The author has reached the breadth and depth of the ocean in her research for this book and nothing has been spared to make it the ultimate gold mine for researchers and historians and admirers of the Russian dynasties and British Empire, when Queen Victoria and her English, Russian and German Children and Grandchildren held court all over Europe. I found the book absolutely amazing from beginning to end. There are many clear and sometimes frightening and passionately frustrating indications and insights of a very large family at war with itself, and trying to outdo each other in riches and power and self righteous acts – and even though there are lots of sweet family anecdotes especially in the beginning this is not enough to stop the torturous and very sad tragedy of the story unfolding. These internal family conflicts caused some of the royal heads and princes and princesses of the European countries to neglect, misinterpreted the needs and feelings of their people who were living under high poverty, some of these countries people’s also living under much division and fear of dictatorship rule and communism. These dynasties had wealth and underestimated the everyday wise man and peasant’s sensible understanding of this wealth, inner conflict and sometimes aggressive power. My painful conclusion is that Ella did not belong in the Russian Court or with such wealth just as Moses realised that he was an Israelite at heart not of the court of Egypt. But the greatest tragedy which will make you cry with sorrow is that Ella came to really set herself aside for the Russian Orthodox faith far too late and so it was far too late to show the deep care that she had always had in her heart for people, and many, many still harboured anger for Serge’s influence on her. Ella could have done so much more good and ‘been an everyday earthly saint’ for much longer if she had listened to her Christian grandmother’s warnings not to marry Serge, her grandmother being none other than Queen Victoria. What stunning and awesome thoughts will go through your mind and heart as you realise the reality of this. At the end you will cry and feel terribly sad but reading the book is a moral and necessary must.