stories: Vol. 1 and Vol. 2" with the celebrated 'Paper Monument', a futuristic book-banning with horrific consequences.
BRONTE'S BOOK CLUB [Holiday House] is set in a town by the sea and is inspired by the girls' book club Kristiana led for several years.
Her most recent title with Scholastic's Dear America series is CANNONS AT DAWN, a sequel to the best-selling THE WINTER OF RED SNOW, which was made into a movie for the HBO Family Channel.
New re-releases in ebooks and paperback on Amazon:
**PRAIRIE RIVER SERIES #1-4
**ORPHAN RUNAWAYS: THE PERILOUS ESCAPE TO BODIE
**CABIN CREEK MYSTERIES #7: THE PHANTOM OF HIDDEN HORSE RANCH
**THE WAITING LIGHT: CLEMENTINE'S STORY -- originally titled "My Darlin' Clementine" [Holiday House] this riveting historical mystery takes place in an Idaho mining camp of 1866, and was Idaho's representative for the 2010 National Book Festival in Washington, D.C., sponsored by the Library of Congress.
Kristiana and her husband have two adult sons, and live in Idaho with their two golden retrievers. In her spare time she loves to swim, walk, hike, read, and hang out with friends. She's trying to learn to knit, but isn't yet having much success.
Check out Kristiana's blogs athttp://notesfromthesunroom.blogspot.com/for behind-the-scenes stories about her books, and with photos from her childhood.
Her award-winning books include STALKED, which earned the 2012 Gold Medal for Young Adult Mystery from Literary Classics and is hailed as "historical fiction with a thrilling twist." KIRKUS calls it "an atmospheric confection that will thrill YA readers... Gregory achieves a realistic, rich atmosphere with insightful details about the immigration process and New York tenements in the early 1900s." Now available on Kindle and in paperback.
JENNY OF THE TETONS [Harcourt] won the Golden Kite Award in 1989 and was the first of two-dozen historical novels for middle grade readers. Several of Kristiana's titles are now available on Kindle including "Curiously Odd Stories: Vol. 1 and Vol. 2" with the celebrated 'Paper Monument', a futuristic book-banning with horrific consequences.
BRONTE'S BOOK CLUB [Holiday House] is set in a town by the sea and is inspired by the girls' book club Kristiana led for several years.
Her most recent title with Scholastic's Dear America series is CANNONS AT DAWN, a sequel to the best-selling THE WINTER OF RED SNOW, which was made into a movie for the HBO Family Channel.
New re-releases in ebooks and paperback on Amazon:
**PRAIRIE RIVER SERIES #1-4
**ORPHAN RUNAWAYS: THE PERILOUS ESCAPE TO BODIE
**CABIN CREEK MYSTERIES #7: THE PHANTOM OF HIDDEN HORSE RANCH
**THE WAITING LIGHT: CLEMENTINE'S STORY -- originally titled "My Darlin' Clementine" [Holiday House] this riveting historical mystery takes place in an Idaho mining camp of 1866, and was Idaho's representative for the 2010 National Book Festival in Washington, D.C., sponsored by the Library of Congress.
Kristiana and her husband have two adult sons, and live in Idaho with their two golden retrievers. In her spare time she loves to swim, walk, hike, read, and hang out with friends. She's trying to learn to knit, but isn't yet having much success.
Check out Kristiana's blogs athttp://notesfromthesunroom.blogspot.com/for behind-the-scenes stories about her books, and with photos from her childhood.
Ratings&Reviews
Friends&Following
Create a free accountto discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 157 reviews
July 3, 2016
”I will live to make myself not feared.” - Catherine the Great
3.5 out of 5 stars
Setting:Prussia and Russia; 1743-1745
Cover Thoughts?:I think the painting overall is beautiful (another lovely cover design by Tim O’Brien), but the dog looks terrified. Like “WTF is this chick making me come out here in the Russian snow” type terrified.
Plot:
”’My poor German princess,’ she said. ‘You’re as plain as a toad. Who will ever want to marry you?’”Little Sophie of Prussia has been told over and over again by her mother two things; that she’s ugly, and that it is up to her to marry well so she can rescue them from a life of destitution. So when a marriage proposal comes from Empress Elizabeth of Russia on behalf of her son Carl-Peter Ulrich, Sophie’s mother greedily accepts on her behalf. None too pleased with the idea, especially since her last encounter with Peter was an utter disaster, she nevertheless makes the journey from her beloved Prussia to the harsh, unfamiliar and vast Russian Empire, where she is at the mercy of the empress. Renamed Catherine and determined to know the ways of the Russian people, Catherine throws herself into her studies. For what she hasn’t told anyone, not even her future husband, is that she knows for a fact that she will rule Russia. She just has to make sure she lives to do it.
:Sniff: This is the lastRoyal Diarynovel. That sound you hear is my childhood going out the window. And while I do admit this was one of the weaker installments in the series, I can’t say I hated it. Heck, I can’t say I hated any of the books in this series. If you’re interested in getting your youngster interested in history (or you’re a budding history buff yourself), this series is the perfect place to start. Anyhow, back to the book. This follows Sophie (Catherine) in her journey for the crown of Russia. Catherine has always been one of my favorites (and not just because of the name), so it was super fun to read about her childhood and her determination to meet her goal of ruling all or Russia.
Characters:
”Dear diary, when I looked in the mirror tonight, I did not see an ugly duckling. For the first time ever, my reflection showed a princess who is almost pretty.”Catherine (aka Sophie) is her mother’s only hope for rising above her station and marrying off so she can get her family our from poverty (although to me, they didn’t seem particularly poor). Catherine was a resourceful character who never let her mother’s insults get the better of her. She doesn’t even let the thought of a dull, loveless marriage prospect faze her. Nope, not at all. Instead, she throws herself into learning the language, ways and customs of her new homeland Russia, going to far as to make herself sick trying to learn Russian. Literally! She has her eyes on the prize, and it doesn’t include her newly betrothed, Peter. She wants the crown, and she wants it bad. But instead of making her thoughts known or going after it with brute force, she waits her turn patiently but steadily.
”Truly, at first sight I thought he was a girl. His face was soft and pale, his hair curled to his shoulders.”Carl-Peter is Catherine’s cousin/betrothed, but it’s hardly love at first sight. Peter isn’t exactly a Studmuffin (more like a Dullmuffin, to be specific). He’s a man-child who has gone through puberty supposedly, but his brain and hormones never got the memo. He and Catherine have a platonic relationship for the entirety of the novel, so a true romance never develops. Then again, back then who knows how many true romances develop. Peter is more interested in playing with his toy soldiers and cussing out Catherine’s mother then thinking about ruling the kingdom or learning more about it. In short; I’M UNIMPRESSED.
”Though she is mean and rarely shows affection, she is still my mother. She’s the only one in this new country who is not a stranger to me. I don’t know how I would be able to bear her disappointment.”Catherine’s mother is a piece of work, that’s for sure. Although I think deep DEEP down (and we’re talking pretty deep here) she loved Catherine, but it’s either really hard for her to show it or she has no soul. Either way, she treats Catherine like crap most of the time, never failing to take an opportunity to tell her how unattractive she is, and she’d better not screw up in making her impressions of else her ass would get whopped. Yup, real mother daughter bonding right there. She won’t be winning any Mother of the Year awards. Heck, she can’t even get most people to like her anyhow. Even Peter doesn’t like her.
Pros:It’s aRoyal Diariesbook. There’s an automatic soft spot for these types of books in my reading life. I grew up with this series (as well as its companion sister series), so no matter what, I’ll always enjoy them. And this book was no exception. Well, maybe I’m just being generous because we both have the same name. Not that I’d admit it or anything….
Cons:After a while, the entries to the diary kind of got annoying. Not the writing style itself, but the headings. Yeah, yeah I know; it seems like such a silly thing. But for some reason, it bugged me. For instance, one would say “April 18th”, then the next one would say “Midnight”, then “Sometime Later”. WAY too much detail for one day, girl. Just make another entry titled another day.
Love Triangle?:Nope!
Instalove?:Nope!
A Little Romance?:
”Even though my fiancé is an unappealing man-child who still plays with dolls, his is my future. Without him, I return to Germany, disgraced and a pauper. Without him I have no chance of wearing the Russian crown.”
If you can’t tell from the above quote, Catherine doesn’t think her husband the Romeo to her Juliet, if you know what I mean. He’s ugly (to her), immature, stubborn and nowhere near ready to become the next leader of Russia. But the thought of the crown on her head is more appealing to her then finding the next great love of her life, so she takes a pass. If it’s any consolation to readers though, they do happen to make quite good friends over time.
Conclusion:This is the last installment ofThe Royal Diariesseries, so it was kind of bittersweet reading this. It was such a big part of my childhood, reading these books. I think I read just about every single one of them. I’ll always have a soft spot in my heart for these books, no matter how old and decrepit I get. You learn so much history, and this is the closest you’ll ever get to personally knowing these wonderful women who shaped history. While I thought this was one of the weaker books in the series (and certainly weak for what is supposed to be the final book of a long running series), I still enjoyed it nonetheless.
November 3, 2022
Not a favorite from this series but still quite good. I loved this series growing up but had never read this one. A good introduction to impressive leaders from world history, still highly recommend them as books for younger readers. Also I still enjoy them as an adult. Thank you dear America and Royal Diaries for introducing me to so much history that often gets overlooked in history classes.
This book is a decent introduction to the life of Catherine the Great. Be advised that we do get some descriptions of the verbal and physical abuse she received from her mother so maybe read this one with your kids so you can help them process some of the darker elements of the story.
This book is a decent introduction to the life of Catherine the Great. Be advised that we do get some descriptions of the verbal and physical abuse she received from her mother so maybe read this one with your kids so you can help them process some of the darker elements of the story.
June 25, 2012
When I was a kid, around ten or twelve years old, this was one of my absolute favourite book series. I adore books about princesses, real or fictional, and love learning about them. There's twenty books in this series, I own eight of them. I recently decided to re-read some of them, partly for nostalgic reasons, and partly because I'm kind of behind in my 100 books goal and would like to shamelessly bring that number up a bit, heh.
This book is about a little German princess who lived in Prussia, who was born as Sophia. Her mother is a relentless social climber, a princess herself, but such a minor one that no one really cares about them. She always dreams of being related to "real" royalty. When Empress Elisabeth of Russia sends out a request for portraits of young, eligible ladies to be sent to her so she may choose a bride for her heir, the Grand Duke Peter, Sophia and her mother are both shocked and excited that Elisabeth chooses Sophia. Thus Sophia makes the great journey from Prussia to Russia, through the snow and cold, to meet her future husband. When she meets the Empress, the Empress decides Sophia should be named Catherine instead, after her mother. Catherine would later go on to become Catherine the Great.
I thought the book was pretty good. It wasn't the most exciting or engaging one (I remember the Anastasia and Cleopatra books in this series being very addicting). I think the issue is that Catherine's life is much more interested after she marries and becomes Empress, than before. I know the series focuses on the princesses in their tween/teen years, but Catherine just doesn't have that much going during that part of her life, besides the betrothal. Still, I do think the book was written pretty good and despite not too much happening in her life. The book focuses more on Catherine's relationships with her mother, Empress Elisabeth and her betrothed, Peter, which I think is great for laying down the groundwork for those interested in reading more about Catherine, because Catherine does have some tense relationships with those people.
This portrayal of Catherine is very easy to like. I'm not sure how she is usually portrayed; this is my first historical fiction involving Catherine the Great. From what I know of her from history though, I imagine she would often be portrayed as very ambitious? This Catherine in this book does have hints of ambitiousness but the author, whether purposely or not, downplayed a lot of it, or made it sound more like a nice girl chasing a dream to be a good empress.
My only real complaint is the ending. It was very, very abrupt. I was surprised to turn the page and realize that the story was done.
If you don't mind reading juvenile books, I think this one is a pretty good one to try out, especially if you like historical fiction and/or have an interest in the Russian empress, Catherine the Great.
This book is about a little German princess who lived in Prussia, who was born as Sophia. Her mother is a relentless social climber, a princess herself, but such a minor one that no one really cares about them. She always dreams of being related to "real" royalty. When Empress Elisabeth of Russia sends out a request for portraits of young, eligible ladies to be sent to her so she may choose a bride for her heir, the Grand Duke Peter, Sophia and her mother are both shocked and excited that Elisabeth chooses Sophia. Thus Sophia makes the great journey from Prussia to Russia, through the snow and cold, to meet her future husband. When she meets the Empress, the Empress decides Sophia should be named Catherine instead, after her mother. Catherine would later go on to become Catherine the Great.
I thought the book was pretty good. It wasn't the most exciting or engaging one (I remember the Anastasia and Cleopatra books in this series being very addicting). I think the issue is that Catherine's life is much more interested after she marries and becomes Empress, than before. I know the series focuses on the princesses in their tween/teen years, but Catherine just doesn't have that much going during that part of her life, besides the betrothal. Still, I do think the book was written pretty good and despite not too much happening in her life. The book focuses more on Catherine's relationships with her mother, Empress Elisabeth and her betrothed, Peter, which I think is great for laying down the groundwork for those interested in reading more about Catherine, because Catherine does have some tense relationships with those people.
This portrayal of Catherine is very easy to like. I'm not sure how she is usually portrayed; this is my first historical fiction involving Catherine the Great. From what I know of her from history though, I imagine she would often be portrayed as very ambitious? This Catherine in this book does have hints of ambitiousness but the author, whether purposely or not, downplayed a lot of it, or made it sound more like a nice girl chasing a dream to be a good empress.
My only real complaint is the ending. It was very, very abrupt. I was surprised to turn the page and realize that the story was done.
If you don't mind reading juvenile books, I think this one is a pretty good one to try out, especially if you like historical fiction and/or have an interest in the Russian empress, Catherine the Great.
October 24, 2019
I've finished my nonsensical goal of reading all these books! Yay, me. Catherine is the last book of the series, ending it on a better note than many of the last installments. Bonus points for reading this right after the premiere of the HBO mini series about Catherine. The book is interesting but ends abruptly like most of the royal diaries. I would have liked to read more about what happened to Johanna, Catherine's mother, after she was sent back to Prussia, but otherwise I think the book is a good overview of Catherine's youth.
December 25, 2015
I am reasonably sure that I can attribute the start of my long love affair with historical fiction solely to readingThe Royal Diariesseries as a child. I still harbour a great fondness for the books, despite being a great deal older than the target audience now.Catherine: The Great Journeywas by no means my favourite of the series, but nevertheless a quick, enjoyable read. My only real gripe is that the ending wasfartoo abrupt, almost nonsensically so.
February 2, 2023
I read one or two of these books as a child, and as I've begun to think about what I want my own future children to read, I remembered this book series.
I had never read this one before, and I had honestly forgotten how historically accurate these stories are. Entertaining, true, and perfect for young readers, I thoroughly enjoyed this short novel and I can't wait to read more from this series.
I had never read this one before, and I had honestly forgotten how historically accurate these stories are. Entertaining, true, and perfect for young readers, I thoroughly enjoyed this short novel and I can't wait to read more from this series.
Read
July 28, 2022I really enjoyed this book! I could hardly put it down, I even read it while my pancakes were cooking! 😂
December 14, 2008
Dear Kristiana Gregory
This book was really well put together. To think that this is what really went on in young “Catherine’s” life. Her real name was Sophie and it was changed by Empress Elizabeth of Russia. This was an amazing diary because it talked about historical events as well as her feeling towards different important people in history. I couldn’t believe the way her mother treated her, always putting her down, telling her she would never be someone in life, and how she would never marry. Sophie was a princess as was her mother. But her mother’s title failed when the only person she could marry was a soldier at 15. One that was old enough to be a grandfather. So her mother was one who wanted fame and fortune and thought the way to get it was threw Sophie. So she was thrilled when Sophie was chosen to be the Grand Dukes fiancé. This meant they were both able to go to Russia and live like real royalty.
This book was really well put together. To think that this is what really went on in young “Catherine’s” life. Her real name was Sophie and it was changed by Empress Elizabeth of Russia. This was an amazing diary because it talked about historical events as well as her feeling towards different important people in history. I couldn’t believe the way her mother treated her, always putting her down, telling her she would never be someone in life, and how she would never marry. Sophie was a princess as was her mother. But her mother’s title failed when the only person she could marry was a soldier at 15. One that was old enough to be a grandfather. So her mother was one who wanted fame and fortune and thought the way to get it was threw Sophie. So she was thrilled when Sophie was chosen to be the Grand Dukes fiancé. This meant they were both able to go to Russia and live like real royalty.
April 3, 2017
The author does a great job of showing a girl who's caught between a rock and a hard place and is scared. I wish the historical information had been a bit more thorough in regards to her private life, such as her family and whether or not she ever saw them again. The author also mentions a few really interesting things (like the coup) and I wished she would have gone more into detail about them, although I realize it might not have been appropriate for the age group she was writing to. The only problem I had was with the way the author separated the diary entries. She broke up long sections by having the character write "Oh, the candle is going out" and then would start a new entry. It got annoying reading itsomany times.
December 18, 2015
Generally, after reading the Royal Diaries, my first thought is "jeez they had it rough." This one is no exception. These royal daughters were forced to grow up so quickly and had so much responsibility thrust upon them. She also had to make an alarming number of sacrifices in order to secure her throne. It is impressive that Catherine was able to overcome so much to be a strong leader.
October 20, 2022
Just read again, October 2022. Still one of my favorites in the series.
Because of reading books like this from a younger age, now I have a love and interest for heavier historical bits like the Catherine the Great biography by Robert Massie. Thanks, younger self. 🌻
I need more books about Catherine the Great.
Because of reading books like this from a younger age, now I have a love and interest for heavier historical bits like the Catherine the Great biography by Robert Massie. Thanks, younger self. 🌻
I need more books about Catherine the Great.
July 19, 2008
The slightly annoying thread that I notice running through these "Royal Diaries" books is that they stop just when the story is getting really interesting. It's a pity. I loved Catherine's voice in this, though.
September 22, 2019
I found this book very interesting and easy to read. I enjoyed learning about what was going on in Russia and Prussia during a time when the USA was working towards and earning its freedom. It’s so hard to imagine that for hundreds of years before the colonies were even established, Europe had grand rulers with disgusting amounts of valuables and palaces.
Catherine was an interesting individual. Very determined and set on being as great as she could be as a person and for her country, realizing that her path in life was to rule Russia, and she needed to do that the best she can. It’s amazing how many great things she did for the country! It’s awesome to learn about such important, but also good people in history, who cared about the wellbeing of their people. Cared about their health, education and quality of life.
Catherine was born in Prussia to a German princess and a war general. At 14 she was sent to Russia to become engaged to the Empress’s nephew, Peter. She was worried about how well they’d get along, but in the end they did become good friends. Unfortunately, Peter was sickly and after surviving some awful illnesses, their relationship became strained. Catherine also had to go on in life to rule without her family by her side for the rest of her life, which is very sad.
Catherine was an interesting individual. Very determined and set on being as great as she could be as a person and for her country, realizing that her path in life was to rule Russia, and she needed to do that the best she can. It’s amazing how many great things she did for the country! It’s awesome to learn about such important, but also good people in history, who cared about the wellbeing of their people. Cared about their health, education and quality of life.
Catherine was born in Prussia to a German princess and a war general. At 14 she was sent to Russia to become engaged to the Empress’s nephew, Peter. She was worried about how well they’d get along, but in the end they did become good friends. Unfortunately, Peter was sickly and after surviving some awful illnesses, their relationship became strained. Catherine also had to go on in life to rule without her family by her side for the rest of her life, which is very sad.
November 30, 2020
I've wanted to re-readCatherine: The Great Journeyfor some time, and I practically flew through it in a couple of hours! It's a really compelling rendition of the young Catherine and her less-than-pleasant time adjusting to life in the Russian court. The ambition and willingness to learn that made her such a popular ruler are clearly present in Kristiana Gregory's Catherine. I do wish that either in the story proper or the epilogue there had been more explanation of how Catherine and Peter's marriage soured so much, especially since they end up as friends in this book. I wanted to know more about this since her engagement to Peter was the biggest plot point.
What I did get from the epilogue and historical notes was still pretty fascinating. It makes me want to learn much more about Catherine the Great and the impact she left on the world. And I think an author has done a very good job if their story sparks curiosity in their readers!
What I did get from the epilogue and historical notes was still pretty fascinating. It makes me want to learn much more about Catherine the Great and the impact she left on the world. And I think an author has done a very good job if their story sparks curiosity in their readers!
September 18, 2020
Interesting to compare to the Hulu series The Great. Same sense of living in terror that the fickle Russian ruler might be displeased and send someone to Siberia, cut out their tongue, etc. Also Catherine is greatly interested in learning everything about Russia and its subjects. But there’s no sense that she is a strong, capable woman. In this book, she’s too concerned with what her mother thinks or what the empress thinks-she has no agency. Also, she had to wait 17 years to succeed to the throne with Peter, whom she met as a young girl and was engaged to at 15. The Great is definitely an excellent fiction but at least they got Catherine’s personality right!
October 9, 2022
I love these Royal Diaries! I discovered them recently and this is my second one to read. I am a big fan of historical fiction. And the historical notes at the end of each book have interesting information. I thoroughly enjoyed this rags to riches story of Catherine going from lowly princess Sophie without a future to Grand Duchess Catherine. As Empress, Catherine did many good works for Russia, including promoting a vaccine for smallpox and promoting education, museums, literature, the arts, and agriculture. She also granted freedom of worship.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 8, 2021
Love this series for middle grade historical fiction. They really focus on how different all the girls day to day lives were compared to modern kids. They touch on the realities of their times without being to gruesome or graphic for young readers
October 15, 2018
Such an amazing book It hooks you in on the first page!
May 25, 2023
I like this series.
Interesting story about the life of Catherine as a child.
Would recommend to kids.
Interesting story about the life of Catherine as a child.
Would recommend to kids.
February 23, 2011
Catherine, Great Journey / 0-439-25385-3
Here is another wonderful Royal Diary addition. Catherine the Great is of interest to me, having read Henri Troyat's superb rendition of her life and reign. This novel, fictionally 'written' by Catherine, follows Troyat's own work closely and is remarkably consistent with the facts of Catherine's early life, and with the tone of Catherine's personality and style.
This book would be highly approachable for children and adults of all ages. The historical accuracy is superb and provides a valuable insight into the early life of Catherine, while being rich and personal enough to compel more than a historical interest from the reader. The author, Gregory, touches on the most salient points of Catherine's journey into Russia to meet the Empress and to become betrothed to the crown prince. Catherine touches on the bitter cold and the hardships of travel, and describes her own serious illness which endeared her so strikingly to the Russian people - it was widely believed that her illness was caused by her ceaseless studies to learn the language and customs of her chosen people.
While I usually list the potential concerns a parent may have with the Royal Diary in question, there is not too much here to be concerned about - no wars, violence, or wounded in these pages. The crown prince's cruelty and madness which surfaced later in life is suppressed here, probably for the best. Catherine's mother, however, is remarkably cruel and harsh to her daughter, which might disturb very young readers. Also, the Empress' odd custom of enforcing cross-dressing balls (where the men dress in ladies' clothes and the women dress in mens' clothes) is noted briefly here - historically accurate, but potentially confusing for a very young reader. The incident is dealt with quickly and carefully, however, and should not be a deterrent to an older reader.
~ Ana Mardoll
Here is another wonderful Royal Diary addition. Catherine the Great is of interest to me, having read Henri Troyat's superb rendition of her life and reign. This novel, fictionally 'written' by Catherine, follows Troyat's own work closely and is remarkably consistent with the facts of Catherine's early life, and with the tone of Catherine's personality and style.
This book would be highly approachable for children and adults of all ages. The historical accuracy is superb and provides a valuable insight into the early life of Catherine, while being rich and personal enough to compel more than a historical interest from the reader. The author, Gregory, touches on the most salient points of Catherine's journey into Russia to meet the Empress and to become betrothed to the crown prince. Catherine touches on the bitter cold and the hardships of travel, and describes her own serious illness which endeared her so strikingly to the Russian people - it was widely believed that her illness was caused by her ceaseless studies to learn the language and customs of her chosen people.
While I usually list the potential concerns a parent may have with the Royal Diary in question, there is not too much here to be concerned about - no wars, violence, or wounded in these pages. The crown prince's cruelty and madness which surfaced later in life is suppressed here, probably for the best. Catherine's mother, however, is remarkably cruel and harsh to her daughter, which might disturb very young readers. Also, the Empress' odd custom of enforcing cross-dressing balls (where the men dress in ladies' clothes and the women dress in mens' clothes) is noted briefly here - historically accurate, but potentially confusing for a very young reader. The incident is dealt with quickly and carefully, however, and should not be a deterrent to an older reader.
~ Ana Mardoll
July 19, 2016
Well, here it is. The very last Royal Diary. And it's a big subject: Catherine the Great. How do you approach one of the most famous royal women in history? You show just how much one girl can grow from a terrorized nobody to empress of one of the largest European empires.
I had no idea Catherine (or Sophie, her name before moving to Russia) had suffered from so much abuse at the hands of her power-hungry mother. This is really the only Royal Diary I can think of that had the protagonist being openly abused (both emotionally and physically). It's pretty disturbing, especially for a middle grade book like this.
I really enjoyed the look at all the excess and intrigue and scandal of the Russian court. Empress Elizabeth was so fascinating and frightening at the same time, especially through the eyes of Catherine. It's not hard to imagine why she put up with her immature, ugly cousin when his aunt, who's fond of ripping out peoples' tongues and sending them to Siberia, wishes for them to marry.
Like so many other diaries, I felt this one ended too soon. I don't see why it couldn't have covered their marriage and possibly the first few weeks right after. Instead, it's literally the only things covered in the epilogue. Catherine and Peter's eventual split could have been foreshadowed more in diary entries. I also felt like we didn't really get a good enough look at how this timid, abused girl grew up into a formidable empress. Catherine didn't really assert herself enough or show much ambition at getting more power. And as a smaller complaint, the historical context/ "Life in Russia" section was neither of those things. It was really more of the epilogue, giving details about Catherine's later life and writings and random trivia facts about world events that happened during her reign. In any case, this was a pretty good book for the series to go out on.
Last line:
I had no idea Catherine (or Sophie, her name before moving to Russia) had suffered from so much abuse at the hands of her power-hungry mother. This is really the only Royal Diary I can think of that had the protagonist being openly abused (both emotionally and physically). It's pretty disturbing, especially for a middle grade book like this.
I really enjoyed the look at all the excess and intrigue and scandal of the Russian court. Empress Elizabeth was so fascinating and frightening at the same time, especially through the eyes of Catherine. It's not hard to imagine why she put up with her immature, ugly cousin when his aunt, who's fond of ripping out peoples' tongues and sending them to Siberia, wishes for them to marry.
Like so many other diaries, I felt this one ended too soon. I don't see why it couldn't have covered their marriage and possibly the first few weeks right after. Instead, it's literally the only things covered in the epilogue. Catherine and Peter's eventual split could have been foreshadowed more in diary entries. I also felt like we didn't really get a good enough look at how this timid, abused girl grew up into a formidable empress. Catherine didn't really assert herself enough or show much ambition at getting more power. And as a smaller complaint, the historical context/ "Life in Russia" section was neither of those things. It was really more of the epilogue, giving details about Catherine's later life and writings and random trivia facts about world events that happened during her reign. In any case, this was a pretty good book for the series to go out on.
Last line:
April 26, 2009
"Now I am in the window seat of a Russian palace, bethrothed to my cousin. Mother has made an enemy of just about everyone, and Papa is forbidden to visit me. I have a new name, a new religion, a new title. Gifts of diamonds and jewels are at my fingertips, and I may become the empress of all Russia."
Fourteen-year-old Prussian princess Sophia Augusta Fredericka of Anhalt-Zerbst finds herself entangled in her mother's efforts to arrange a marriage between Sophia and Charles-Peter, a young German duke and nephew of the Russian empress Elizabeth. As Sophia's mother moves to make the match, she and Sophia must travel from their humble home in Zerbst, Prussia, to Russia -- the kingdom of Empress Elizabeth.
There, Sophia is renamed Catherine and married to Charles-Peter, but she watches helplessly as her family is torn from her, her own mother is involved in a spying ring against the empress, and all that is familiar to her disappears.
In this beautiful finale to"The Royal Diary Series",Greggory portrays Princess Catherine of Russia in her teenage years. Gregory's strong characterizations bring the historically grounded figures to life. Events convey the difficulties of Russian life during 1743-1745. At first slow moving, the plot picks up speed when Sophie meets the empress. The diary concludes with her impending wedding. Supplementary materials include a family tree, black-and-white reprints of painted portraits of Catherine and family, a map of Prussia and Russia from 1744, and the author's commentary on her use of primary sources.
Book Details:
TitleCatherine: The Great Journey, Russia, 1743 (The Royal Diaries)
AuthorKristiana Gregory
Reviewed ByPurplycookie
Fourteen-year-old Prussian princess Sophia Augusta Fredericka of Anhalt-Zerbst finds herself entangled in her mother's efforts to arrange a marriage between Sophia and Charles-Peter, a young German duke and nephew of the Russian empress Elizabeth. As Sophia's mother moves to make the match, she and Sophia must travel from their humble home in Zerbst, Prussia, to Russia -- the kingdom of Empress Elizabeth.
There, Sophia is renamed Catherine and married to Charles-Peter, but she watches helplessly as her family is torn from her, her own mother is involved in a spying ring against the empress, and all that is familiar to her disappears.
In this beautiful finale to"The Royal Diary Series",Greggory portrays Princess Catherine of Russia in her teenage years. Gregory's strong characterizations bring the historically grounded figures to life. Events convey the difficulties of Russian life during 1743-1745. At first slow moving, the plot picks up speed when Sophie meets the empress. The diary concludes with her impending wedding. Supplementary materials include a family tree, black-and-white reprints of painted portraits of Catherine and family, a map of Prussia and Russia from 1744, and the author's commentary on her use of primary sources.
Book Details:
TitleCatherine: The Great Journey, Russia, 1743 (The Royal Diaries)
AuthorKristiana Gregory
Reviewed ByPurplycookie
March 1, 2011
The Royal Diaries series is something I stumbled upon a few days ago. I'm very tired and energy compromised and thus not able to read anything in depth right now.
This book caught my eye when I visited the library yesterday. With he intended audience of younger readers, these books are a wonderful way to learn history without pedantic, boring lists of dates and times.
Catherine was a Princess of Anhalt-Zerbst Prussia. Her father was a Prussian general who was not of nobility. Her incredibly cruel, vicious, cold and abusive mother had royal blood.
At the age of 12, Catherine was betrothed to Peter III, the nephew of Empress Elizabeth, the Monarch of Russia.
Traveling 40 days from Prussia to Russia in the bitter cold, Catherine and her mother found the court filled with political intrigue wherein Elizabeth reigned through fear.
A mismatch from the beginning, marrying scrawny, ugly, immature, whiny Peter was challenging. He spent his days playing with toy soldiers and his well dressed rat whom he deemed in charge of the brigade.
When Empress Elizabeth died, Peter inherited the throne. Barely six months after the title of Tsar was bestowed upon him, because of his eccentricities and lack of political savvy, he quickly grew out of favor.
Catherine took the lead and when a conspiracy overthrew her husband, she then ruled effectively for 34 years.
This book does not chronicle the reign of Catherine the Great, rather, like all the royal diary series, it focuses on the early years of life and how they shaped the individual.
For more information regarding Catherine, I recommend a book I read a long time ago Great Catherine: The Life of Catherine The Great, Empress of Russia by Carrolly Erickson.
This book caught my eye when I visited the library yesterday. With he intended audience of younger readers, these books are a wonderful way to learn history without pedantic, boring lists of dates and times.
Catherine was a Princess of Anhalt-Zerbst Prussia. Her father was a Prussian general who was not of nobility. Her incredibly cruel, vicious, cold and abusive mother had royal blood.
At the age of 12, Catherine was betrothed to Peter III, the nephew of Empress Elizabeth, the Monarch of Russia.
Traveling 40 days from Prussia to Russia in the bitter cold, Catherine and her mother found the court filled with political intrigue wherein Elizabeth reigned through fear.
A mismatch from the beginning, marrying scrawny, ugly, immature, whiny Peter was challenging. He spent his days playing with toy soldiers and his well dressed rat whom he deemed in charge of the brigade.
When Empress Elizabeth died, Peter inherited the throne. Barely six months after the title of Tsar was bestowed upon him, because of his eccentricities and lack of political savvy, he quickly grew out of favor.
Catherine took the lead and when a conspiracy overthrew her husband, she then ruled effectively for 34 years.
This book does not chronicle the reign of Catherine the Great, rather, like all the royal diary series, it focuses on the early years of life and how they shaped the individual.
For more information regarding Catherine, I recommend a book I read a long time ago Great Catherine: The Life of Catherine The Great, Empress of Russia by Carrolly Erickson.
February 27, 2017
loved her and her candle
February 14, 2014
I know very little about Russian history, so Catherine: The Great Journey was eye-opening to say the least! Did you know Catherine the Great’s real name was Sophie and that she was named Catherine when she was in Russia because of the bad connotations her name had there? I sure didn’t. That’s why it wasn’t only Catherine’s amazing character in this novel that appealed to me, but it was also the history added in.
So far Catherine is my favourite character in the entire Royal Diaries series. Considering that by now I’ve read over half of the books in the series, that’s saying something. In the young Catherine we see the effects of her abusive mother on her worldview, but also her innate thirst for knowledge that would carry on into her later life. This is one princess who makes a point to learn the language of her country and be a good wife if only because of her ambitions to become czarina. An ambitious princess? Shocking, especially in this series aimed at young girls (8-13). But is it satisfying and does it make sense within the context of the story? Absolutely!
The rich descriptions of Russian life are insightful and interesting without Kristiana Gregory ever having to default to Professor Mode and start lecturing. This is the kind of book you is enjoyable to read as an adult, despite being aimed at a much younger audience. Not only do we get to learn about Catherine’s private struggles, but she is actually concerned and knowledgeable about the world around her, including her future country. Amazing, isn’t it?
I give this book 5/5 stars.
So far Catherine is my favourite character in the entire Royal Diaries series. Considering that by now I’ve read over half of the books in the series, that’s saying something. In the young Catherine we see the effects of her abusive mother on her worldview, but also her innate thirst for knowledge that would carry on into her later life. This is one princess who makes a point to learn the language of her country and be a good wife if only because of her ambitions to become czarina. An ambitious princess? Shocking, especially in this series aimed at young girls (8-13). But is it satisfying and does it make sense within the context of the story? Absolutely!
The rich descriptions of Russian life are insightful and interesting without Kristiana Gregory ever having to default to Professor Mode and start lecturing. This is the kind of book you is enjoyable to read as an adult, despite being aimed at a much younger audience. Not only do we get to learn about Catherine’s private struggles, but she is actually concerned and knowledgeable about the world around her, including her future country. Amazing, isn’t it?
I give this book 5/5 stars.
June 26, 2010
I had read/learned about Catherine the Great in the past, but this story blew me away. I loved the way Kristiana Gregory brought her character to life! Catherine the Great definately had her faults, but she turned a backwards country on its head and revolutionized the Northern world for years to come. She was a truly great figure of history, and one I hope to read much more of.
This is the beautifully told story of Catherine II, Empress of Russia. Or at least, that is who she will be. For now she is Sophie, the daughter of a poor German princess and a German general. After meeting Empress Elisabeth (of Russia's) requirements, Sophie is whisked off to Russia to see if she can stand the heat of the Russian court. She must learn to trust no one, disregard her religious beliefs, learn Russian, and to rely on no one but herself.
This is the story of one truly ambitious girl. On meeting her future husband she finds a man-child who would much rather play with his pet rat and toy soldiers than concern himself with the state of the empire he's to rule. She finds him particularly repulsive after a bought of smallpox leaves him hideously disfigured. With a soul of steel, she is determined to become Czarina and rule the empire the way it needs to be done. This is the story of a remarkable young woman who didn't expect marriage to be a bed of roses, expected no prince charming, and could walk through the fire that was the Russian court.
This is the beautifully told story of Catherine II, Empress of Russia. Or at least, that is who she will be. For now she is Sophie, the daughter of a poor German princess and a German general. After meeting Empress Elisabeth (of Russia's) requirements, Sophie is whisked off to Russia to see if she can stand the heat of the Russian court. She must learn to trust no one, disregard her religious beliefs, learn Russian, and to rely on no one but herself.
This is the story of one truly ambitious girl. On meeting her future husband she finds a man-child who would much rather play with his pet rat and toy soldiers than concern himself with the state of the empire he's to rule. She finds him particularly repulsive after a bought of smallpox leaves him hideously disfigured. With a soul of steel, she is determined to become Czarina and rule the empire the way it needs to be done. This is the story of a remarkable young woman who didn't expect marriage to be a bed of roses, expected no prince charming, and could walk through the fire that was the Russian court.
May 25, 2015
So this is going to be less of an individual review, and more of a whole series wide review of The Royal Diaries, which I know is weird, but it's easier then finding every book and basically leaving the same review.
Around 4th grade, I discovered mythology, specifically Greek & Egyptian. I was enthralled by the myths, and the history that surrounded them, and quickly found The Royal Diaries, Cleopatra edition, and I was hooked, beginning to spiral into the world of royalty and history, which I'm fully embedded in today.
Catherine: The Great Journey was my first foray into Russian history. It was my introduction into the life of Russian Royalty, and I fell for it hard. The abrupt ended pushed me to find out more, and I spent endless hours reading more about this formidable woman's life, and how her impact shaped a nation. She quickly became one of my favorite rulers, and she still is today (along with Cleopatra and several others, some who I also came to love through other books in this series).
I owe a lot to I am today to this book series, and its my goal as an adult to buy all of these books (I own Catherine, Cleopatra and Jahanara's stories), so one day when I finally decide to have kids (god knows when that will be) they can also discover the stories I love so much.
Around 4th grade, I discovered mythology, specifically Greek & Egyptian. I was enthralled by the myths, and the history that surrounded them, and quickly found The Royal Diaries, Cleopatra edition, and I was hooked, beginning to spiral into the world of royalty and history, which I'm fully embedded in today.
Catherine: The Great Journey was my first foray into Russian history. It was my introduction into the life of Russian Royalty, and I fell for it hard. The abrupt ended pushed me to find out more, and I spent endless hours reading more about this formidable woman's life, and how her impact shaped a nation. She quickly became one of my favorite rulers, and she still is today (along with Cleopatra and several others, some who I also came to love through other books in this series).
I owe a lot to I am today to this book series, and its my goal as an adult to buy all of these books (I own Catherine, Cleopatra and Jahanara's stories), so one day when I finally decide to have kids (god knows when that will be) they can also discover the stories I love so much.
November 6, 2015
Again with the Russian history, I think the story itself is intriguing. This book made Catherine II look like a gentle and wise ruler, and I appreciated all the additional information in the back of the book that helped to clarify fact from fiction, but I am now interested in finding out more about her. One of the best things about this type of book (also the Dear Mr. President, American Girl series and the like) is that it sparks an interest. I wouldn't be who I am today, studying what I am and working where I am if it weren't for the American Girl series, and I think this has the potential to be as powerful, to be that spark that ignites the interest in a budding historian or storyteller. History teachers could do worse than use these loose interpretations of the facts to get their students interested in the topic.
Readers who like diaries, royalty or history might enjoy this. Because of its serial nature, once you read one, others might also interest you (although this is not a series about one character, but rather fictional royal diaries throughout history).
Nothing obviously objectionable.
Readers who like diaries, royalty or history might enjoy this. Because of its serial nature, once you read one, others might also interest you (although this is not a series about one character, but rather fictional royal diaries throughout history).
Nothing obviously objectionable.
April 6, 2009
It is 1743, and fourteen-year-old Sophie is a princess of Anhalt-Zerbst in Prussia. Sophie's father is not royalty, and her cruel mother, Princess Johanna Elizabeth, is obsessed with improving her own status through her daughter's marriage. To that end, she is determined to do everything possible in order to get Sophie chosen by Empress Elizabeth of Russia to marry her nephew Peter, heir to the throne. Soon, Sophie and her mother must travel to Russia in order to meet Empress Elizabeth. Sophie is indeed chosen to be Peter's wife, but her life changes completely as a result. She must adopt a new language, religion, and even a new name, Catherine.
I've enjoyed reading The Royal Diaries books for many years, and I was sad to see this would be the final book in the series. However, I was glad to see it would be written by one of my favorite authors from the series, Kristiana Gregory. I enjoyed this book a lot, but I do wish it had been longer and had more detail. I would still recommend this book to all fans of the series.
I've enjoyed reading The Royal Diaries books for many years, and I was sad to see this would be the final book in the series. However, I was glad to see it would be written by one of my favorite authors from the series, Kristiana Gregory. I enjoyed this book a lot, but I do wish it had been longer and had more detail. I would still recommend this book to all fans of the series.
Read
June 12, 2009I decided to read Catherine: The Great Journey, Russia, 1743 as an IR book. Thsi girl named Sophia she is 14 and she is an Prussian princess. She gets mixed up in her mothers arrangement to marry a young german duke named Charles-Peter who is also the nephew of Russian Empress Elizabeth. She has to move to Russia the Kingdom of Elizabeth and is renamed Catherine. Also she is married to Charles-Peter. She realizes that she is getting seperated from her family. Her mother is in spying ring against the Empress. Sooner or later things disapear.
One connection i have is a text-to-self connection. First this girl named Sophia/Catherine is from Russia which i am also from. It was cool to hear a book about where i am from. Like it talked about the history. Also my sister studies people like Eliazbeth.
I'd give this book *****stars. I gave it 5 stars because i loved the history in it. I also like books that have drama and involves history and especially in a country i am from. The dtails are also cool. So i recommend this book who like history and the series.
One connection i have is a text-to-self connection. First this girl named Sophia/Catherine is from Russia which i am also from. It was cool to hear a book about where i am from. Like it talked about the history. Also my sister studies people like Eliazbeth.
I'd give this book *****stars. I gave it 5 stars because i loved the history in it. I also like books that have drama and involves history and especially in a country i am from. The dtails are also cool. So i recommend this book who like history and the series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 157 reviews