The Last Tsar

The Abdication of Nicholas II and the Fall of the Romanovs

By: Tsuyoshi Hasegawa

Narrated by: Gareth Armstrong

“Elegantly written and magisterially researched” (Robert Service, author of A History of Modern Russia), the definitive story behind the self-destruction of the autocratic Romanov dynasty, by the world’s foremost expert

When Tsar Nicholas II fell from power in 1917, Imperial Russia faced a series of overlapping crises, from war to social unrest. Though Nicholas’s life is often described as tragic, it was not fate that doomed the Romanovs—it was poor leadership and a blinkered faith in autocracy.

Based on a trove of new archival discoveries, The Last Tsar narrates how Nicholas’s resistance to reform doomed the monarchy. Encompassing the captivating personalities of the era, it untangles the struggles between the increasingly isolated Nicholas and Alexandra and the factions of scheming nobles, ruthless legislators, and pragmatic generals who sought to stabilize the restive Russian empire either with the Tsar or without him. By rejecting compromise, Nicholas undermined his supporters at crucial moments. His blunders cleared the way for all-out civil war and the eventual rise of the Soviet Union.

Definitive and engrossing, The Last Tsar uncovers how Nicholas II stumbled into revolution, taking his family, the Romanov dynasty, and the whole Russian Empire down with him.

Critic reviews

“The capstone to a brilliant career, Tsuyoshi Hasegawa’s The Last Tsar is certain to become the definitive work on the chaotic, earth-shattering demise of the Romanov destiny. No historian before has dissected these tumultuous days with such clarity, precision, and insight.”—Douglas Smith, author of Rasputin

“The Last Tsar is a terrific account of the February 1917 Revolution in Russia that knocks down many of the pillars of our usual interpretations. Elegantly written and magisterially researched.”—Robert Service, author of A History of Modern Russia

“Hasegawa, whose previous works enriched our knowledge of what happened on the streets and in the corridors of power during that fateful year of 1917, has produced here an intimate and highly absorbing account of Russia’s last hereditary autocrat. It is likely to be the definitive one for many years to come. From the cult surrounding Rasputin to the tense minute-by-minute plotting of the generals, Duma politicians, aristocrats, and the Tsar himself, The Last Tsar brilliantly conveys the messy reality of imperial power coming apart at the seams.”—Lewis Siegelbaum, emeritus professor, Michigan State University

“Hasegawa’s masterful book is like a slow-motion picture of Russia approaching the edge. Yet only the weakness, inaction and stupidity of the last Tsar, as well as the stunning recklessness of the Russian elites, pushed the empire into the breach. A chilling lesson on how the ineptness of one man, and the opportunism of many, can pull down not only an outdated regime, but the entire temple of state, law, and civil society.”—Vladislav Zubok, author of Collapse

Just okay

Overall, I found the story to be acceptable, but the book left me wanting much more depth and clarity. While it attempts to tell the story of the Romanovs, it omits several critical historical moments that would have provided important context. Most notably, the execution of Tsar Nicholas II and his family—the defining event of the dynasty’s end—was not properly covered. The book does not clearly explain how or why the execution happened, which is a major omission when discussing the fall of the Romanov family.

The narration of the audiobook also made the experience more difficult. The narrator, who has a strong British accent, struggled with many of the Slavic and Russian names. As a result, the pronunciation often felt awkward and distracting, which made it harder to stay engaged with the material.

Another issue was the structure of the book itself. Much of the content felt repetitive, with the same ideas being restated multiple times. There was a considerable amount of filler that could have been condensed. A more concise approach would have allowed the author to include additional meaningful information—particularly about the other members of the Romanov family and their roles during the period. Their stories were largely absent, even though they could have added important perspective.

The book also seemed to place an excessive amount of blame on a single individual rather than examining the broader societal, political, and cultural forces that contributed to the fall of the Romanovs. A more balanced analysis of the time period would have made the narrative more compelling and historically grounded.

In the end, the book has an interesting premise, but it ultimately feels incomplete. With better historical coverage, stronger narration, and a tighter, more focused structure, it could have been a far more informative and engaging account of the Romanov dynasty

A deep dive into Russian history with limited appeal to most listeners

I’m torn on how to rate this book and if you really want to listen, I’d say you’re better off reading a copy instead of the audiobook version. For an audience of Russophiles and students of Russian history, I’d give it a 3.5-4. For the casual history buff, I’d give it a 2. This was a tough listen and I say that as a Russophile and as someone who studied Russian/Soviet history in college. This is a DEEP dive into the final years of Imperial Russia. The author clearly did extensive and meticulous research, and certainly made some intriguing arguments. However, there are a lot of passages full of Russian names that were hard to keep track of, and I had the benefit of having previously heard of many of these people. If you’re looking for a steamy account of the Romanovs final years, this book ain’t it. If you’re interested in learning about the various decisions and alliances formed by old Russian men from 100 years ago, well—you’re in luck. I admire the work the author put into this book but I also want listeners to know that this isn’t a book for the casual history buff.

Interesting but not riveting

Well narrated and very detailed. But only of interest to people looking for extreme detail in one aspect of the end of the Romanovs.

Confusion

Too granular with too many characters. Like a long footnote. A book for academics but not for educated readers with a strong interest in history.