The Faberge Secret by Charles Belfoure

Thanks to Netgalley for a chance to read this novel.

I’ve read quite a bit about the end of Tsarist Russia, so the premise of The Faberge Secret excited me.

Unfortunately, the historical time period didn’t come to life for me. The narratorial view of the tsar felt too western to fit a Russian like Dimitri; for me, it felt like the narratorial voice was too aware of itself to really work. That’s one of those things that’s subjective and almost impossible to explain: a gut-feeling, not a head-analysis. If you asked me to explain why the voice felt western rather than Russian, and “too aware of itself”, I don’t think I could do it. But that gut-feeling remained throughout my reading of the book.

Descriptions

All the descriptions are well-written: dresses, jewels, the Faberge eggs, and, of course, architecture are all shows in great detail. But the book describes these things repeatedly, even when they aren’t of any real significance to the story. The repeated descriptions feel excessive. After a while, I skimmed them. (That’s a shame, I know. I do wish Belfoure–and other writers, myself included!–would learn to dwell on the descriptive details in proportion to their importance in the story.)

Writing Craft

As well, there are many times when the execution of the writing felt weak. The dialogue and general conveying of information is too overt, often spelling out the obvious. As in, one character tells another character something that they both already know just so the reader will understand. Or, certain details scream, “Look, a clue!” to anyone who reads in this genre.

Plot

The plot didn’t quite hang together for me, either. Things happen with little regard for cause and effect, as characters accidentally discover important information. (That was an issue in the previous novel of Belfoure’s that I read, too.) It often feels that characters go to particular places not to further the story, but as an excuse to describe setting and more architecture. The ending didn’t feel properly set up; it felt rushed and unbelievable.

Characterization

Despite the author’s attempts to develop the characters, they often feel two-dimensional. Katya is determined and passionate. But she never stands out as being different from other strong females in current historical fiction. Lara (Dimitri’s wife) is selfish and vain. (The book hints that she had been an intelligent, interesting person at the beginning of their marriage. Yet the book never tells us why and how she devolved into the gossipy, superficial court lady of this story. This was a missed opportunity to deepen her character and Belfoure doesn’t resolve this loose thread.) And so on.

All of this is unfortunate, because I truly love well-crafted historical fiction.

Positive aspects

There are a lot of terrific historical details in The Faberge Secret, though. Belfoure has done his research. While the execution of the writing is often weak, he does try to show the Russian aristocracy of that time period. Their avid appetite for gossip. The petty cruelties. The exploitation of those in service to them. The empty talk and dismissal of what is truly important. For example, there’s an interesting tidbit about how on certain estates, footmen must carry the mistress up and down the staircase! (In contrast, Dimitri manages to install a small elevator in one home he designs. I imagine the footmen of that estate is quite grateful.)

On the positive side, the portrayal of the pogroms against the Jewish people are well-done. Sadly, the suffering he portrays is historically accurate. (I can’t vouch for the accuracy in all the details about Jewish life, though, only the persecution.) At various times, the Russian people, prompted by anti-Semitic propaganda, mercilessly attacked, raped, and killed their Jewish neighbors. Authorities did little (nothing) to stop these attacks, often blaming the Jews themselves. Dimitri accompanies Katya as she tends to the wounded and dying in the aftermath of one particular attack. His reaction to the people’s suffering is genuinely moving. I read parts of these scenes with tears in my eyes.

Scenes like those show that Belfoure is capable of writing a strong story. The Faberge Secret has a great premise. But it sometimes felt like a draft, as if the book needed more time to be developed into a vivid, passionate, and compelling story. I wonder if he’s being rushed in writing and publishing his work. If so, that’s a shame.

After reading two of Belfoure’s novels, I think he isn’t the author for me. (When I requested The Faberge Secret, I’d forgotten that I’d read and reviewed The Fallen Architect and felt disappointed in it, too.) Considering the Belfoure is a bestselling author, many other readers will disagree with my assessment of his work.

Bottom Line

Some may not have read very much about Russia during this time period. For them, it may be enlightening to see the factors contributing to the fall of the Russian monarchy. Those are interesting. Given the importance of the Russian revolution, it’s important to know the reasons behind it. If you’re already well-informed on both the revolution and the Jewish persecution in Russia, the book probably won’t add much to your knowledge.

If you’re already a fan of Belfoure’s work, then The Faberge Secret might be a terrific book for you.

I also recommend the book for those want to learn more about the end of the Russian monarchy and/or the pogroms against the Jews. Also, if you absolutely love architecture, this book contains many elaborate descriptions of the Russian architecture of that period.

I was received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Read this!

If you’re interested in knowing more about the pogroms against the Jews in Russia, try the Sherlock Holmes mystery The Adventure of the Peculiar Protocols by Nicholas Meyer. It’s better written, in my opinion and there’s plenty about the Jewish persecution. (Though, again, I can’t vouch for the accuracy of all the details.) Plus, it’s Sherlock Holmes: how can you go wrong with him?!