THE WINTER PALACE A Novel of Catherine the Great

The Russian court during Empress Elizabeth's reign was a place of intrigue, with courtiers vying for power and riches and spies reporting even the smallest misstep to their sovereign. This well-researched historical novel depicts the rise of Catherine the Great from guest of the empress to her seizure of the Russian throne. Her story is told through the eyes of Varvara, a Polish servant who is sometimes reluctant, sometimes manipulative in her role as informer. Narrator Beata Pozniak is a master of the many accents heard in the palace, especially Russian and German, besides her own native Polish. While Pozniak's narration suffers from odd pauses and unexpected emphases, these weaknesses are mitigated by her overall expressiveness and the authenticity she gives to Varvara's voice. C.B.L. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2012]