Book Review: The Jewel of St.Petersburg by Kate Furnivall

This historical novel is set in the years leading up to the Russian Revolution of 1917. The story revolves around the life changing events of Valentina Ivanova – the daughter financial minister to Tsar Nicholas II. Valentina is young and a talented piano players, because of her position in society she is expected to adhere to strict code of conduct and most importantly merry, and merry well.

Valentina earns for more, she defies her parents and society by finding a way to train as a nurse, she falls in love for a man without wealth or title, and as St.Petersburg descends into chaos of revolt we witness how this girl becomes a woman – passionate, strong, independent and bruised by life.

Being Russian myself and being fascinated with history, I found that Kate Furnivall wrote well about the historical events, without prejudice over any sides, and presented the historical accounts through the characters’ perception of what was going on at the time.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel for many reasons, but especially because it shows how in the darkest hour, we humans, find a glimmer of hope and it helps us to overcome the most tragic of life’s events.