Ruska konkubina

The Russian Concubine by Kate Furnivall is a historical saga of love, survival, and courage, set in politically unstable China in 1928. Inspired by the author’s mother’s real-life experiences, the novel follows sixteen-year-old Lydia Ivanova, a Russian refugee who flees Bolshevik Russia with her mother Valentina, a former pianist, and finds refuge in the Chinese city of Junchow.

In her new surroundings, Lydia faces difficult living conditions. In order to support herself and her alcoholic mother, she is forced to steal, working with a local pawnbroker. During one of her thefts, she meets Chang An Lo, a young Chinese communist and kung fu master, with whom she develops a strong but forbidden love affair.

Their love faces numerous obstacles: racial prejudice, cultural differences, and the dangers of political instability. Lydia is kidnapped by the Black Snakes gang, and her mother is tragically killed. Meanwhile, Lydia discovers that Alexei Serov, who helps her escape, is actually her half-brother.