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A review by goudagal
The Russian Concubine by Kate Furnivall
2.0
I had high hopes for this novel. As a fan of historical fiction, I thought this book looked promising. After reading it, though, I couldn't help but feel that the book fell flat. I found myself struggling to finish the novel, and had to force myself to pick it up on more than one occasion.
Don't get me wrong, because it wasn't a completely horrible book. I feel like I might have enjoyed it more had I liked and/or sympathized with any of the main characters. I tried to feel for Lydia and Valentina, I really did, but I just couldn't feel anything for them. I found it especially difficult to like or respect Valentina in particular, and I don't know if this is bad of me, but I was actually more happy than sad when she died.
I did, however, enjoy Furnivall's descriptions of Junchow. However flat her characters may seem, the scenery around them seemed to have a life of its own, and it was ultimately the details and descriptions of China that kept me reading the novel.
Would I ever read it again? Probably not.
Would I recommend it? Probably not.
Don't get me wrong, because it wasn't a completely horrible book. I feel like I might have enjoyed it more had I liked and/or sympathized with any of the main characters. I tried to feel for Lydia and Valentina, I really did, but I just couldn't feel anything for them. I found it especially difficult to like or respect Valentina in particular, and I don't know if this is bad of me, but I was actually more happy than sad when she died.
I did, however, enjoy Furnivall's descriptions of Junchow. However flat her characters may seem, the scenery around them seemed to have a life of its own, and it was ultimately the details and descriptions of China that kept me reading the novel.
Would I ever read it again? Probably not.
Would I recommend it? Probably not.