Reading as a Writer: “Rasputin’s Daughter”

In Rasputin’s Daughter, Robert Alexander tells the story of the infamous Grigori Rasputin’s famous murder from Maria Rasputin’s point of view and it’s not exactly the story that you may be familiar with.  Alexander makes a plausible case for a disinformation campaign surrounding the murder in order to preserve the Russian monarchy.  With a deft hand, he writes Maria’s voice — the loves, heartaches, curiosity, contradictions, and fears of an 18-year-old on the cusp of adulthood — creating a compelling character that is an engaging guide through this tragic story.

I’ve known Robert Alexander for many years, and I know that he has close ties with Saint Petersburg, Russia.  He speaks Russian.  I’d expect that his research involved digging through historical archives in Russia. He confidently weaves his research and  history into the story, grounding it in fact. His choice of Maria as his point of view character grounds the story in a heart that has much to lose if the rumors swirling around Saint Petersburg in December 1916 are true.  I doubt he could have achieved the sense of urgency or of actually being there with an aristocratic point of view, the Empress Alexandra for example or one of the princes.  We do hear an aristocratic voice in occasional italicized sections, but it’s not clear who it is until almost the end.  Another mystery and point of suspense.  Was Maria actually present when Rasputin was killed?

Robert Alexander

Alexander uses the investigations of the Thirteenth Section, a group charged with investigating Rasputin and all those around him, and poet Alexander Blok’s involvement with them to set up and frame the action.  Blok interviews Maria, questioning her about the truth of Rasputin’s death.  She takes him, pulling in the reader with him, on a journey through her life during the week before her father’s death.  The interview device is not that common in historical novels, in my experience, and Alexander uses it here for a specific effect.  What is the truth about her father’s death?  Will the truth ever see the light of day?  Maria and her questions stand in for the reader.  In Russia, if a rumor circulates long enough, people start to believe that it’s truth and therefore, real information is prized.  Maria’s quest in this story is for real information, the truth behind the rumors.  Alexander does an excellent job of showing the reader Maria’s life and how it changes as she searches for the real information.  He also provides an extremely satisfying ending by returning us to Blok and Maria talking about why she had returned to the city at that time in April 1917.

Rasputin could easily have been a caricature, but through Alexander’s careful descriptions through the eyes of his daughter, Rasputin becomes an earthy human.  He struggles with his own contradictions while he strives to do good in the eyes of God.  His peasant worldview and behavior stand in stark contrast to the Imperial family during the scenes when he’s treating the young Tsarevich.  He does not see the dangers that Maria sees which slowly ratchets up the suspense.  I knew what happened to Rasputin, of course, but I still could not stop reading.  By giving us such well-drawn and human characters, Alexander has given his story depth and richness, and made it  irresistible.  My one gripe is a relatively small one: the repetition of the adjectives greasy, dirty, filthy when describing Rasputin’s hands, hair and beard.  Coming from Maria, it’s surprising.  I almost wished that she’d make more comments about trying to get her father to bathe more or something.

His descriptions of the city in winter as Maria travels with her father or on her own made me want to visit the city again and follow her path.  I loved learning about troikas, horse cabs, and the cars of the time, as well as the network of alleys and courtyards among the buildings.  Alexander does a good job of showing us Maria’s physical surroundings, and the contrast between their living circumstances and the aristocracy’s.  By peppering dialogue with Russian, we hear the culture of the time.

I thoroughly enjoyed Rasputin’s Daughter, especially the insights into the disinformation campaign and the Russian heart, and highly recommend it.

A Book Reading/Q&A/Signing

Last month, I went to a poetry reading, something I hadn’t done in years.  This month, it’s an author reading/Q&A/book signing for a novel.  The author is Robert Alexander, the novel, an historical one entitled The Romanov Bride.  Robert Alexander is the pen name (for historical novels) of R. D. Zimmerman, who’s written 13 or 14 mystery novels under that name, and half a dozen children’s books under the name Robert Masters.  I’ve known RD for a long time — it makes me feel old when I think of how long.  I typed his first mystery book manuscript before he sent it off to his first agent.  So it was a genuine pleasure to attend the reading last Thursday evening at a Barnes & Noble store.

Book reading/signings are an important part of marketing a book.  The tours, however, can be grueling — the “if it’s Tuesday this must be Vienna, Virginia” variety.  People are curious about an author, and if it’s a group of avid fans and loyal readers, they’ll want to meet the author and have him/her sign their copy of the book.  I sat in an audience the other night of interested readers and fans, with one couple to my right who were simply curious about what an author reading is.  They left about halfway through.  I don’t think the subject matter interested them.

Barnes & Noble did a good job for RD.  They had set up a display table with books directly in front of the main entrance.  The sign on the table reminded customers of the reading.  The event area in this particular store is open, clean, very well lit, and the sound system worked.  They had set up another larger table to the right of the lectern for a display of all three of RD’s historical novels — stacks of novels.  A table and chair stood to the lectern’s left for the signing afterward.   I watched people trickle in — the majority female (unsurprising), middle-aged, a handful of younger women, a handful of middle-aged men.  I spotted book group materials on chairs, and the young woman to my left held an open notebook and poised pen.  The background for this event area was also pleasant: fine art books, an array of coffee table books directly behind the lectern. 

RD arrived at the appointed time for the reading to begin.  While he readied himself, the B&N employee in charge of events called us to order and outlined the evening.  He gave RD a short introduction and then RD was talking about how he became interested in Russia, creative writing, and how the two influenced his life, finally coming together in his first mystery book.  He told stories of his experiences living and working in Russia in the late 1970’s when the KGB took a great interest in foreigners.  My favorite story to this day is when he missed the bus to his job on the touring USIA exhibit in Kazahkstan.  No taxis, no alternative transport to get to the exhibit.  So, he returned to his room, looked up at the chandelier hanging from the ceiling and asked, “Could I have a car and driver, please?”  Clearly the KGB had bugged the chandelier.  When he returned to the main entrance, a car and driver waited for him. 

As I listened to RD describe what sparked his first historical, The Kitchen Boy, and his extensive research for it, I could hear excitement in his voice.  He loved turn of the 20th century Russia, the Bolshevik Revolution, Rasputin, the Romanovs.  I realized that it is true, anyone can write.  However, not everyone is a Writer.  RD is a great example of what makes a Writer: a lifelong obsession (Russia) with the desire to share it with others plus a passion for storytelling.  Then it takes time to hone the craft of writing: being able to utilize all the elements of narrative to tell the story well, and of course, memorably.  Not everyone can combine the two successfully. 

RD never got around to actually reading from The Romanov Bride after he’d shared some photos of her and outlined her story from his research.  I don’t think anyone minded.  RD handed out bookmarks he’d had designed in Russia, then sat down at the table to sign our books.  The B&N guy stood next to the table, asking each person if he or she wanted his book personalized.  I thought immediately, “crowd control.”  An effective way to insure an orderly line and not overwhelm the writer at the table. 

It was great to see RD and hear about his Russian experiences and novels (click on his name in the first paragraph to check out his website).  It was great to spend the evening with a Writer….