The Survivors - Kate Furnivall

This book is set mainly in a Displaced Persons camp directly after the war.  Klara and her 10 year old daughter Alicja are just trying to survive, when Klara spots a face from her past who she knows will cause trouble.

I had trouble believing this story, it seemed a bit disjointed and I couldn't visualize Klara and what she got up to.  I felt like I needed a bit more backstory to understand why she made some of the decisions she did.  She also seemed to push her daughter into some pretty risky situations rather than protect her, and in the end I didn't like her much based on her choices. 

So I struggled a bit to get through this one.  2/5

The Liberation- Kate Furnivall

Caterina is trying to survive in Sorrento, Italy in 1945.  The war has ended and British and American troops are in Naples trying to restore peace to the war devastated city.  Caterina has taken over her dead father's business to try and support her young brother and grandfather who rely on her.

I enjoyed the first half of this story but it seemed to take me a long time to get through the last part. 3/5

The Italian Wife - Kate Furnivall

I have been reading a bit lately, but have fallen behind in the posting, so it is time to do a little catch up, just in case you think that I may have been on holiday, reclining on a beach lounger reading like a maniac.  The truth of the matter is that I have been crazy busy at work, tired and run down, and blogging has lost out to sleep in the past week or two.

The Italian Wife is a wartime story about  architect Isabella Berotti, a young widow whose life is changed when she is approached by a woman and her daughter as she sits and drinks her morning coffee. All in her life is about to change as the war begins to swirl around them, and Isabella is now not sure who to trust to keep her safe.

I did enjoy the unique war story and it was nice that the story was only about Isabella, and not interrupted by a modern narrative, as I am tiring of that form of storytelling. 3/5

The Russian Concubine - Kate Furnivall

The Russian Concubine - Kate Furnivall (2007)

Lydia and her mother Valentina escape Russian after the Bolshevik Revolution, into Junchow China. Their life is tough, and Lydia roams free becoming involved with Chang, a Chinese young man with ties to the communists.

I struggled with the length of this book, and several times I was tempted to give up. Although an interesting story I found it a bit drawn out and felt it was an attmept to imitate Paulina Symons long novels about Russia. Then upon reaching page 577, only to find that it was getting set up for a second novel, I felt a bit cheated. So for you, my little big book I will give you a 1/5.

I think a more entertaining, and shorter novel about the russian exiles in China, is White Gardenia by Belinda Alexander.