Book Review: The Jeweler of Stolen Dreams

Have you ever held an old piece of jewelry and wondered about its story? You might think about who owned it and the life it has seen.

That's the feeling I got from the book I just finished, The Jeweler of Stolen Dreams by M.J. Rose.

This book is more than just a pretty cover. It’s a mix of history, mystery, and personal growth. Some books you just read, but this one feels like an experience.

Many books are set during World War II, but this one stands out. It combines the real tragedy of art stolen by the Nazis with a family mystery. It also has a touch of magic that connects the past and present.

What the Book Is About

Book Details

Here are the key details about the book. It's the fourth book in the Daughters of La Lune series. But you don't need to read the others first, it works fine as a standalone story.

The Story (No Spoilers)

This story is about two women who lived decades apart. Their lives are connected by a painful mystery. The book switches between New York in 1986 and Paris in 1942.

In 1986, we meet Violine Duplessi. She works at an auction house and has a secret gift. She can see an object's history and its owner's secrets just by touching it.

Violine tries to ignore her gift because it has caused her trouble. But her world changes when a lawyer named Paul Osgood asks her to appraise his family's estate. She finds a vintage trunk with jewels hidden inside a secret compartment.

When she touches the jewels, her gift comes rushing back. She sees visions of extreme pain and trauma. To find out why, the story takes us back to Paris in 1942.

In Paris, we meet Suzanne Belperron, who was a real, famous jewelry designer. Her story is told through her diary entries. Suzanne's fame is a cover for her work with the French Resistance.

She and her friend Dixie Osgood help Jewish families escape France. They smuggle the families' jewels to safety. The work gets personal when the Nazis arrest her partner, Bernard Herz.

The main question is how these jewels, tied to so much pain, ended up in a trunk in New York. Violine travels to Paris to find out. She must use her gift to uncover a truth that was hidden for decades.

Characters, History, and Themes

The Main Characters

Violine Duplessi

Violine's story is about more than solving a mystery. Her main struggle is with herself and her special ability. She has tried to live a normal life by ignoring her gift.

Her ability is a way to show how trauma can be passed down through generations. The jewels hold the pain of the past, and her gift lets her feel it. By the end, she learns to embrace her ability to help right old wrongs.

Suzanne Belperron

Suzanne is the heart of the story, and she was a real person. Her story is told through her diary. She is a strong woman fighting to protect her business and save the man she loves.

She uses her art and social status to help the Resistance. There's a powerful scene where she is designing jewelry while hearing sounds of war outside her window. For her, creating beauty is an act of defiance.

Supporting Characters

The side characters are also important. Paul Osgood is the lawyer who hires Violine. The discovery of the jewels in his family's trunk threatens his political career and forces him to face a hidden truth.

Dixie Osgood is Paul’s ancestor and Suzanne’s friend in 1942. She helped Suzanne smuggle the jewels to America. She is the link between the two timelines.

History in the Story

The author does a great job describing the settings. You can feel the difference between the quiet auction house in 1986 New York and the fear in 1942 Paris.

The story mixes fact with fiction very well. Suzanne Belperron was a real jeweler who designed for famous people. The book’s plot about her helping Jewish families is based on her incredible true story.

This connection to real history makes the story feel important. It's not just about a single theft. It's about the real, widespread looting of art and valuables by the Nazis.

The jewelry itself is central to the story. The gems represent the "stolen dreams" of families who had to flee. For Suzanne, they are a tool for resistance, and for Violine, they are a key to the truth.

Main Ideas in the Book

• Identity and Legacy: Violine struggles with the special ability she inherited. The book explores whether we can escape our past and if we should even try. Her journey is about accepting who she is.
• Resilience and Survival: This is Suzanne’s story. She refuses to lose sight of beauty, even in the middle of a war. Her story shows the strength of the human spirit.
• Secrets and Truth: The mystery drives the plot forward. Uncovering dark family secrets from an old trunk has consequences decades later. But it also shows that revealing the truth can help heal old wounds.

My Thoughts on the Book

What I Liked

I love historical novels with two timelines, but this one felt special. The touch of magic with Violine's ability made the story stand out. It made the history feel very personal and real.

I also enjoyed learning about the real Suzanne Belperron. I had never heard of her before reading this book. After I finished, I looked up her jewelry designs online, and they are beautiful.

Finally, the writing itself is very good. The author describes things in a way that pulls you in. It’s a perfect book to get lost in for a weekend.

My Favorite Quotes

I like to collect quotes from books, and this one had some great ones. Here are a few that stuck with me.

1. “Only one thing saves you, and that is not losing sight of beauty.”

This quote is the heart of the novel. It’s what Suzanne tells herself as she designs jewelry while the world falls apart outside. It’s about using creation as an act of defiance.

2. “With every jewel I prepare, the Nazi's are prevented from stealing another family's dreams of having a future.... He once told me about the Jewish belief he lives by, tikkun olam, which decrees that our duty is to repair the world we inhabit one deed at a time.”

This explains the book's title. The jewelry represents the future that was stolen from families. It also introduces the idea of "tikkun olam," or repairing the world, which is what Violine does in her own time.

3. “My style is my signature.”

This was a real quote from Suzanne Belperron. In the book, it shows her confidence and artistry. Her work was so unique that she didn't need to sign it, which was perfect for her secret life.

Should You Read It?

Who Should Read This Book

I think this is a special book that many people will enjoy. You might like it if you are:

• A fan of historical fiction, especially stories about heroes of the French Resistance in WWII.
• A reader who enjoys family mysteries that uncover secrets across generations.
• Someone who likes a touch of magic or paranormal elements in their stories.
• An admirer of strong and independent female characters.
• A reader of authors like Kate Morton or Kate Quinn.
• Anyone interested in the history of art and jewelry.

Final Rating

4.5 / 5 Stars

I almost gave this book a full 5 stars. My only small criticism is that the ending felt a little rushed. A few key parts of the mystery were solved off the page and then explained to the reader.

But that was a tiny flaw in a great story. It did not take away from how much I enjoyed this book.

This is historical fiction at its best. It’s a heartfelt story that is smart and moving. I highly recommend it.

Let's Talk!

Now I would love to hear from you!

• Have you read The Jeweler of Stolen Dreams ? What did you think?
• I was fascinated by the real Suzanne Belperron. Did you know about her before reading this book?
• What other historical fiction books about hidden pasts would you recommend?

Please share your thoughts in the comments below!