CHANGING HANDS

Avery traces the history of a possibly cursed opal ring in her latest historical novel.

Objects carry their histories with them. When James Newcomb Sr., a maker of optical lenses, buys a silver box of jewelry from a group of peddlers in the English countryside, he has no idea what’s in store for the finest piece in the lot: a magnificent opal set in a gold filigree ring. After his death, James’ daughter, Electra, allows the ring to be stolen by a conniving portrait painter—and his other daughter, Tally, murders the man in order to steal it back! The resulting scandal loses their brother, James Jr., his spot on Capt. Cook’s voyage to observe the Transit of Venus, forcing him (with the ring in tow) to sign aboard a doomed arctic mission that claims the lives of all aboard. When the frozen ship is discovered decades later, someone steals the ring from the dead sailor’s effects. From there, the ring finds its way to several more owners, from the Queen of Spain to a pair of marooned master thieves to a marine biologist and beyond, winding its way through several centuries of human obsession and leaving a trail of tragedy in its wake. An auctioneer briefly in possession of the ring dismisses the “folklore surrounding the belief the opal was cursed,” but some folklore should not be trifled with. Avery adeptly leaps from owner to owner, crossing oceans and eras. Much of the fun comes from seeing the ring’s value change given the situation. (“I certainly hope someone wants it,” complains one unimpressed character, who receives the ring as a donation to fund ambulances for the Great War. “But I suppose there’s no accounting for taste.”) The novel doesn’t stick with any single person long enough for the reader to form a strong attachment, and the various episodes read more like vignettes than self-contained narratives. There is much here to enjoy, but those looking for a cohesive story may be disappointed.

A meandering tale of desire and human folly.