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The Tzar’s Curious Runaways

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The Tzar’s Curious Runaways

By: Robin Scott-Elliot
Narrated by: Sasha Alexis
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About this listen

A magical, captivating tale of adventure set in imperial Russia.

St Petersburg, Russia, 1725.

Katinka Dashkova is running for her life because everything she knows is changing. Katinka, a dazzling ballerina with a hunched back, and her friends, Alexei the Giant and Nikolai the dwarf, are different. That's why they are part of Peter the Great's Circus of Curiosities. But the Tzar is dead, and they must flee the Winter Palace. Guided by a special map, they set out across Russia running for their lives.

An enthralling and delicious blend of history and fiction.

©2019 Robin Scott-Elliot (P)2021 Audible, Ltd Action & Adventure Historical Historical Fiction Literature & Fiction Science Fiction & Fantasy
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Wonderful story - here there is history, a foreign land and strange new culture - such a blessing in lockdown to travel on the wings of our ears and equality, equity and accessibility. They say the past is another land and should not be judged by the morals of today, yet here it is laid bare through the hearts, feelings and imagined experience of children born a little different and snatched out of a normal existence to become objects of derision at the court of tzar Peter the Great. There is violence and incredible cruelty, but for all ages over 10 in our family loved it. A wonder tale for those born blessed with difference and how wonderful to have a tale set in the past giving these heroes their chance. A great uplifting journey - the kind you are terribly sad when it reaches its end.

The Narrator had a very strong intonation which at times made it difficult to listen. At other times when she over did certain characters, none of us could make out a word & we are native speakers. It is a good thing that we have done away with a role to in English and stretch ourselves to understand everyone. However narration for many hours should not be too much of a chore.
So, on balance the reader could have been more intelligible whatever her country of origin.

Wonderful story for all ages; the whole family loved it. Narrator could have been better.

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A heart felt, exciting adventure. Fast paced and fraught with danger for our 3 plucky heroes, and their quest to find home and acceptance. An interesting take on the horrible history of Peter the Great’s Russia, and the treatment of disabled people.

Exciting and fast paced adventure

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It may be just me but as a disabled person this book feels too much like it is placing the reader in a position of being entertained by the awful suffering and discrimination and cruelty meted out to the main characters. I am sure it is not how it is intended but it is how it feels to me and I can’t force myself to continue as it causes me more discomfort and anxiety and brings up real experiences that upset me and distresses me too much to read on. I felt I should share my thoughts just in case anyone else has a similar mindset to mine. This book could be a problem and cause distress if you have had experiences of ‘othering’ or disability discrimination. You will know if that applies to you. I was misled by the reviews calling it heartwarming. I found it chilling more than anything.

Too distressing a read for me.

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