The author has chosen a wide focus rather than a narrow one on Nicholas II and Alexandra. For once we get to meet the other family memebers, learn about their personalities and what events shaped their lives and the fate of the dynasty.
We also get to read in detail about the various palaces and estates the family used. These are often referred to in other books without any real background information on their history or importance to the family being described. This book fills that vacume.
If you know nothing about the Romanovs this is a fantastic place to start as all these people's live stories weave in and out of each other to create an amazing and true story.