Customer Reviews

The Girl from Junchow

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The Girl from Junchow is a rare novel: a second book that is actually better than the first. I enjoyed the first book, The Russian Concubine, but considered Furnivall's next novel a bit of a train wreck, so I came to this one with mixed feelings... and, as it turns out, was pleasantly surprised.

This book continues the adventures of Lydia, a teenage Russian refugee brought up in 1920's China, as she returns to Russia in search of her imprisoned father, accompanied by her half-brother Alexei and friend Liev Popkov. Her Chinese lover Chang An Lo puts in an appearance as well, and he's actually much improved since The Russian Concubine; he has a life now and struck me as a much more believable character than he did the first time around. We're also introduced to a new cast of secondary characters: a pleasure, since one of the things Furnivall does very well is develop even the minor characters.

The story, meanwhile, is an entertaining one, complete with crisp dialogue and a well-drawn historical setting. And Furnivall's writing style has clearly matured since The Russian Concubine as well. The biggest sticking point for me is that the plot lacks realism, with characters frequently getting out of ridiculously dangerous and difficult situations with mind-boggling ease. Nothing nature, injuries or the Soviet State throws at these characters manages to stop them for long, which dilutes the suspense and makes relating to the characters' predicaments more difficult. These quick-and-easy solutions to seemingly insurmountable problems are nothing you wouldn't see in many a fantasy novel or action-packed thriller, but they seem out of place here, when combined with much loving attention to character development and setting, not to mention the relatively slow pacing, with whole chapters devoted to character interaction.

For those who haven't read The Russian Concubine, this book should still be easy to understand; the setting has shifted from China to Russia anyway, and many old characters have fallen by the wayside. And for those who read and enjoyed the first book, I highly recommend this sequel.

After finishing 'The Russian Concubine' two years ago I hoped and hoped that a sequel would be released. I was so excited when I heard that 'The Girl from Junchow' had been released and snatched it up immediately.
I was not disappointed. We return to the world of Lydia Ivanova and find her journeying to Russia to find her father- just as she said she would at the end of 'The Russian Concubine'. I was relieved to find that we are also kept aware of the activities of Chang An Lo, for I had found him to be an intriguing character.
The plot of this novel has been expertly woven into the context of Stalinst Russia- the way Furnivall portrays the time period is magnificent (which isn't surprising, seeing as the author dealt with aspects of Stalnist Russia in her brilliant novel 'The Red Scarf').
The story is gripping, and has not lost the thrill that was present in the first novel. Lydia's character has been developed even further, and now, after two novels, I am becoming strangely attached to this courageous protagonist.
All in all, a wonderful book.

I liked this book as well as the first but was quite thrown off by the convenient "Get Out Of Jail Free" card-type of escape from dangerous situations that came up time and time again. Also, the revelation that Lydia made to Chang An Lo at the end of the book regarding the deal she'd made came far too late with no foreshadowing whatsoever. It felt contrived as did a few other things in this book.

That said, it is an enjoyable read. The characters are fleshed out nicely. I enjoyed it enough to stay awake into the wee hours reading it.

Also published under the title "The Concubine's Secret"

This novel is a captivating and fascinating sequel to "The Russian Concubine", a tale of love and danger set in the late 1920's Junchow and Moscow. The story takes us on a journey, surrounding the intricacies of Lydia Ivanova's life, a life of drama graced with a touch of passion.

Lydia believes her father, Jens Friis, is still alive but held captive in Stalin's Russia. Determined to find him she teams up with her brother Alexie and close friend Popkov. The dangerous search leads them to bars of the seedy underworld where bribery of camp workers is one of their prime sources of information. In a world where they have to continually watch their backs, they befriend and betray those with key information, a treacherous game that eventually directs them to Moscow.

In Russia, with everything at stake Lydia becomes entangled with a soviet officer and Alexei is drawn into the hands of Russian criminals. Popkov finds himself in the precarious position of trying to keep his friends safe even at the risk of his own live.

On another front, Chang An-Lo, a high ranking officer who is advancing rapidly in the Communist party of China, is delegated to view the factories built by the Stalinist regime. He so happens to be Lydia's romantic partner while she was in China. As fate would have it, Lydia and Chang meet up at a party honouring the Chinese delegation and discuss old times. Their past strong romantic connection quickly has Chang sympathizing with her predicament and vowing to help her gather information and help in the possible rescue of her father.

Ms. Furnivall rich writing is very entertaining, gripping and provides all the thrills we are accustomed to. The dialogue is crisp and the setting vividly recreates Stalin era Russia. Lydia is maturing beautifully and is portrayed as a strong and loveable character; we easily fall into her spell. Some of the plotting may lack realism with its characters getting out of sticky predicaments and injuries a bit too easily for the times, but the interaction between characters is outstanding and is one of the attributes that makes this fantasy novel one of the best

For those of you writing review, how about keeping the plot a secret for those of us who havent read the book yet??
Its very annoying to begin reading reviews, only to be told what the final outcomes of the story will be!!

I didn't think that Kate Furnivall could possibly improve on The Russian Concubine which is one of my favourite books ever. But in The Girl From Junchow she has proved me wrong. It is beautiful to see the way Lydia matures as a character, and the love story is as strong and tender as ever. Furnivall vividly recreates the world of Russia under Stalin, and the action becomes so engrossing that I raced through the last few chapters in a frenzy of anxiety. A wonderful read.

The Girl from Junchow (4 Stars) is a good sequel to The Russian Concubine (5 Stars.) Lydia Ivanova goes to Russia in search of her father accompanied by her brother Alexei and Liev. Interesting story, but all the instances of seventeen year old Lydia escaping capture/punishment is unbelievable after a while. Nice surprise ending makes me wonder if there will be yet another book. Definitely worth reading! Furnivall's skill with description allows you to experience the story with the characters.

This is a sequel to "The Russian Concubine", which should be read first.
The "prequel", "The Jewel of St. Petersburg" written after "The Russian
Concubine" would theoretically be the first book of a series of three, so
if you haven't read any of these books I'd suggest reading them in the
the following sequence: The Jewel of St. Petersburg, The Russian Concubine
& The Girl From Junchow. I hope there will be a fourth book in this series!
"The Red Scarf" by the same author didn't receive good reviews so I haven't
ordered it.

This is a nice sequel to "The Russian Concubine". Once again, the author makes the reader feel with all senses and places the reader right in the middle of the cold Soviet Russia. The plot and sequence of events are sometimes not quite believable, but nonetheless it is a very enjoyable read. The emotions of the characters and their ups and downs grip the reader.

"The Girl from Junchow" is a great summer read that I enjoyed very much. I still haven't decided if I like it even better than the previous "Russian Concubine", but the sequel definitely lives up to its forerunner.
Very good research for an exciting historical context.