The Russian Revolution is approached from the point of view of Rasputin's older daughter Marila, called Masha, in this fictional account of the last days of the Romanov rule. After Rasputin's murder, Tsarina Alexandra brings his daughters to live with the royal family and gives Masha the task of being a companion to the young, hemophilia stricken Tsarevitch Alexsei who is called Alyosha in the story. The Tsarina hopes that Masha will have some of the mystical healing powers of her father but the best she can do is keep him amused with fanciful stories. Masha remains with the family during their house arrest during which the young Tsarevitch seems to be the only one who understands that they will all be murdered one day. When the Tsar and his family are removed to Siberia, Masha is freed and goes on to the marriage her father had arranged before his death. Eventually they leave Russia and, after her husband's death, Masha comes to the United States as a circus performer. The story plays fast and loose with the facts and jumps back and forth in time which can be confusing. It's an interesting mix of magical realism and historical fiction.
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