The Master Craftsman

Title: The Master Craftsman
Author: Kelli Stuart
Major Themes: Fabergé, Russia, Russian Revolution, Treasure Hunts
Synopsis: When her estranged father invites her to be his assistant on one last treasure hunt before he dies, Ava embarks on a quest to finally get to know her father—and make him proud by finding the last Fabergé egg for him.

There were several reasons why The Master Craftsman caught my eye originally, but I think it was the historical side that piqued my interest the most. The fact that it was a split-time novel definitely made me more interested, and I also haven’t read many adult stories that feature treasure hunting, so with all three facets combined, I was quite intrigued. There was a lot that could potentially be very good, and I couldn’t wait to dive into the story.

Ava hasn’t seen her father in years, and although she grieves their lack of relationship, she’s grown to accept it over time. When she was young, her father left a quiet, settled life with his wife and daughter—instead preferring the excitement and adventure of treasure hunting. Now, though, when she gets the startling news that her father is on his deathbed, she’s not sure what to think. When he requests her help for one last treasure hunt, she sees the chance for an adventure she never dreamed could be her own. But treasure hunting is a dangerous business. Can she stay safe and find the fabled egg before her father dies?

Meanwhile, in Russia in the early 1900s, Karl Fabergé is running a thriving jewelry business. His home life is in shambles, but at least his passion for work hasn’t dimmed. He is well-known in the imperial circles, and his famous eggs—among other costly creations—are universally loved. But when the Russian Revolution starts to get underway, and life becomes more challenging, will his love for creative beauty withstand the test of time and pressures from outside?

I was slightly disappointed in The Master Craftsman, not from a historical perspective, but from a plot perspective. There were several elements that I felt like were unnecessary to the story—the romance and part of the ending, and though neither was dwelt on that much, it almost felt like they were there more for excitement than in serving any real purpose. Well, I guess the romance/attraction came up frequently…oh well. I was also hoping that coming from Revell, this book would have some sort of Christian element to it, but it didn’t—or at least, I didn’t pick up on it.

The history? That side of the story was very well done, felt factual (and the little I’ve read in the historical note and researched myself backs most of it up), and taught me a lot that I didn’t know before. I’m sure I would have heard of Fabergé in school, but I don’t remember learning about him—so seeing that piece of history, especially in connection with the Russian Revolution, was interesting. The way he valued creativity and encouraged his employees to value it was fascinating, and his broken home life was saddening—but not an uncommon occurrence, unfortunately. Even though I may not have enjoyed the book as a whole, the history was a definite favorite, and I’m glad I read it even just for that.

I was given a review copy of this book, and this is my honest opinion of it.

WARNING: The book is divided into unnumbered chapters, so, unfortunately, it’s a bit difficult to give specifics. I’ll do my best. Words or phrases used: cursed, good grief, goodness, for heaven’s sake, gee, gosh, heavens, sexy, heck, geez, hell, and blasted. There is also some lying in the story. A man’s affair from years prior is mentioned several times, and in St. Petersburg, 1905 #2, he thinks about how he ached for the woman he wasn’t married to. The Bloody Sunday Massacre is described a bit in St. Petersburg, 1905. Several characters are highly attracted to each other at different times, and react when they touch each other (there was one somewhat sensuous scene near the end of Present Day #10). There are a couple of kisses, generally not described. “Young love” is mentioned, and a character says, “[I want to] feel the energy [of the flat]” in Present Day #10. Present Day #12, 14, 18, and 20 all describe scenes with people being threatened with guns, shot, and/or shot and killed. There’s a mention of two characters who “made love” in St. Petersburg, December 1918 (not described). And in Lusanne, 1920, a character “sensed the presence of him near” (as if a dead man were still hanging around).