Ina Christova's The Fabergé Girl publishes this May. Daily Info sat down with the Oxford-based author to discuss their new coming of age novel set on a backdrop of early 20th Century Russia.
Daily Info: What's The Faberge Girl all about?
Ina Chrisova: The Fabergé Girl is a novel inspired by the real life of the only female jewellery artisan in the House of Fabergé. It blends history with folklore to explore the complexities of the Russian soul and portray a turning point in history.
DI: What can the reader expect from this novel?
IC: The reader will be whisked away to pre-revolutionary St Petersburg and will be immersed in the fascinating House of Fabergé. There really is a bit of everything for everyone - whirlwind romance, ravishing jewellery, revolution, Romanov palace intrigue and a sprinkling of magical realism.
DI: How did you come to focus on turn of the 20th Century Russia as the focal point for the novel?
IC: I am truly fascinated by this period as it was a turning point for the country. This was the silver era of Russian art and St Petersburg was at the zenith of its creative endeavours. There was a true opportunity for change, which made it bubbling with energy and artistic dynamism.
DI: How do you marry an exploration of this part of Russia's history with the protagonist's coming of age story?
IC:The protagonist, who is the designer of the cursedly beautiful Fabergé creations, learns about the complexities of her country and the Russian soul as she grows in her craft. She gets to experience first-hand the contradictions within the notion of art of art's sake as her countrymen experience hunger and poverty and she is swept away in a revolution that threatens to destroy the exquisite world that she dreamed of.
DI: Can you sum the book up in three words?
IC: Romance, art, revolution
The Fabergé Girl can be found online and in bookshops this May. More information can be found here.