The Master Jeweler: A Novel

What a gripping tale the author created! An impressive historical fiction story about Anyu, an orphan from Harbin, China who was befriended by Isaac as he was trying to escape an assassin. He took her into his family and his jewelry business. The story takes place between 1925 and 1945 in Harbin, Shanghai, and Hong Kong. There are so many twists and turns in this story, but simply Anyu wanted to become a master jeweler and she let nothing stop her from achieving her goals. I loved the descriptions of the beautiful jewelry pieces that Anyu and Isaac created as well as the descriptions and history of the Faberge Eggs from Russia. I enjoyed the secrecy of the Guild that provided some protection and gemstones for members. The history of show more this era in China with Nationalists and the Japanese is interesting because the western world was obsessed with Germany and the War in Europe and I knew very little about what was happening in China at this time.
The author notes let the reader know that the main characters were fictional, which made me a little disappointed, but the story is based on real historical events and the villain that goes up against Anyu is based on a real person. Regardless, the story was propelling and I finished it in 3 days because I had to find out how Anyu's story played out.
If you are looking for a fast paced historical fiction with a strong, smart, fearless protagonist, I definitely recommend this one. 4 1/2 stars.

Spoiler/Warning:

Not giving a lot of details, but a graphic warning about some violence that occurs to the family that caught me off guard. It makes sense to the story, but if that is a trigger for you, beware.
#TheMasterJeweler #NetGalley
Thank you Net Galley for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own. show less

The story was slow in the beginning. Anyu did not even know that she wanted to be a jeweler until one third of the way into the story. I was expecting a quicker transition for her and thought that her life story would begin when she was making jewelry. To understand Anyu's decision-making, though, the reader needs to know about her childhood.

I loved reading about the different types of techniques utilized in crafting jewelry from drilling, chasing, filing metal, cuttlefish casting, enameling, lost-wax casting. Other techniques included metal using roller printing, reticulation, and etching techniques. Some learning about gemstones was also part of her education. I also enjoyed reading about Anyu learning to handle the tools in order to show more get the results she wanted.

The ugly part of Anyu's life was the discrimination she experienced from the Chinese warlords and the Japanese soldiers. Anyu has what we Americans call "true grit." Nothing stopped her from achieving her goals. Once Anyu became a jeweler she had to deal with gangsters demanding protection money as well as competitors taking advantage of her.

The Master Jeweler is a masterpiece of writing. Historical fiction fans will want to read it. show less

From the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Night Angels comes the epic story of a brilliant young woman’s dangerous rise to fame in the perilous world of jewelry in 1920s Shanghai―and the power of love and friendship.