In episode 122 of the Versus History Podcast, we are joined by historical novelist Ellen Alpsten, who is the author of Tsarina and The Tsarina’s Daughter. Ellen's first book 'Tsarina' is the story of Peter the Great’s wife, who started out as a serf named Marta and ended up a Tsarina named Catherine – and ruler of Russia. It was out in hardback in 2020, and paperback in the summer of 2021 and is the ultimate Cinderella story – a powerful woman fighting against the odds.

Ellen's second book, The Tsarina’s Daughter ispublished in hardback in July 2021. It is the story of Elizabeth, Russian Empress, who though born as a princess, free to pursue her passions, ends up having everything snatched away from her when her mother dies. She becomes penniless and powerless – living her mother’s story in reverse, from riches to rags. But what those who took everything from her don’t know is that she will fight to get it back – though isolated and impoverished, a woman in a man’s Russia, Elizabeth doesn’t give up, and so this is a story of fighting against the odds. 

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