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The Master Craftsman

 

"The Master Craftsman"
by Kelli Stuart

SPOILER ALERT: this historical fiction novel is not a romance novel. So if you're looking for romance, look somewhere else.

I was very intrigued by the summary of this book when I was offered it for review. I love, love history, and the Romanovs, and the Russian revolution are some of my favorites to study. So I went in with high expectations. 

My short opinion is that it was just okay. I learned more about the Faberge eggs and about Faberge himself. Prior to reading this, I knew nothing about the Faberge eggs. All I knew was that they were Russian and I associated them with a pagan fertility symbol. I still retain that opinion but at least I know now that they meant a little more than that, though I have to admit that they are beautifully crafted and ingenious.  

This is a dual-time story taking place in the early 1900s-1920s Russia and the present day. I give the historical part a 4/5 and the present timeline a 3/5. I didn't care much for the present-day plot and I didn't like any of the characters. I found the main character, Ava a bit annoying and juvenile. Xander, "Anatoly" and Zac were cliche. But I quite enjoyed the historical timeline and would have much more preferred if the entire novel had only taken place in the past and followed Alma, Faberge, and the rest more closely. 

There is a bit of mystery but it did not have me on the edge of my seat nor kept me up at night. I was not surprised by any of the events nor when Xander turned out to be the bad guy (I saw it coming) nor when the location of the egg was revealed. 

The rich history behind the Faberge eggs, the Romanovs, the revolution, and Russia had me Googling as I read along. That's what I love most about historical fiction. 

It is a clean, light read but would not call it Christian. God is mentioned zero times and it is implied on several occasions that there is cursing. So all in all, it was just okay.

I received a copy of this book from Revell in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own.





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