Silk and Song

Silk and Song Trilogy #1-3

by Dana Stabenow

Beijing, 1322. Wu Johanna is the granddaughter of the legendary trader Marco Polo. In the wake of her father's death, Johanna finds that lineage counts for little amid the den of intrigue that is the Great Khan's court. Johanna's future – if she has one – lies with her grandfather, in Venice, more than a continent away at the very edge of the known world. So, with a small band of companions, she takes to the Silk Road – that storied collection of routes that link the silks of Cathay, the spices of the Indies and the jewels of the Indus to the markets of the West. But the journey will be long and arduous, for the road ahead is beset by burning sands and ice-fanged mountains, thieves and fanatics, treachery and betrayal.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Asia, 14th Century, Adventure, Fantasy

805 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 1, 2016

About the author

Dana Stabenow was born in Anchorage and raised on 75-foot fish tender in the Gulf of Alaska. She knew there was a warmer, drier job out there somewhere.

Reviews

[Peter Tillman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Library copy on hand and ~1/2 way through. My God, what a whopper! It starts a little slow, but once they get on The Road, the action is fast and furious. Stabenow's years of polish in (however many) prior novels -- of which I've read many -- certainly show. I have some notes, notably the masterful bit of banter re the Knights Templar, which is an object lesson on indirect exposition and character development, in 10 pages or so, via two minor characters bickering. I've never seen this done better. Bravo!

Not obvious from the book, but Cambaluc = today's Beijing, in the days of the Great Khan: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khanbaliq . Wikipedia is your friend, for other context, especially if you don't have a good sense of where things are in Central Asia. The Road = https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silk_Road She includes a pretty good map. And what a beautiful book! Even has a silk(y) red-ribbon bookmark bound in!

I'm currently stalled in Venice, where the air has pretty much gone out of the story, once MC Johanna has achieved her goal of meeting her Grandfather. I suppose I'll skim ahead, but this is at p. 485 of 699 -- where, I see, she has made it to London!

Returned not quite finished when due. The story (for me) was done enough at Venice. As usual, other books are calling! 4 stars for what I read. I might go back someday, in the sweet bye and bye..... Or not. So many books....

[Meg - A Bookish Affair · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars. "Silk and Song" is the story of a young woman named Johanna who grew up hearing stories of her amazing grandfather, Marco Polo. When a tragic turn of events leaves her without her mother and father and under the thumb of her father's terrible second wife, Johanna leaves everything she has known in the East to go on an epic search for her grandfather. She'll retrace many of the same steps he took to get to the East as she makes her way to the West, a world she has never known before. This journey is well-detailed and well-told and one you'll definitely want to follow!

"Silk and Song" is actually three books in one and I actually think I would suggest that you read the whole trilogy all together. It was hard to let go of Johanna even after almost 800 pages. The whole story feels very nicely paced, which could perhaps be attributed to it having once been three books. There is a lot of excitement throughout all three books.

The characters are great! Johanna grew up among strong men and women and definitely hung on to that strength as she grew up. She can definitely hold her own. In the 1300s, it was unheard of for a woman to go on a journey like she does in this book. It was unheard of for a woman to be able to hold her own with all of the different people she meets and danger she faces throughout the entire story. And the secondary characters are great as well! I really liked her sidekicks and I am so not a horse person but I loved her cantankerous horse who can only be ridden by her and will throw all others to the ground.

I loved reading about all of the detail of the places that Johanna travels. The author really did a good job of making so many different places come to life. This book is such a treat for historical fiction lovers! It hits so many places that aren't often visited through historical fiction.

[Atiyah]

Not going to lie. I'm sensitive when it comes to Islam. It annoys me when people haven't done their research or fuel the misconceptions. This book is no exception. I was excited to see Muslims in a book, but I was waiting for it. I have had to skip pages because I really couldn't stand it, it seems like the writer is pushing that same crap and making it come off as innocent. For example...pointing out that there is no university in a Muslim town and that they're only preaching religion. Scoffing like Muslims are backwards. Are you serious?!? The first uni ever was made by a Muslim lady! And Islam encourages you to get an education. And there was something about Joanna getting "indoctrinated" to change her beliefs. wow. In a place that doesn't even follow Islam correctly. Don't even get me started about the concubines. Muslims seem to always be the bad guys in this book which I'm not surprised about. I know it's fiction, but at least look at actual facts than stereotypical views.

[The Cats’ Mother · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Silk & Song trilogy is a historical fiction novel about a young woman of mixed race travelling the Silk Road from China to Europe in the 14th Century alongside an assorted group of loyal companions.
It was originally three books, with the first published in 2014, but I definitely recommend reading all of them together as one edition because the first ends on one hell of a cliffhanger. I had never heard of this author, who it seems is better known for her mystery series, but was given this by a friend and absolutely loved it - the first book in ages to keep me immersed for hours at a time.

Wu Johanna is the beloved only child of a wealthy Chinese merchant from Cambaluc in what is now Beijing. Thanks to her grandfather Marco Polo’s European genes, she has always been different, and allowed a freedom unusual for the times. When her father dies under suspicious circumstances, she flees from her wicked stepmother who wants control of the family business and takes to the road with her foster brother and best friend Jaufre and a magnificent white stallion who will obey only her. Across the unforgiving desert they will make new friends and encounter terrible danger as they seek a new life far away in the West…

This was much more of a fantasy epic than realistic idea of what life on the Silk Road as an orphaned teenager would’ve been like - there are plenty of swords but no sorcery. Our protagonist is of course beautiful, athletic, musically gifted and super-smart - and naturally lucky - someone always shows up to rescue her in the nick of time, and despite most men lusting after her, manages to avoid being taken advantage of by any of her captors. Most unrealistic of all, she and her love interest hold off from jumping each others’ bones for literally years despite knowing how they feel about each other… Still, it mattered not - I was captivated by their adventures, loved the minor characters, enjoyed the snippets of real history and the atmospheric descriptions of the various cities they visit and was hugely entertained for all 700 pages. Recommended for fans of the Outlander and Clan of the Cave Bear series.

[Amy Bruno · Rating 5 out of 5]

Total #bookhangover today! WOW....this book was AMAZING! Full review to come.

[Samantha Sarkar · Rating 3 out of 5]

TLDR: It's not a bad read, but doesn't end with a bang.

This book is so darn thick. My opinion of it went from "this is so epic" to "this is...just ok" about 2/3rds of the way in. The good parts: It starts out in China, weaving an intriguing story of politics, betrayal, love and family within the merchant class of the Khan's court. The story eventually crystallizes around Johanna, granddaughter to Marco Polo in China, and caught in more merchant politics and betrayal that leads to the death of her father and her leaving home to travel the Silk Road and find Marco Polo in the west. As her little travelling group caravans across Asia and the Middle East, the story remains exciting and interesting, with a few gut-wrenching scenes and a fair dose of female characters becoming stronger and learning fighting and trading skills to live safe and free in a man's abusive and polygamist world. However, the troupe soon crosses over to Europe, and this is where the tone of the story changes. I felt certain plot points to have ended quite anticlimactically around this time. The focus of the story was also lost, becoming more of a "rag-tag group of friends has random adventures so a bit of each side-character's backstory is revealed each time" - kinda like an unfocused shounen anime to be honest. The other con of the book is that there are occasional sections that go on and on about the details of their merchant/trading projects, describing markets and haggling endeavours in too much detail that do not add much to the story - I skimmed over these a lot. I will say that there are likeable characters that I became invested in, helping me to continue reading till the end.

[Agnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, you start reading a book (699 pages!) and keep thinking : I've read this before. Then you check the information to find it's a compilation of three of Stabenow's previously published action/ historical fiction stories! But I was hooked and hadn't read the third volume, so kept on.

Stabenow writes with much color and description about the 13th and 14th centuries, so that held my attention. There is repetition with beginning of subsequent books. ( It took 10 days for me to read.) There is lots of action and intrigue; travel experiences and battles; heroes and adversaries. I loved the beautiful teal with gold figures cover and the orange marker ribbon (not found in many volumes today). The map of the ancient world was interesting with the various names for places one can then identify from location.

I disagree with our library's identifying this as mystery, although that is her usual genre, and Stabenow is known for those. It definitely is historical fiction, which she mentions as her interest.

Again, I cannot enter date completed, so it is January 5, 2018.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This epic novel set in the medieval era charts the adventures of Johanna, granddaughter of Marco Polo. When her father dies she sets off along the Silk Road with a few choice companions and then onto western Europe. I thought this might drag in places because it was such a big book but it didn't. The writing was so engaging and there was enough action to keep the reader entertained.

[Sol]

Money Didn't Change Them



After 6 gruelling years and one false start, Silksong has finally come out, and after roughly a month of near no-lifing, I 100%ed it. Did it live up to the unimaginable hype and the shadow of its instant-classic predecessor?

The move from a sampled soundtrack to a real symphony orchestra in the sequel is emblematic of the mindboggling success of Hollow Knight, and Team Cherry's commitment to going all out. Everywhere there are more bells and whistles, both literally and metaphorically. More enemies, more bosses, more areas. Absurd details abound, like the broken robots in the weavenests whirring to brief life as Hornet plays her needolin. Every single flea has a unique trap to free them from. The game is long, even longer than Hollow Knight, which at times felt almost exhaustingly long. Hollow Knight made me think "surely this is the last area" two or three times toward the end of the game, Silksong had me thinking I was near the end one third of the way through. The game is littered with secrets, and I'm absolutely sure I didn't find all of them. Nobody can ever accuse TC of being lazy or cheapskates. If Hollow Knight was only released because they ran out of money, then Silksong is a worthy example of what they can do with infinite money.

And yet, I can feel elements of the sophomore slump. They can't be faulted for stuffing Hollow Knight with all their best ideas. What could compare with "what, are we gonna fight the Sun?" Or is it just my own nostalgia speaking? Are Silksong's bosses really slightly worse, on average? Are the songs really less catchy? Are the NPCs really less iconic? This is a question that history will have to answer. I'd be very interested in hearing the perspective of someone who played Silksong before HK to compare the two.

TC made the very bold move of applying the Lost Levels school of sequel difficulty: Silksong assumes you beat at least the main game of HK and cranks it up from there. Double damage is so common as to almost seem like the default, fairly basic enemies sometimes have movesets as complex as the simpler HK bosses, and the game is riddled with absolutely diabolical traps, trolls and misdirections. Almost every bench must be paid for, so loss of money hurts more than ever. Even more confounding, they messed with the healing system.

The promise of the HK healing system was that as long as you did a little bit of damage, and were a little careful with when you healed, you could start climbing out of whatever hole you were in. It wasn't over until it was over. Silksong's is much swingier. You're either at max health and spamming spells like no tomorrow, or you've got nothing and may as well throw in the towel. Very rarely can you maintain an upward trajectory while regularly taking damage. It actually works as a pretty effective method of characterizing the different protagonists: the Knight, the small but unstoppable force, and Hornet, the skilled yet fragile princess-warrior.

The move from a silent protagonist to a speaking is a very stark change, and they pulled it off well. Hornet is more clearly involved with the story and characters she encounters, and has her own set of opinions on the things and people she encounters. She is polite with those who mistake her for a child, stern with those who disrespect her, and will crawl naked through a field of ice to snap your neck in your sleep if you steal her stuff. Her transformation from remaining in Pharloom purely out of self interest, to doing her damnedest to save the kingdom, is gradual and believable.

AND YET, I feel there was a little more magic to HK's story. There's just no moment of realization comparable to finding out you aren't the Hollow Knight, when it becomes clear there is a story here, and your role in it far from clear. Again, how can you outdo "challenge the Sun?" You can't. Silksong is great, and in some ways superior to Hollow Knight, more polished, but not quite as vital. I still had a great month with it, and eagerly await whatever they do next, even if it takes another 10 years.

There is one area where I feel the game genuinely needs improvement: the third act. Even getting beyond the sheer annoyance of its gimmick, or the sparseness of new and worthwhile things to do in it, finishing it feels unsatisfying in a way that HK didn't, because you can never actually solve the problem at the centre of the game. You must always wake up at a bench just before killing the final boss. This wasn't a problem in HK because the Knight dies in every ending. Obviously you can't do an Earthbound victory lap if you're dead. You can't take part in the world that you save, and that's fine. It was a melancholy ending that left things unsaid. But Hornet does save the world, and obviously would go back and check how everyone's doing now that the world isn't ending and they aren't being manipulated by a sleeping god. By the game's own structure, this is a resolution that we are forever held back from, for no really good reason. That isn't even getting into how Karmelita is like the only good act 3 boss.

Since youtubers haven't yet ossified the collective understanding of the game's lore, here is mine:

In the distant past, Pharloom was a region ruled over by multiple competing kingdoms, one of which had a vast stone citadel which was the site of religious pilgrimage. Grand Mother Silk came to Pharloom, and uplifted the Weavers from arachnid-like animals. They established their weavenests on the outskirts of Pharloom and achieved a high level of magic and technology. One of the Weavers, the First Sinner, discovered that they were not literally the children of GMS, and attempted to rebel, but was imprisoned. The other Weavers plotted against GMS, deciding to use Silk™ and Song® to lull GMS to sleep and imprison her. They altered the citadel's society into a theo-capitalist machine for the sole purpose of keeping GMS permanently subdued, and took over or destroyed all the surrounding kingdoms. Eventually, they realized that she would inevitably escape containment, and all the Weavers fled, with the exception of the mutilated Widow. Control of Pharloom was left in the hands of the Conductors, Architects and Vaultkeepers, who perpetuated the Weavers' false religion. Experiments to infuse bugs with bugs were carried out, attempting to eliminate sickness and death to ensure GMS' eternal sleep. As GMS began awakening, her silk took control of the bugs of Pharloom, almost all of who had some silk within their bodies, manifesting as the Haunting, even resurrecting the dead as puppets. Bugs were sent to far off lands to track down and capture the descendants of Weavers in order to acquire their silk. As the Haunting progressed, Pharloom's society approached total collapse, with most of the citadel's population controlled, and only one each of the Conductors and Architects surviving.

Herrah was one of the Weavers who fled, and she gave birth to Hornet by the Pale King of Hallownest. The Weavers attempted to use Hornet to demonstrate their superiority over the Pale King, while Herrah counselled her to ignore those who would try to control her. The bee queen Vespa trained her in combat, while the White Lady asked forgiveness for her and the Pale King's plan to seal the Radiance. Hornet sympathized with their desire for a better world, and the White Lady showed her the pale flower, the Everbloom, which could ward against the void. The Weavers of Hallownest fled after the Hollow Knight's infection and the kingdom's fall, but Hornet remained as the kingdom's immortal guardian. After the Knight defeated the Radiance within the mind of the Hollow Knight (or the Godseeker?), Hornet was captured and taken to Pharloom, where the Weavers were thought to be long extinct.

Initially only interested in discovering why she was captured, Hornet explores Pharloom and discovers the role of the weavers in its predicament, and becomes emotionally invested in its fate as she meets its inhabitants and other travellers. Hornet fights to the top of the citadel, where she confronts GMS. If she kills and binds GMS within herself, the citadel is enveloped in a massive ball of silk, with Hornet in its centre, sprouting four new limbs, having replaced GMS as Pharloom's god. If Hornet helps enough of Pharloom's inhabitants, the Chapel Maiden, Bell Hermit and Caretaker reveal themselves as incognito snail shamans, and enlist Hornet in setting a trap to suck GMS into the void, allowing Hornet to retain her freedom. GMS attempts to drag Hornet down with her, but Lace saves Hornet and is caught instead. GMS attempts to save Lace's life by weaving a silk cocoon, keeping them alive, and allowing the void to travel up her silk and into Pharloom. The haunted bugs become corrupted by the void, and GMS' screams and struggles threaten to collapse the cavern system of Pharloom. After gathering the hearts of three of Pharloom's former monarchs from their dreams, the snails send Hornet into her own memories, from which she retrieves the Everbloom, the snails dying in the process. She descends into the void, and fights a void-corrupted Lace. After defeating her, GMS gives up her last silk to allow Hornet to escape with Lace. The Everbloom is overcome by the void, and Hornet loses consciousness, but the Knight's shade appears and saves her, returning her to the surface. Lace wakes up and laughs.

At some point, the citadel was transformed from a mass of unadorned stone to the gilded monstrosity seen in the game, but whether this happened under GMS or the Weavers isn't entirely clear. It seems possible it was under GMS, since the First Sinner was imprisoned in the Slab. The Weavers were the ones who created the current false religion to acquire a constant stream of slave-workers for the machines of the citadel.

At some point, the Weavers created Eva, attempting to create their own god, but she was unable to survive outside of the pod she was created in, considered a failure and left behind after they left. At the end of her quest, Eva asks Hornet to bind herself to Hornet, destroying her pod and individual personality, but allowing her to "live" in the outside world within Hornet.

At some point, Widow was mutilated, presumably by the other Weavers, and remained behind or returned to Pharloom after they fled, working to awaken GMS. She cannot create her own silk, but is able to manipulate GMS' silk. It's possible that Widow was the one who organized and ordered the expeditions to capture part-Weavers from various regions.

At some point, GMS created Phantom and Lace, beings made entirely out of silk, dependent on her or the Weavers to survive. For reasons unknown, GMS allowed Phantom to unravel, which contributed to Lace's despair.

Whether Silksong follows after Dream No More or Embrace the Void/Delicate Flower isn't entirely clear. A brief flash of the Shade Lord seen in the true ending and the importance of the pale flower, whose power was established in the latter two would point to those, however, the Hollow Knight survived in those endings and he isn't mentioned once. Not much from the first game is, but considering that Hornet saw him emerge, cured of the infection, you'd think it'd merit one mention like the Pale King gets (the kingsmould journal entry). Is the Hollow Knight replacing Hornet as its eternal guardian? Did he leave Hallownest on his own adventure? Did Hornet kill for some reason?

[Kathy Piselli · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little knowledge was a dangerous thing for me in leaving Stabenow's usual Alaska locale to read her great saga of the Silk Road. For example, I got lost in time because she named a Mongol khan with the same name as a famous one from a century earlier. I got lost in space because a Persian warlord was dressed like a Yemeni with a khanjar stuck in his belt and wore white like a Wahhabi ascetic (check out Eran ud Turan - no white among the upper class). And there was the odd editorial error (a Muslim woman in a Kashgar market should not face east to pray). But once I got my bearings all was well. This was an ambitious series covering the globe from China to England over a period of about three decades and worth tackling. The prose is action-heavy, with sensual descriptions of fighting and horse racing. Some nice bits of language keep the reader in mind of the 14th century: the “mongrel” (half-Chinese Johanna) being described as “indecently tall” by her stepmother, a character's mention of Nasreddin Hoja. I was only sorry there was no Sufi among the travellers. Sometimes the prose is simple and sophmoric, reading like a YA novel, only to slide without warning into a graphic sex scene. The odd bits of description of scenery are sparing, and always stand out. I enjoyed the Head of Zeus production of these three novels into one nicely assembled book. Before buying this, I had read two of the three as separate books, so it was a treat to read all three run together without having to wait in between. The physical production has nice details, like the little paragraph separators and illustrations on the hardcover and slipcover. Definitely the best way to enjoy this series.

[The Idle Woman · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s something about the Silk Road that sparks off a latent dream of adventure deep inside me. One day I’d love to travel through these souks and caravanserais and to visit Samarkand, but for now I have to restrict myself to my imagination. And this wonderful book gave me ample opportunity for that. It’s a sprawling adventure, epic in every way, that crosses the breadth of the known world in the 14th century. Our heroine is Wu Johanna, the remarkable (and fictional) granddaughter of Marco Polo. Like a fairytale heroine, the orphaned Joanna escapes her wicked stepmother – and her ardent suitor – to follow her heart and heritage as a merchant on the trade routes of Asia. Dreaming of finding her grandfather, she presses further and further west with her small but loyal band of friends and family – and one very splendid horse. This is a super book, full of scents and spices and adventure, set in a most unfamiliar period of history, and with a very determined heroine at its heart. It’s a winner on all counts...

For the full review, please see my blog:
https://theidlewoman.net/2018/11/08/s...

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. Ms Stabenow is a great storyteller. (Reminds me of another favorite storyteller, Sharyn McCrumb)Loved her Kate Shugak series and this stand alone story is outstanding! Strong characters mixed with historical figures/events. Enjoy the adventures and travels of Marco Plol granddaughter and her diverse cast of friends.

[Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful epic historical fiction; I knew Stabenow had it in her! Johanna is somewhat practically perfect in every way—men fall in love with her, she has the horse no one else can ride, she manages months in a harem without being raped—but I would expect no less from the granddaughter of Marco Polo.

[Helen Carolan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointed with this one. It started well and her historical setting is wonderfully correct but within a few chapters I was so bored. A little too much like Sharon Penman's books for my liking. This is the story of Marco Polo,s granddaughter as she sets off on an epic trip to find him.

[Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful saga of friends who become a family. From China to England with stops in many exotic places in between, this book held me rapt its entire 700 pages. I am so glad I read this version with all three books in one binding. That way I didn't have to wait to get the next book. Very highly recommended!

[Dianeclb5gmail.Com · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would normally have given this book a 3, but was so stunned by its overall 4 rating, that I lowered my rating to 2 to try to bring the overall number of stars more in line with what I thought was realistic. This is basically a travel novel. It tells the reader of adventures met along the way from point A to point B with many stops between the two. It's a good tale - a good yarn I would better describe it. Unfortunately, the mechanics of the telling--the writing--do not live up to the tale itself. I became bored with too many similarly themed adventures as the book came, finally, to a close. It's a hefty 699 pages, but a quick read nonetheless. I was concerned when I saw the dreaded woman on a horse embellishment on the jacket after taking it out of the library, but the novel wasn't as hokey as that symbol would suggest, although the author does fall back on stale literary conventions much too frequently. Bottom line for me was this. I was home sick and it was an easy read to pick up and put down and pick up again.

[Snowy M. · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I read the premise of this book within the cover flap, upon opening it, I was excited to read about a young lady's adventure towards the West, to meet with her estranged grandfather. It reminded me of my own grandfather. I was excited to get an accurate glimpse of a setting that I am a complete stranger to. The compliment to the prose of Stabenow is true but it takes more than that to achieve a good product.

Needless to say, I am thoroughly disappointed, so disappointed that I dropped it after 103 pages into my reading.

Here's why:
Dana Stabenow does not understand how to write biracial characters. She portrays westerners having such strong genes that their traits dominate those of Chinese decent for two generations. You're telling me Johanna hardly inherited her grand mother's or father's features? She is mostly White, not that I have a problem with that. My issue is that this character seems like an excuse to put a White woman in an Oriental costume and call it a day. I wish Johanna had a realistic blend of traits from both mother and father. I'm not saying that it's unrealistic to be a mostly White presenting Asian.

There is also an issue in how others are described versus Johanna or her mother. Asian-presenting women are described as sharp, cunning, and vindictive cutthroats. Meanwhile, Johanna is this White westerner-presenting outcast, beautiful, misunderstood, pure, and possibly a "pick-me". It is implied that she is better than other women or more intriguing when other men's thoughts are revealed through the writing. It makes sense, considering the time, but it could have been written better.

Speaking of men's thoughts on Johanna, the scene between her and Edyk is gross. Why did Stabenow have to write straight up smut for 4-5 pages? I am not kidding. I kept checking each page, from around number 85 through 90 to see when the unnecessary sex scene would end. I wish sex scenes would be treated the way her parents' was treated. Please just refer to it in a classy manner and continue with the story and the dialogue between characters.

I hated the sex scenes so much that I immediately came up with the jab: "Dana Stabenow, more like Dana 'Stab-Me-Now', am I right?" I am tired of reading smut when I just want to read a rich story. Romance is fine, but it is incredibly awkward to me if sex starts taking up multiple pages. What is the purpose to delve this deeply into one's sex life?

I will give credit to one thing, at least she is not made out to be a virgin who only saves herself for the main lover, whom I assume will be Jaufre. Johanna breaks that trope at least.

Also, Johanna is a little boring to me. I felt more attached to her grandfathers, her mother and her father. I do not feel anything towards Johanna. All I know is that she's stubborn and has "lysomme legs". I also hated the way her father's character was treated near the end of his life, but I guess it is a little realistic, considering the time.

I saw someone criticizing how Stabenow writes Muslims and from the little that I have read, it is a little weird. It gives me the impression that she is writing based off of vague Wikipedia descriptions and her own assumptions after watching how Western films always portrayed Muslims as uneducated, or savage desert bandits.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a compilation of 3 books Stabenow previously wrote. It is the story of Johanna, granddaughter of Marco Polo. The tale begins in 1292 while Polo still resides in Cambaluc(what we know as The Forbidden City), then follows the life of, first her mother and father and then Johanna after she loses them both. With only 2 dear foster siblings left to trust, Johanna flees down the Silk Road she traveled so many times with her parents.The journey spans over 3 decades and is rife with battles and intrigue. There was a bit of everything in this book: history, mystery and romance(beware: the author dives into raving sex scenes once or twice, but they can be avoided.)

I really enjoyed reading this and I am glad I had the 3 books together I would have been antsy waiting to finish the story. There was a decent glossary at the back, but I think it could have been better. Also, the author gets a bit snarky in one of then entries("my book, my rules") and I did not like it.

I wanted to give the book 5 stars, but I found too many areas and cultures that should have been researched more, or the editor should have stepped in and made corrections. My review Ms. Stabenow-My Rules!

[Juniper Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Silk and Song is the collected trilogy of Wu Johanna, the (fictional) great grand daughter of Ghengis Khan, and the Granddaughter of Marco Polo. Born in China in the early 1300’s Johanna knows a life of relative freedom and luxury as she serves as her father’s right hand woman in his trading empire that spans the eastern Silk Road. When he dies suddenly, Johanna’s freedom, spirit and very life become at risk. She escapes with her companions, a disgraced Templar’s son and a medicine woman to the Road itself, on a mission to reunite with her Grandfather, Marco Polo in Venice.

I really enjoyed this one. Sometimes historical fiction takes on a dry edge or doesn’t give enough context, and the author rises that line really well. The descriptions of the places Johanna visits are gorgeous and vivid, and the character feel real enough to touch. I also loved the historical representation of a lesbian couple and a gender non conforming person who join Johanna’s quest. So often queer stories aren’t seen in historical fiction, and I appreciated it. I really felt like I entered this world, and I really loved it

[Larkspur & Poppy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Silk and Song is a great easy read. For a reader that likes really intense and involved plots I found this book very simple and straight forward. It follows a caravan headed west faced with many challenges along the way. The protagonists are likeable (and lucky...). I would have liked to see more drama and a little more misfortune. The plot was predictable almost at every turn I was able to see what was going to happen before it happened, I also thought there were too many saves in the action scenes. For a book that was 700 pages it never really kept me up at night or gripping the pages aside for leisure. Definitely a great book for someone searching for something simple. I didn't get stuck in ruts necessarily, as scenes and events change often enough that I didn't skip ahead or anything. I loved how much I learned about history in the novel even though this is not a historical novel. It is interesting enough to have finished, but I wouldn't prefer to buy it since I loaned it from the library.
Larkspur and Poppy

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[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

The imagery is rich and vivid, and that kept things interesting and moving along. It was such a welcome change to read a book from east to west. However, the main character, Johanna has so little character development, and the problems she encounters have agonizingly predictable outcomes, that the plot is kind of dull. Nothing really bad happens to her which would spur on a transformation of her character and I was disappointed by the end that she is essentially the same person: stoic and calculated. Her horse, North Wind, never loses a race, Johanna was bound to dive and win the ring in Venice, and I never doubted she would escape whatever lame peril laid before her. All of her plan work every time. I’d describe the story arc as flat. The supporting characters are more likable, especially the maternal Shasha or Hari or Firas. Contrasted with the overdone, singularly logic-based female protagonist who is just another version of Katniss Everdeen or Triss Prior, I was not a huge fan of Johanna. Her motives seem so arbitrary, unexplainable, and unrealistic. Meh. 2.5.

[Katie Whitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was reluctant to read this book at first, since it's so long and I have I so many other things to read, but I'm glad that I did! This book has everything-action, adventure, romance, humor, heartbreak, the whole spectrum! A lot of times books either have great characters or awesome settings, but this book has it all. I cared about the characters and the settings were varied and amazing. I love historical fiction that highlights times and places that I'm not aware of, although I don't know how true this story is. Normally I can't do standard romances in books, but the one in this story was actually really well done and realistic-the female character isn't a helpless virgin who pines for some emotionally unavailable man, they're actually friends who have a long history together so you're genuinely rooting for them to get together. I will definitely be reading anything she puts out in the future and I'm hopeful that she'll continue this story!

[Felicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love epic and exotic adventures set in long ago times and far away lands, you would probably enjoy this book. A fictional account of the granddaughter of Marco Polo who travels from Cathay (historical name for China) all the way to England - on the Silk Road, through desert and treacherous mountain passes, fighting bandits, trading in markets along to way, surviving a harem, to Venice, through France and across the channel to England - it’s certainly an adventure of epic proportions and definitely Romantic (with a capital R).

I thoroughly enjoyed it for the imagery it evoked, the colourful cast of characters, my absolute favourite being the temperamental but spirited and loyal horse. It meanders a little, which sometimes affects the pacing, but paints a vivid world for the reader to soak in and enjoy. After all, shouldn’t all good adventures have some distractions?

[Eliece · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. The only thing I didn't like about it was it's unwieldiness. It was heavy and hard to hold, especially when reading in bed. I think it was originally published as 3 separate books in 2014 and 2015. I wish I had been able to read them instead of this tome.
I loved how the author wrote sort of tongue-in-cheek, or as if she were winking at the reader. The story was excellent and so was her writing. I have read every Kate Shugak book, as well as the Liam books, and I had this book sitting around for weeks before I started it, thinking I couldn't possibly like it as well as those. I was wrong. Even though it was so different from those series, I was enthralled with it. 50 years ago, I read mostly historical fiction. This book made me remember why.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Transportation is one of the themes of this novel-without it no one could travel the thousands of miles covered here-and Stabenow transported me to the little known world of the 14th century China and beyond.

The heroine, presented as Johanna, the granddaughter of Marco Polo sets out on a journey to find safety and profit, as well as to meet her grandfather. Along the way she encounters various villains as well as comrades who become a second family. Betrayals and derring-do abound, as well as love and battles.

All in all, a very satisfactory read, along the lines of the old fashioned sagas we grew up with. This is a UK version of 3 three books published separately here, but it works very well in one volume.

[Sue Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had read all of Dana Stabenow's Kate Shugak series and enjoyed them so when this was spotted in the library it was greeted with joy. This story is quite different to her previous stories set in Alaska. This is more of a medieval road story of a trip from China to England in the 14th century. On reading that I was even more intrigued, plus the endorsement by Diana Gabaldon, whose books I love.
I enjoyed this book a lot, but not as much as Gabaldon's Outlander series,therefore 4 stars rather than 5, and I found I couldn't stop comparing the two. Stabenow's characters are not as strong and somehow the story doesn't flow quite as well, nor the background research appear to be so deep, but nevertheless well worth a read.

[ClaraL · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful blend of Asian and Western history and culture in an action packed storyline that is richly written and allows one to envision clearly the scenes as a trader along the Silk Road. The storyline is entertaining and easy to follow and is one of those rare books that manage to successfully capture the struggles and joys of life trading along the Silk Road. Every single character that joins the Wu Company has their own backstory and comes from a different culture and yet, they manage to work together so well and get on well despite the cultural and religious differences that each of their individual upbringing has cultivated.

I bought this book on a whim at an airport and never expected to enjoy it so much! Well done, Miss Stabenow, well done indeed.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Silk & Song is a 3 book Trilogy.
The 3 books are about the long, treacherous journey Johanna & her friends take as they travel the Silk Road from China to Venice to find her grandfather, Marco Polo. The only family Johanna has left are her friends who make up the Wu Company.
The author, Dana Stabenow is an amazing storyteller. I love the rich prose she uses while telling the story. I was so intrigued with the storyline that I would disappeared into the story with the characters in the book. Johanna is very believable with a bold and strong personality much like Kate's. Hats off to you, Dana Stabenow.

[Eric Bruce · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had 2 questions when I came across this book : firstly, what was an established crime writer doing in historical fiction ? secondly , could she hold my interest for 700 pages in the way that James Clavell , Nelson deMille and Stephen King have in the past ? The story is about Marco Polo's grand-daughter and her travels in the 14th century from China to England as a trader and jockey [yes, just like Hollie Doyle }. My previous knowledge of Marco Polo came from an old Gary Cooper movie and I didn't know he had a grand-daughter . Anyway , the book was really enjoyable and a sanitized version could be made into a Disney cartoon.

[Yasmina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in ancient China during the 1300s, "Silk and Song" centers around Johanna, the Chinese granddaughter of Marco Polo. Her parents both traders die when she is 16. She needs to quickly leave China after her parents death. She decides to go to Venice to find her grandfather, Marco Polo. As she travels she assembles a ragtag group of individuals. Stabenow's description of the ancient world is well written and detailed. She captures the sights, smells, sounds, and wonders of the lands. Unfortunately the characters are two dimensional and the plot is predictable.