Available as a Kindle edition and in other eBook formats under the title Tsarina . La Zarina by Ellen Alpsten - Goodreads

Alpsten draws heavily on documentary evidence to recreate the 18th-century Russian court, from the decadent aristocracy to the brutal torture chambers.

Through wit, courage, and ambition, Marta rises through the ranks of Peter’s court—navigating dangerous machinations and political peril—to eventually become Catherine I , the first woman to rule the Russian Empire as Empress. Themes and Style

(published as Tsarina in English) is the debut historical fiction novel by Ellen Alpsten , charting the incredible "rags-to-riches" life of Catherine I of Russia . Originally published in 2002, the novel received a significant Spanish-language release through Grijalbo in 2021. Plot Summary

Reviewers on Goodreads describe it as a mix of Memoirs of a Geisha and Game of Thrones , highlighting its "ice and snow" epic feel and fast-paced, "vertiginous" rhythm.

Sold into household labor at age 15, Marta is forced to go on the run after committing a crime in self-defense.