The Master Craftsman - by Kelli Stuart

The Master Craftsman by Kelli Stuart is an excellent dual timeline historical fiction story. Join Alma Pihl, Karl Faberge and many others in the early 1900s at the House of Faberge as they create exquisite Russian eggs. The artwork is delicate and amzing. However three generations later Nick Laine, a an accomplished treasure hunter is on his deathbed. His estranged daughter, Ava, and wife, Carol, have come to his bedside to say their final goodbyes. Nick desires to redeem his lost time with Ava and train her to be a treasure hunter. All is going well until…. This delightful dual timeline modern day and historical fiction is an amazing tale that will take you back and forth in historic Russia. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and highly recommend. I was given a free copy for my honest review which I was happy to do.

I have had the pleasure of reading other books by Kelli Stuart in the past. I was excited to have the opportunity to read her latest release, The Master Craftsman. I was far from being disappointed. It is by far my favorite I have read by her to date. I was fascinated by the unique storyline and loved learning more about the history of the Faberge'. I liked following along trying to find out what the characters will learn and able to solve the mystery. I loved every single page. The Master Craftsman will be getting a very well deserved five plus stars. Readers who enjoy reading historical fiction and those with dual time lines will definitely want to pick this one up. I will be looking forward to more like this by Kelli Stuart in the future. I received a paperback copy of The Master Craftsman from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.

This is a sweeping historical fiction that covers the age of the last Tsars in Russia and the contemporary times, too. Ava Laine is tasked by her estranged father to go to Russia and find a missing Faberge egg, a treasure that is priceless. In her quest, Ava has helpers including Zak, a computer geek, and her mother Carol as well as Russian aides provided by her father. The book is well-researched and totally absorbing with lots of details about the last days of the tsars, the Russian revolution and the craftsmen of the House of Faberge. I found the book fascinating and educational as well and entertaining. I highly recommend it for those who enjoy historical fiction that is well-written with well-developed and engaging characters.

This is a sweeping dual-time story that spans a century, and it is a captivating blend of historical and contemporary fiction. In 1917 Russia, a master craftsman with the House of Faberge is asked to protect an egg that was created by Karl Faberge himself. Alma Pihl accepts this challenge during the traumatic events of the Russian Revolution, and author Kelli Stuart captures the danger, the drama, and the uncertainty of that time. Then, in the present time, Ava Laine is sent by her critically ill father to hunt for this elusive egg. Nick Laine is a man who has spent his life hunting for treasures while ignoring the treasures he already has...a loving wife and daughter. Danger and adventure are a part of this present-day chronicle also, but I was especially touched by this estranged family's journey to finding each other again. Stuart proves that she is a master craftsman of words and imagination, displaying her skill in the way that she weaves these two timelines together. I enjoyed learning more about the Russian Revolution and the Faberge eggs that were designed for the Russian Czar's family. The possibility of a missing egg, and the mystery that spans a century is a satisfying element, but the human connection is the best plot development of all. We are reminded that our true treasures are not material possessions...they are the people around us! I enjoyed The Master Craftsman and I recommend it to all who enjoy dual-timeline books. This book was provided courtesy of Revell through Interviews & Reviews. There was no obligation for a positive review.

This is a masterly constructed novel. It was written in dual time, vacillating between present day and the years of the Romanov family reign in Russia. In the present, Ava has been reunited with her estranged father who is dying. He sends her on a treasure hunt looking for a lost Fabergé egg. The author describes the origins of the egg in the past and Ava’s hunt in the present. It really stirred my interest in Russian history and the Fabergé eggs. I thought the plot was interesting and I especially liked how the author connected different themes in both time periods. One of those themes was forgiveness. Other than the theme of forgiveness, I did not detect any other Christian topics in the book, which surprised me. In terms of the characters, I enjoyed all of them and their role except for Ava. For whatever reason, she seemed a bit shallow to me. I also thought the author could have developed all the character’s more, especially Zak. However, I did find Ava’s relationship with her mother endearing. The strong connection between them was evident, despite their very different personalities. The supporting characters were a great addition and complemented the main characters. My favorite part of the book was the section about Alma and the House of Fabergé. The history interested me but also the relationships between Peter Karl Fabergé and his employees and family members. I also liked the mystery surrounding the missing egg and where it went and why. Overall, I thought it was worth reading and would recommend it.

“I think maybe you did find the treasure you were looking for,” Ava is told in Kelli Stuart’s novel, The Master Craftsman. ~ What ~ This four-hundred-page paperback targets those who like a treasure hunt told between three generations. With the use of slang words such as hell, hellhole, and heck, topics of abandonment, physical abuse, and death may not be appropriate for immature readers. The ending includes the author’s notes, acknowledgments, her biography, and advertisements. In this story told in two different eras during the Russian revolution and current day, the famous Karl Faberge confides in one of his master craftsmen about a secret egg he has created. Alma escapes to Finland, keeping their secret hidden, even from her husband. Decades later, a young woman named Ava who has not found her footing in life yet, reconnects with her ill treasure-hunter father who is determined to make one last mission: finding the missing egg. As they uncover the past involving the Romanov family and the exquisitely carved art, all must find the treasures that are buried within them. ~ Why ~ This fictional hunt includes the history of Russia’s troubles, St. Petersburg’s glory, and Faberge’s dedication to his beautiful craft. I enjoyed reading the background of the eggs and how they were designed and created. ~ Why Not ~ Those who prefer not to read books about Russia’s tumultuous history during the early 1900s may have no interest in this book. Others may not care for the jumping back and forth in time, focusing more often on the current day tale. The story builds slowly and is sometimes repetitive until the last thirty pages. ~ Wish Having read and enjoyed one of Stuart’s prior novels, I was looking forward to this one, but I often struggled with its stifled conversations, repetition of history, and lack of action. Having several characters whose names started with A made the read complicated. ~ Want ~ If you like reading about Russia and Faberge’s artwork, this novel may be engaging for you but I found it a tad dull and predictable. Thanks to Revell for this complimentary book that I am under no obligation to review.

I was chosen to read and review this book through Revell Reads. This review is my own opinion, freely given. I asked to read this because I really like historical fiction and was intrigued by learning more about the Romanov dynasty and the history surrounding them. I enjoyed this book. It was a bit different in that it jumped in time between now and the early 1900s. That did not detract from the book at all, in fact, it helped keep the focus. This is a historical fiction book and it puts a spin on the Faberge eggs and the what-if of an extra, unknown egg. The book is very well written and it flows very well. The characters are quite believable and "real". It is part mystery and part family drama combined in a good mix. This is published by Revell Publishing, a Christian book publisher, so I expected there to be some reference to God/Christianity in some form. That is not the case at all. There is no reference at all to anything Christian. No one prays or goes to church. No one mentions God at all. This is a big disappointment and a big loss of witnessing opportunity. But, on the upside, it is a clean book, the closest it comes to not being clean is the near swearing by Ava and the mention of Faberge's affair. Overall, I give this a 4 out of a 5-star review. I do think you will enjoy this book as long as you are not expecting a Christian book.

This was a fascinating book with lots of history, intrigue and takes place in a dual-time style book. It is modern time and as well as the time of the Bolshevik Revolution. Ava travels to Russia for a treasure hunt masterminded by her estranged father, a man who is in quickly declining health. We learn of the Faberge eggs and the mystery that surrounds them and the Faberge goldsmithing family. Ava travels with her mother and others that add to the interest that this story brings out. The historical writings in this book appear so well researched and the author's knowledge of the culture and people are clearly portrayed here. I loved the search for the missing Faberge egg and the adventure that they experience. The Dual time was well done. All in all, a very well written historical! I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Publishing. All thoughts are my own.