Who else was a fan of Disney’s Anastasia growing up, or was heavily interested in the story revolving around the Romanov family? If this was you, then Kathryn Williams’ novel The Storyteller introduces an intriguing rendition of Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikoleavna of Russia’s story that is worth reading.
Jess Morgan feels like she is an imposter in her own life. Between her boyfriend and her own family, she feels like her whole life has been about pleasing other people.
So when Jess helps her mother clean out her late Aunt Anne’s house, she does not anticipate finding a truck full of her aunt’s old diaries. She certainly does not anticipate upon reading them that her Aunt Anne was hiding her own self as well. Was her Aunt Anne truly Anastasia, a Romanov princess?
While solving this mystery with the help of cute and nerdy Evan, Jess Morgan must also solve the mystery of herself, and figure out how to be who she really is.
The importance of telling one’s story
One of this novel’s best messages is the importance of telling one’s story and how staying true to one’s self is a key to acceptance. This is primarily explored with Jess and how she molds herself to fit what others want from her: a prospective Harvard student for her mom, a laid back, beer-drinking girl for her boyfriend, and other personalities that she adopts for the sake of others.
Watching Jess slowly unravel under the weight of all her personalities was disheartening, but seeing her true self emerge once she finally decided to just be herself without adhering to others’ expectations was inspiring.
Aunt Anne was also someone that struggled with her own story. While Anne’s story was tragic in its own right, the fact that she felt like she had to hide herself in the story of Anastasia was incredibly sad. I felt turmoil as to whether to feel frustration or sympathy for Anne’s reasons for why she sunk into her false identity. Yet, she was a masterful storyteller in her diary entries as “Anastasia” and it definitely drew me in.
A slow burn romance
The romance between Jess and Evan was a great addition to this story. Evan was the first person–outside of her best friend–who Jess could be herself around. Their relationship did not feel like Evan fixed Jess, but rather that he allowed her to be comfortable enough with herself to not hide who she was.
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It was a slow-burn romance as well, so the payoff of them getting together in the end was so sweet and satisfying!
The Storyteller was a captivating blend of mystery and romance with a historical retelling. It was a well-written and thought-provoking tale of self-discovery and the importance of telling one’s story.
The Storyteller by Kathryn Williams was released on January 11th, 2022.
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