Traveling to St. Petersburg

Andrea here, The new year is bringing—huff, puff—not one but TWO new books from me! I’m excited to announce that A Swirl of Shadows, the latest Lady Arianna adventure is finally finished and will release on March 22! (You can pre-order here.) The story was particularly fun for me to write as a good deal of the action takes place in St. Petersburg, Russia.

I took a number of Russian history courses in college and have always found the country and its history fascinating. And I was lucky enough to visit during grad school and spend some time in St Petersburg—in the dead of winter, I might add, which seemed only fitting, as snow and cold weather seem a part of the Russian soul!

That Russian history intertwines so closely with Britain during the Regency era gave me the perfect opportunity to weave a plotline that would take Lady Arianna and Saybrook to the Imperial Court of Alexander I, which was a hotbed of international intrigue and scheming right after Napoleon’s exile as the rulers of Europe jockeyed for power and influence.

St. Petersburg, which became the capitol city of Imperial Russia in 1712, has a very interesting history, and one which exemplifies the age-old conflict between East and West that is such an integral part of Russia's cultural heritage.

Peter the Great, the legendary Tsar who believed that his country should look West rather than East, founded the city in 1703 after winning the swampy swath of land during a war with Sweden. Despite its less than ideal setting, the  location offered both the Neva River for domestic travel and commerce and access to the Baltic Sea—which the Tsar saw as giving Russia a strategic window to the West.

Peter had traveled throughout Europe as a young man and was enamored with the architecture of Holland, Italy and France. He wanted his new city to be “modern” and originally planned on basing its layout on the city of Amsterdam, as St. Petersburg’s waterways and islands suited the use of canals. However, one of the first architects to begin work in the city was Domenico Trazzini, a Swiss who designed the famous St. Peter and Paul Fortress and cathedral. The Tsar was pleased Trazzini was given more commisions. The style that developed became known as Petrine Baroque.

While Peter favored the Dutch styles, he also brought in Italian architects, and St. Petersburg soon earned the nickname of The Venice of the North. The pastel colors of the buildings and their classical Palladian style were in stark contrast to traditional Russian architecture—which horrified conservative Russians. That East-West tension was to continue into Alexander I’s reign.

The grandson of Catherine the Great, Alexander I came to the throne in 1801 after the assassination of his father. His education was thoroughly Western, based on the ideals of the French Philosophes, and for a time he was the darling of European liberals as he began making some social reforms. But he proved to be a very complex man. He was charming but mercurial—as shown by his changing sides several times during the Napoleonic Wars. After Napoleon was defeated, he turned more conservative and became attracted to mysticism—in many ways personifying the conflict many Russians felt between East and West.

In my story, Lady Arianna and Saybrook arrive in the city to help their old friend Tsar Alexander I with an intrigue that threatens his rule. (The Tsar has appeared in cameo roles in earlier books, where Lady A has saved him from his own worst instincts.) This time the threat is even greater.

Though the storyline is fictional, I’ve based it on real bits of Russian history. The plot revolves around a special medallion that has gone missing—and if Tsar Alexander doesn’t wear it at a special ceremony, legend has it that he will fall from the throne. Legend and traditions do have a strong hold on the Russian psyche—when a historic medal fell off Tsar Nicholas II’s uniform at a special ceremony, an old legend said it  an omen that he would fall from grace . . . and sure enough, he and his entire family were executed several years later by the Bolsheviks.

Religious icons also play a powerful role in Russian culture, as do savants and mystics. I’ve woven these elements into my story, basing my fictional female mystic on the real-life Madame de Krüdener, a Baltic German lady who held Tsar Alexander under her spell for a time and became his most trusted advisor. I’ve also used a famous icon by Andrei Rublev as a plot device, though my twist is purely fictional.

Having walked through the city and the Winter Palace interiors, I had some strong memories of the experience. And a fabulous research book, Mrs. Adams in Winter, (based on the diaries of John Quincy Adams’s wife during her time as a diplomat's wife there) had a number of chapters on the colorful workings of the Imperial Court which proved invaluable. It was fascinating to learn that most aristocratic Russians had never learned to speak their native tongue. The "civilized" upper classes spoke French, while only peasants spoke Russian. Dress, manners and food were very French-influenced as well—yet more examples of a country wrestling with a split personality. With all the different factions plotting within the Imperial Court, it was a perfect place in which to set a mystery!

I really loved immersing myself into the history of the city, and tried to create a story that accurately captured the ambiance of the time and place. Do you enjoy learning about the history of a setting and place while you are reading a historical novel. Or are the characters and plot more important in capturing your imagination?

Comments

[Katja]

I adore learning about historical facts in novels. A novel that sends me to Wikipedia, Google etc. is usually one I love.
One of the most interesting aspects of the interconnection between French and Russian way of life was for me the serving of meals.
Today a traditional French set menu as we in Switzerland understand it, is a 3 or 4 or 5 course meal, one after the other, with for example soup, first course, main course, cheese and dessert.
But in the early 1800s the service a la francaise was to set everything on the table as the same time, whereas what we today think of as French dining was called service a la russe.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Service_%C3%A0_la_russe

[Andrea Penrose]

Katja, thanks so much for this fascinating dining detail. Yes, the Russians were enamored with French manners and culture—the most popular portrait painter for the aristocracy was Elizabeth Vigee Le Brun, the French artist. And French food and chefs were "au courant" in Regency-era Russia.

[Misti]

I love it when I learn things I didn't expect while reading. To me, one of the marks of a great book is if I had to google things while reading, and history is a favorite subject so it's win-win. I even love looking at maps when setting is a real place. HA ha don't even get me started on those old maps of London.

[Kareni]

I think that the characters get more of my attention than the setting or the plot. But once my attention has been grabbed, I enjoy learning about new places and times.

Thanks for this post, Andrea. I took a year of Russian language in college (of which I recall little) but never studied the history.

[Mary M.]

I absolutely adore a book that prompts me to look stuff up. It's why I love ebooks: tap and your questions are answered. I also love novels that delve into a whole topic I'd never thought about before. And why I'm so fond of the Regency, when so much was traditionally interesting, or rapidly changing, or even downright new!

I expect I'll be tapping like crazy in A Swirl of Shadows. I spent a few days in St. Petersburg several years ago, and thought it was a place I could explore for weeks.

[Andrea Penrose]

LOL, Misti. I have a SO many bookmarked vintage maps, especially of London, and use them often for moving my characters through whatever city/setting they are in!

I find them so fascinating to study.

[Andrea Penrose]

Kareni, like you, I need the characters to be interesting and engaging in a book, or no matter how appealing the setting, it won't hold my interest.

St. Petersburg is a fascinating city, so I hope readers will enjoy a "glimpse" of it as Lady A, Saybrook and friends untangle a diabolical mystery.

[Andrea Penrose]

Thanks, Mary. I'm like you—I love learning new things at the same time as enjoying a story. And the Regency era really is such a interesting time, which so much upheaval in every aspect of society. I find it a great place in which to set a mystery, because change creates tension on any number of level, and for me that adds dimension to a story.

[Patricia Franzino]

Since I enjoy reading about history, it's also fun to see it appear in novels woven into a plot that pulls me into a country's changing mentality.

Sometimes it sends me to Google to get more details about a particular time in history and the cast of real characters involved in it.

[Karin]

I do enjoy hearing more about the settings of a novel, especially when it's somewhere unusual, like St. Petersburg. It's a city I've always wanted to visit.

[Andrea Penrose]

Patricia, like you, I enjoy "googling" to fl ollow up on things I find interesting in a novel. It's a great way of discovering fun things that you not have found on your own.

[Andrea Penrose]

You should definitely pu the city on your To-Visit list, Karin. It's beautiful and fascinating—and the museums are breathtaking. Really a memorable place, and alive with SO much history.

[Minna Puustinen]

During the rule of Tsar Alexander I Finland became part of Russia and was called Grand Duchy of Finland. There is also an interesting legend about Alexander I, according to which he didn't die 1 December 1825, but instead, he supposedly became a monk.

[Jeanne Behnke]

I love learning about history while reading! Sense of place is so important. The reason I love reading on my iPad is that it's so easy to look up things (or pronunciations)without missing a beat in the story. This book sounds fascinating!

[Annette N]

I have pined for the chance to visit St Petersburg. It sounds as though the early part created by Alexander is a work of art.

And I know that The Hermitage has treasures beyond compare.

Thanks for the post. I loved learning about the contrast between the spiritual and the more practical aspect of Russian life.

I hope that everyone is well and safe and happy.

[Quantum]

For me the characters and plot are most important but I do like to visit the locales portrayed in books that I like. For example the Brother Cadfael mysteries are located in the Shrewsbury area of Shropshire. I note that there are now organised tours following Cadfael's adventures.
https://www.shropshiretours.com/tour/brother-cadfael-tours/

When an author's characters receive this much attention, I think that might be the ultimate accolade!

[Pat Dupuy]

The more historical events and real people woven into a novel the happier I am. I love learning bits and pieces while reading a good story.

[Anne H]

The characters and plot are most important to me, but I enjoy the historical context and information about location. Your historical research is excellent, which I really appreciate.

[Andrea Penrose]

Minna, yes, poor Finland and Poland were constantly being sliced and diced by Russia.

And the legend of Alexander I becoming a monk is has intrigued historians. He did become very mystical in his later years. It's likely not rue . . .but perhaps!

[Andrea Penrose]

Glad you enjoyed the post, Annette. The Hermitage really is an amazing experience, as is the city itself.It's a unique and fascinating destination.

[Andrea Penrose]

Qunatum, it's so true that in some books, especially series, the sense of place becomes a character in itself. I love actually seeing and exploring a setting that has captured my imagination in a book. My first visit to Oxford was like that. I had read so many really engaging novels there there, and to walk through the streets and see the "dreaming spires" was quite a moving experience.

[Andrea Penrose]

Thanks, Pat! So glad you are on the same page! As a reader I love that too.

[Andrea Penrose]

Thank so much, Anne. I appreciate that. For me research is really fun. I love learning the details of a location, and it gives me a better sense of how my characters will act there.(It's very easy to go down the research rabbit hole, so sometimes I have to be careful not to disappear for days!)