Sunday, May 03, 2009

The Girl From Junchow by Kate Furnivall

Lydia and Alexei lost their father several years ago. Now, the two are reuniting in an effort to rescue their father from an unknown camp in Russia. Their relationship is strong; neither sibling wants the other to be alone or be at risk of getting hurt. Lydia finds that the location of their father is in Moscow. Alexei does not know whether or not to believe that is true. Together, and with help from trusted companions, they search for their father. Meanwhile, Lydia's love, Chang An Lo, knows more about their father than either of the two. Chang An Lo rushes to aid Lydia and keep them safe.

I really enjoyed the historical context that is found in The Girl From Junchow. I did not know that it was a sequel to another book, The Russian Concubine, and that made it a somewhat confusing book for me to read. The descriptions of the characters and plot were well-written enough for me to understand their relationships from the previous novel. I liked how the chapters would switch from one character's perspective to the next. This gave me insight on what each character was specifically feeling and thinking. I recommend this series to anyone interested in Stalin-controlled Russian times or historical fiction.

The book has swearing and violence.

Reviewer Age:15

Reviewer City, State and Country: Carlisle, Pennsylvania United States of America