Crown of Thorns, Stephane Groueff

Crown of Thorns by Stephane Groueff is not only one of the best historical and biographical books I have ever read, but one of the best books I have encountered, full stop. Drawing on historical facts and personal correspondence, Groueff tells the dark and bloody story of Bulgaria between 1918 and 1943 in a remarkably compelling way, tracing the reign of Tsar Boris III following the abdication of Ferdinand.

The author was the son of Pavel Groueff – one of those executed by the People’s Court after 9 September 1944 – and one of Tsar Boris’s most trusted men. This most likely helped him include fascinating stories from the Tsar’s inner circle and about his relationships with the few people he considered true friends.

Groueff does not portray Boris in an entirely positive light. Quite the opposite: he also shows his weaknesses, and the book itself is written with remarkable impartiality. At the same time, he highlights Boris’s undeniable diplomatic abilities, which helped him consolidate his position during the government of Aleksandar Stamboliyski and strengthen it further after the coup of 19 May, until he eventually assumed indirect control of the country.

His policy of neutrality after the outbreak of the Second World War and his ability to maneuver between the Great Powers are equally impressive. Without a single Bulgarian soldier taking part in combat, Bulgaria regained Southern Dobruja from Romania. Nor should we forget his firm position regarding Bulgaria’s Jewish population.

Groueff does not lift the veil surrounding the death of Boris III, but I am left with the impression that he leans toward the belief held by the German doctors who treated him: that Boris had been poisoned with the same substance that killed Greek Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas.

The BOOKLOVERS rating is 5 out of 5 stars.

Even if you completely set the historical events aside and treat them merely as the background to an entirely fictionalized biography of Boris’s life, the book would still be worth reading. I first wrote about Crown of Thorns back in 2021. Now the book is appearing on the Bulgarian market once again, and five years later I would not change my rating — but I would change the way I talk about it.

Crown of Thorns is by no means an easy read. Groueff’s writing is highly descriptive, direct dialogue is sparse, and the sheer volume of historical facts, political figures, correspondence, and diplomatic relationships demands concentration. At times, the book becomes heavy, and I found myself putting it aside to read something else in between.

And yet, for weeks, I kept returning to it. Because Groueff manages to make an extraordinarily complex period of history genuinely compelling without simplifying it for the sake of the reader.