Thr blurb was amazing so I immediately wanted to read it. The plot was really great and there weren’t any issues with the pace of the book which I really liked. All the characters are likeable and stay truthful to their believes and morals. I really enjoyed this book

honestly, i originally requested and read this book because i saw it was set in china, and i was excited to learn more and maybe even feel nostalgic
but once i started reading, i was surprised by how much i enjoyed the plot, characters, and writing (as sad as that sounds)
however, i feel like i kind of started getting a little bit confused when i got further in the book
but overall, solid 4 stars!
i would definitely try another book by weina dai randel!

I was reeled in from the beginning, despite the writing, thinking this would be a story of Harbin's Jewish community. Instead it was a semi-charmed story of an orphan, Anyu, who rises to the rank of Master Jeweler in a few years and her tragedies. The novel's depiction of race/religion and setting is all rather lazy- after the first bit of the novel, there's little, if any indication of what language is being spoken, Jewish rites/customs, Chinese/Shanghai culture, etc. Even with the intrusion of World War 2, the novel could take place almost anywhere.

Read this in a day. It's the character driven nature of this story that kept me reading despite some rushed sections. It's very engaging from the start and the way two of the main characters are introduced is really charming and beautifully fateful.

It's a story about belonging, ambition, resilience, love. The dark night of the soul is absolutely brutal here even I was surprised and I read a lot of horror! The backdrop behind different stages in Anyu's life Harbin, Shanghai, Hong Kong, islands are really interesting and richly described. The architecture is explained in detail perhaps to balance out the extremely detailed (and fascinating!) descriptions of the jewellery making, and it works! I found all of it really absorbing.

Anyu is a really interesting character and her relationship with Isaac and Esther in particular is really moving and really well told. I would have liked to understand the attraction to Isaac more, it was out of the blue for me.

Bringing in some legend and secret societies, around the fascinating details of metal work and gemstones adds fantastic mystery and depth to this story. Everything just means a little more than it would have.

I think the last quarter of the story is a little rushed and required a lot of explaining regarding the politics of the time and this detracted from the heart of the narrative I think but the character plot points still held over all. The years jump quickly and sometimes it still read like it was in mid draft form - not the story but the writing of it. The first three quarters of this story are generally excellent.

This book was an absolute delight to read. From start to finish I was hooked.

The way this book is structured and reads feels very similar to Memoirs of a Geisha.
It's centered on Anyu's journey through her life as a jewler, the struggles she faces, the love and passion she finds in her craft and ultimately about finding herself and who she wants to be.

As much as the story focuses on her success as a jewler, it also heavily centres around the concept of family, love, grief and hardship.
However, although I found the story to be well paced, it also felt rushed and I was left wanting more at times. With long time skips throughout the book, there were times where I felt I missed information or I wished there was further time spent building on the characters and Anyu's relationships. I loved reading the scenes where we learn about anyu's growth as a jewler and I would have liked more of that. It would have been great to give more space in the book to Anyu actually making pieces.

The book felt short at times and there were a few moments where it felt like as a reader there was information we weren't given that made some story beats feel confusing, but generally the story overall was well done and I felt satisfied at the end.

Overall, this was a beautiful story and left me in tears at the end (happy ones mind you). To the author, thank you for crafting such a beautiful story. I really loved reading Anyu's story.

What a gripping tale the author created! An impressive historical fiction story about Anyu, an orphan from Harbin, China who was befriended by Isaac as he was trying to escape an assassin. He took her into his family and his jewelry business. The story takes place between 1925 and 1945 in Harbin, Shanghai, and Hong Kong. There are so many twists and turns in this story, but simply Anyu wanted to become a master jeweler and she let nothing stop her from achieving her goals. I loved the descriptions of the beautiful jewelry pieces that Anyu and Isaac created as well as the descriptions and history of the Faberge Eggs from Russia. I enjoyed the secrecy of the Guild that provided some protection and gemstones for members. The history of this era in China with Nationalists and the Japanese is interesting because the western world was obsessed with Germany and the War in Europe and I knew very little about what was happening in China at this time.
The author notes let the reader know that the main characters were fictional, which made me a little disappointed, but the story is based on real historical events and the villain that goes up against Anyu is based on a real person. Regardless, the story was propelling and I finished it in 3 days because I had to find out how Anyu's story played out.
If you are looking for a fast paced historical fiction with a strong, smart, fearless protagonist, I definitely recommend this one. 4 1/2 stars.

Spoiler/Warning:

Not giving a lot of details, but a graphic warning about some violence that occurs to the family that caught me off guard. It makes sense to the story, but if that is a trigger for you, beware.
#TheMasterJeweler #NetGalley
Thank you Net Galley for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

4.5 stars. Another masterpiece by Weina Dai Randel, an author that is a must read for me. This one takes us to Shanghai in the early 20th century where Anyu escapes after becoming an orphan at the age of 16. She hopes to meet up with a man she met months ago when she found a Faberge egg and returned it to him. With nowhere else to to she boards a train to find him again hoping he will take her in. What follows is Anyu's story, one where she begs to be trained as a jeweler and it involves gang protection, murder, deception and mayhem as Anyu must face the realities of living as a Chinese girl with a Jewish family learning this trade.

I love the Chinese folklore throughout this story, images filled with meaning and translated into jewelry and pieces with memories to live on forever. The vivid descriptions of the jewelry and the meanings behind their creation added immensely to this book.

The only reason this isn't a 5-star for me is that the last quarter of the book flew by in the years and I wished it would have been a second book instead. After going through every detail of Anyu to all of a sudden have years past with huge changes and not describe it was disappointing to me because I would have loved a second book. It keep me wanting more.

Thank you NetGalley, Weina Dai Randel, and Lake Union Publishing for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

Thank you NetGalley, Weina Dai Randel, and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC copy of this wonderful novel!

What a luminous, powerful novel! I was absolutely swept away by The Master Jeweler, a richly detailed and beautifully written story about a woman’s rise in a world dominated by men. As my current reading obsession if historical fiction highlight the impact of women in the world, (thank you Lisa See for starting me down the path) this was the perfect addition to my growing list.

Set between 20th-century China and Paris, the book follows Anyu, a brilliant and determined jeweler whose artistry is matched only by her resilience. Weina Dai Randel brings this world to life with incredible detail—from the sparkle of gemstones to complex emotional terrain. Anyu journey is one of quiet strength, ambition, and sacrifice, and I was rooting for her every step of the way.

Randel’s writing is lyrical, immersive, and filled with heart. The historical detail is spot-on but never overwhelms the story, which remains deeply character-driven. I especially loved how themes of gender, artistry, and identity were woven through her personal and professional evolution.

If you love historical fiction with strong female leads, cross-cultural depth, and gorgeous prose, don’t miss this book. It’s a true gem.

I thoroughly enjoyed this historical fiction novel. We meet Anyu, born in 1909 at the time when she is 15 and just became an orphan. She runs into Isaac Mandelburg and that chance encounter brings her to Shanghai. The books bops around from the 1920-1950.
The Mandelburgs have a small jewelry shop that support their family, and Anyu learns to be a jeweler.
I’ve read many historical fiction books set in Shanghai, but hadn’t heard about Jews in that time. It is a beautiful slice of life in a tumultuous time in Shanghai.
Anyu is at times naive, but has a lot of tenacity. She is a great protagonist.
I flew through this eARC and would definitely read more books by Dai Randel.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

At the beginning, I was rather drawn in by The Master Jeweler, especially by its fascinating exploration of jewelry-making. The author's descriptions of the jewelry were vivid and beautifully written, and I also appreciated many of the more poetic lines scattered throughout, such as "A woman's greatest asset, her proudest wealth, was not to be known but to be loved," and, "Maybe freedom was knowing she had made mistakes in the past but she could do right in the future; freedom was to live the life she wanted, to love the man the way she needed to, and to create the jewelry the way she envisioned."

However, I found myself increasingly confused about the direction of the plot and the book's overall purpose. It wasn't clear whether this was meant to be a historical novel examining the tensions between Russia, Japan, and China; a coming-of-age journey in which Anyu rises to prominence as an renowned master jeweler and gains entry to a secret guild; or a family drama that explores the complicated relationships between Anyu and the Mandelburgs. The story seemed to attempt all of these at once, and the abrupt shifts in tone and disjointed plot left me feeling frustrated and disoriented.

Even if the central focus was meant to be Anyu’s journey as a jeweler, her sudden and rapid mastery of the skill felt unearned. Similarly, her romantic feelings toward Isaac Mandelburg, the man who agrees to train her, irked me. While I understand that she's young and emotionally impulsive, it was hard to believe that she would so easily abandon her career as a master jeweler simply because Isaac said he woudln't marry her.

Unfortunately, many of the plot points and character motivations felt dubious at best. I had hoped for something with the same emotional depth and narrative cohesion as Homeseeking, but this story ultimately fell short for me.

This started with a lot of promise - Faberge eggs, orphans, talent, hope! But it quickly went downhill for me. Anyu, the main character, is not like other girls. She sees a Faberge egg and decides to become a jeweller. Because the details are left out, so it feels like everything just comes to the protagonist rather than her working for it. It skips months and years. My main issue is that Anyu doesn't seem to feel emotions, so i felt nothing too. Major things happen to her, and she just shrugs and moves on. I stopped caring, which made the last half pretty annoying to read. Once I got annoyed, I started noticing every little thing - like there are a lot of non-sequiturs in conversations, or the idea that someone in a basic job could afford diamonds, and it really bugged me.

I was given an e-Arc from NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

The Master Jeweler by Weina Dei Randel is, without a doubt, the best historical fiction I’ve read this year.

Set against the rich, tumultuous backdrop of 1920s China, the novel follows the life of Anyu, a young girl living in near-poverty with her mother. Their lives are quiet and constrained—until the day Anyu discovers a mysterious egg and meets the man who owns it. From that moment on, the story unfolds into a sweeping epic of survival, transformation, and the hidden costs of greed.

What makes this novel exceptional is how it weaves personal growth with historical tragedy. As Japan's invasion of China looms, the narrative explores how beauty can exist even amid destruction, and how one girl’s strength can blossom in the darkest times. Anyu’s journey from obscurity to unlikely hero is as moving as it is inspiring.

Randel’s prose is stunning. Her language draws you in from the first page, and her descriptions turn even mundane objects into vivid, living symbols. The world she creates is detailed and immersive, full of cultural texture and emotional depth. The characters are carefully developed, each with a distinct voice and purpose, and their arcs are handled with both consistency and care.

This novel is more than a coming-of-age story—it’s a meditation on resilience, legacy, and the quiet power of self-discovery. I wholeheartedly recommend The Master Jeweler to anyone who enjoys historical fiction with heart, symbolism, and unforgettable storytelling.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

In this historical fiction novel, Anyu, a destitute and lonely teenage girl in 1920s Harbin China, finds a Faberge egg in the snow. When she returns the egg to its owner, a stateless middle-aged male Jewish jeweler from Shanghai, she sets in motion the wheels of her dynamic future. She becomes a famous jeweler herself but must endure a ton of pain, loss, and suffering along the way.

Stars: I enjoyed the settings (Harbin, Shanghai, Hong Kong) and time period (between the world wars) as I wasn't super familiar with either. The author obviously did her research. I also enjoyed learning about how jewelry is made.

Wishes: It was difficult for me to like Anyu. I didn't understand her pigheadedness. I also have a hard time with stories in which the main character keeps having awful things happen to her. I wish there had been more ups than downs for her.

This was definitely a page turner for me about half way through, but I kept hoping for more of a HEA ending. Three stars.

I enjoyed Weina dai Randel's Empress of Bright Moon duology and was intrigued by the premise of her new book. The passages on the jewelry alone were beautiful and the imagery was lovely. Overall, though, I didn't enjoy the story very much. The book takes place in Shanghai, but the sense of place wasn't very strong.
My biggest struggle was the characterization. Anyu was supposed to be an older teen, but I genuinely thought she was 12 for the first half of the book. Her choices were really immature, so I struggled to connect with her character. The pacing was also very choppy and the plot was constantly bouncing between genres, with lots of random deaths and events with no lead up.
Weina dai Randel's passion for history comes through in her writing and her research was obviously very thorough. The portions of the book concerned with the jewelry and history of certain pieces were really interesting, but the story and characters were not for me. Thank you so much to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the eARC!

This book is good. I thought Anyu was a great character. To overcome such hardship, move away from her home, and establish herself in Shanghai, that showed great courage for her. She dealt with so much even once she made it to Shanghai. She overcame the heartbreaks, the blood, sweat, and tears of creating jewelry for clients. She also had to work on finding herself and moving on from her past. I really was able to picture what she was doing and all of the details and descriptions were really good.

What a brilliantly written, touching story that takes us back to the glorious and tragic days of Shanghai and other parts of China during the war., where love proves to be more powerful and everlasting than bullets.

So many distinctive characters. So much character and relationship growth. So many tears shed.

One of those special books I cannot bear to see come to an end.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Lake Union for an eARC copy of this incredible book.

I loved this book. It was great reading about Russia and China during the war. I learned alot bout jewelry making and Faberge eggs and how they are made. Anyu was a brave and complex character that never gave up. She was commited to the Mandelburg family, not just for her love for Isaac but for his whole family. A very determined woman. I cant wait to see what the author has for her next book!

#netgalley #themasterjeweler
This was a really well written book set in China in the early 1900’s, who against custom becomes a master jeweler. I was captivated by the twists and turns and this is a SOLID ending.
If you like to read about struggle, jewelry and turn of the century China this book is for you!!

I devoured this book! The Master Jeweler by Weina Dai Randel is a historic fiction that follows the story of impoverished Anyu Zhang, a 15 year old living in Harbin, China in 1925. Anyu’s chance encounter with a Faberge egg and its owner Isaac Mandelburg change the trajectory of her life. Anyu’s story spans decades and locations. It is harrowing, beautifully written, hopeful, and heartbreaking all at the same time. I honestly could not put it down! I recommend putting on your TBR list for the summer. Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for allowing me to have an advanced reader copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
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I was totally immersed in this story from the very beginning. I fell in love with Anyu's character and found myself rooting for her every step of the way. The addition of jewelry design was interesting and also informative at times. I felt the ending was a bit rushed which was a slight disappointment because the entire story was just so good.

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.