Sunday, October 03, 2010

Book Review: THE JEWEL OF ST. PETERSBURG by Kate Furnivall

Surprise on me, initially I turned this one down for review because I was in review overload at the moment. After I looked up Kate Furnivall on my usual book sites I quickly recanted my decision.  I can confirm Kate Furnivall is a rising star in historical fiction, now I just need to find the time to fit in  “The Russian Concubine”



Revolutionary Russia was a scary, way scary time period. It is right up there with The French Revolution in my mind. In other words no one was safe and life was filled with constant threats. Kate’s leading lady Valentina was beautiful, kind, and exquisitely talented at playing the piano with her soul. She felt the music because it was part of who she was. Tragedy struck the family home when the revolutionary group the Bolsheviks set off a bomb that left Valentina’s little sister Katya paralyzed. What was shocking is that they would pick on her family like that but her father was part of the Tsar’s group and was a Baron. One positive that came out of such a negative was the attack inspired Valentina to become a dedicated nurse.


Valentina first laid eyes on the hot “Viking” Jens Friis during a private piano performance for the Tsar. Jens was a Danish engineer that came to Russia to work for the Tsar on building Russia a whole underground sewer system. Since Russia never had anything like the sewers before you can only imagine the daily struggles Jens faced. His mission was for the greater good of the people. Valentina and Jens shared that special aspect where at the core they were givers, lovers of people, and the kind of people that would give you the shirt off their back if you needed it.


In the time when the Russian people could not be forced any lower, the political unrest lead to anger among the working class. The people had every right to be angry; they had no clean water, no job safety, and bad politics leading them down an even worse path than before. Sadly the people had eventually lost all hope of the future and had begun to openly rebel. The unrest in Russia came to its zenith when Valentina and Jens were just starting to find their way in life. It became clear that home was not safe and Jens’ job was not safe either because it was the working class who dug out the new sewer tunnels. It was made with the sweat and blood of the working class. Sadly not all who went to work in the morning came back home at the end of the day. Dying at work was a reality, starving was more than likely, and when the hope for the future died it was replaced with anger for the “privileged” people like Jens and Valentina. Russia demanded change, it needed change but Jens and Valentina would become swept up with the blood storm of a country in the middle of a revolution.


5/5 what I enjoyed most about this book was Valentina. Not because she was beautiful or because she played the piano but that she genuinely cared about people. She loved her sister beyond words and did everything she could to care for her not just physically but spiritually also. It is one thing to love a sister but to give that kind of love to a stranger is another thing that Valentina did with out hesitation or thought. The other aspect I most enjoyed was Kate’s impeccable gift of relaying the specific details. Kate gives the readers a real treat; you live and breathe Russia through Valentina. Taking in the smallest details like the smell of the city, smoke billowing off a shotgun, the much humanized staff that cared for Valentina’s home, Kate even covered the filth and garbage in the streets. Historical fiction does not get much better than this. The only thing that would even come close is actually teleporting back into time to Revolutionary Russia. Besides this book has the best ending I have read in a long time.

PG-13 For mild violence and language
FTC- This book was sent to me by the publisher

Amazon
The Jewel of St. PetersburgThe Russian ConcubineThe Girl from JunchowThe Red Scarf
footer sig

14 comments:

  1. I recently read and reviewed this one as well. I loved it! Valentina is a great heroin. I quickly bought The Russian Concubine. Great to see you enjoyed it as well.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I am so glad you loved this! I have thoroughly enjoyed the other books I have read from Kate Furnivall.

    I just need to find time to fit this one in to my reading schedule!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ladies we all agree I knew you both were really looking forward to this one. Jennifer I saw you on goodreads and then Marg I saw you on facebook talking about it and I knew I would be missing out. Thank you for swaying me to it, honestly was it not amazing to read? I loved Valentina. Like both of you I am dying to read the next one "The Russian Concubine", I have it and want it so so bad.

    ReplyDelete
  4. How exciting! And it has a GREAT ending to boot?! Definitely need to read this one. Thanks so much for this review :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. First of all, the cover is gorgeous! I have not had the opportunity yet to read any Russian hist-fic - I'm hoping to change that with The Bronze Horseman - but I really want to read this one as well. Thanks for the great review!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Svea, I needed to get a hold of the next book right after finishing, it was that good. It is worth forcing into the arc pile.

    Dolleygurl, I know what you mean I have been trying to read The Kitchen Boy for sometime now. Sadly it is only 160 pages and I have not been able to fit it in. Kate portrays Russia in such detail which is such a difference from the nobility reads that you and I both normally do. Different but in a wonderful way.

    ReplyDelete
  7. The Kitchen Boy is an awesome book as well! Squeeze it in!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I am so pushing for it Marg, EVERYONE has said it is wonderful. I have read like the first 20 pages but got distracted with a shiny new arc in the mail. I am going to PUSH harder.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks for the great review! I'm putting this one on my "to-read" list.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thank you for the visit Rosanne, I know you would love this one. I have to recommend it to every HF lover out there. The ending was phenomenal.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Wonderful review. Think I entered a dozen contests for this one, will have just purchase it when I have the money. It really sounds like it is worth it.


    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  12. Carol, Have you heard of Paperbackswap.com? You could go on the wishlist for it if you trade in some other books you might not want to read. That is what I do if there is a book I must have but do not have the money I wish for it and hope it does not take forever. It was a good read, one that is worth waiting for.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I've read all but The Red Scarf and I couldn't put any of them down! Valentina's daughter is as good a heroine with a bittersweet ending. I hope everyone gets to read these! They are must reads.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Emily, I loved this novel and I too could not put it down. I actually since this post have bought all of her other works. I am hoping to get the chance to read them soon.

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...