Written by the acclaimed historical novelist Zoé Oldenbourg and first published in 1965 (with this specific edition by Heinemann or Pantheon), this work is celebrated for bringing a novelist's narrative flair to historical research. Unlike traditional political histories, Oldenbourg’s work is primarily a character study. It focuses heavily on Catherine’s early years (approximately two-thirds of the text), tracing her transformation from an obscure German princess named Sophia into the formidable Empress of Russia.