If her time at court has taught Catherine anything, it’s that there is no room for weakness in Imperial Russia. With the Empress’ health failing and rumors of a change in the line of succession, her place in the royal line is once more in jeopardy. Tormented by her sadistic husband and his venomous mistress, Catherine must once more walk the fine line between pleasure and politics—between scandal and survival.
When her young son becomes the target of those rebelling against Peter’s reign, Catherine will have to rise up to protect herself, her child, and her nation from his unstable and potentially catastrophic rule. This means putting herself at odds with the most dangerous man she’s ever known, trusting those who once proved to be her enemies, and turning a nation against its sovereign. In the ultimate battle for the crown, new alliances will be forged, loyalties will be tested, and blood will be shed.
Don’t miss this breathtaking conclusion to the Stolen Empire series!
Queen of Tomorrow is a YA historical fiction based on the life of young Catherine the Great. Fans of the hit TV show REIGN will devour this scandalous glimpse into the life of one of the most dynamic women in history.
Sara's Review
With Queen of Someday, Sherry Ficklin began a trilogy of books about a very young Catherine the Great and her rise to becoming the Empress of Russia. Born with the name Sophie, she soon found herself embroiled in the political machinations and scheming of court life, dealing with Empress Elizabeth and Peter. With each book, I was drawn further in to the tale, and I think I even remarked on the fact I thought the character development was great in my review for Queen of Tomorrow. This book continues that trend, and with this book, it comes to its full maturity, as does Catherine.
In Queen of Always, Catherine knows exactly what she wants, what her goals are, and what must be done to get there. Something she doesn't shy away from at all, and I don't recall her ever questioning herself, so she has a tremendous amount of mental fortitude and courage. She sees the path that Russia is on with Peter as the emperor, and knows something must be done. Building up a network of supporters, she finally takes the steps needed, not only for herself but for Russia as well.
Of course, she still has romantic ties to both Sergei and Alexander, and she's faced with some difficult decisions when it comes to them. Then there's Peter. From the very first book it seemed like he was on a downward spiral, and that is fully on display in this book, along with his mistress Elizavetta. I think that's all I really need to say about that aspect. Overall though, I had a smile on my face when I came to the conclusion of this series.
This book was relatively short, so it was a fast read, but one I enjoyed tremendously. Queen of Always is on my list of favorite books read in 2015. In addition, I'd rank the Stolen Empire series as being among my favorite trilogies. My rating is 5/5 platypires.