I was given a free e-copy of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion.
I have not read a novel by M.J. Rose before but will be adding her to a growing list of authors.
Isobelle Moon, a young female architect in post Word War 2 New York, has discovered a secret niche following the death of her mother, Sophia. Isobelle has always known that her mother had secrets, but this mysterious piece of her past makes Isobelle despair for what those secrets might have been. With the help of jeweler Jules Reed, Isobelle begins a journey into the past of her unknown mother
I enjoy novels that have multiple points of view but I especially like how one set follows the journey of another. It makes the novel more personable to the reader. As if they are in multiple worlds within one universe. However, I have to admit that at the beginning of the novel it was hard to relate to Isobelle. As a woman I am aware of how a work society treats us, and how far we have come. I am also very aware of how far we need to go. But Isobelle seemed more like she wanted someone else to fight for her, instead of fighting for herself. There were a few scenes where it seemed she was weighed down in self-pity or self fulfilling defeat, and I would have to stop reading. Sophia's chapters showed a similar woman but the New York version was different. There wasn't a progression between the Russia Sophia and the New York Sophia, so it felt disconnected.
I enjoyed the chapters with Sophia's POV on Russia and the war. So many lives were lost or ruined during that time. It is difficult for other nationalities to truly grasp the trials that some endure. I believe historical fiction should be entertaining as well as educational, and this provided both.
The romance and mystery were perfectly balanced throughout the novel, and supplied some reprieve to the information overload.
Overall I rate this novel 4 out of 5 stars.
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