Kate Furnivall has quickly become one of my favorite authors of historical fiction. With The Jewel of St. Petersburg, she's written yet another novel full of history, suspense, action, and love.
This is a prelude of sorts. It tells the story of Lydia's (of The Russian Concubine, The Girl from Junchow) mother, Valentina. All I knew of Lydia's mother was that she was sad, usually drunk, and dependent upon the men who came and went from her life. But with The Jewel, we see another Valentina - one filled with Lydia's stubbornness and vivaciousness. They truly are mother and daughter.
The story begins in St. Petersburg. Valentina is the daughter of a rich government official who serves the Romanovs. Civil unrest is causing tension to build throughout the city. The Bolsheviks target wealthy families, including Valentina's, and tragedy strikes early on. Meanwhile, a Dutch engineer, Jens Friis, is working to make St. Petersburg a more habitable place by building sewers and working to improve the drinking water. Jens and Valentina meet at a society function and are immediately enraptured with each other.
Romance is never that easy, though. Valentina's father arranges a different marriage for her. And, despite the love affair, Valentina and Jens cannot ignore the worsening conditions in Russia. Soon, revolution begins and they are thrown into the center of it.
Preludes are always strange. You know how they're going to end; the journey is the unknown. This journey is filled with socialists, bombs, mobs, tunnels, and cholera. It's an enjoyable read and I would highly recommend it!
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