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Son of Venice (Daughter of Xanadu #2)

by Dori Jones Yang (Goodreads Author)

4.0 of 5 stars 4.00 · rating details · 8 ratings · 5 reviews

Sequel to Daughter of Xanadu, this novel continues the story of Marco Polo and Emmajin, granddaughter of Khubilai Khan, after the Great Khan sends her on a voyage to the West.

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Published June 12th 2012 by East West Insights

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2012 READS THAT YOU'D KILL TO HAVE ATM!! (Not literally children=P)

85th out of 86 books — 93 voters

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Jun 21, 2012 Norelle Done rated it 4 of 5 stars

Son of Venice picks up a few months after Daughter of Xanadu (it's prequel) ended. Marco Polo and Emmajin are preparing to head west toward Venice with the Khan’s army, when Marco hears an ominous foretelling of their journey from a local shaman. Where Daughter of Xanadu was told in Emmajin’s voice, Son of Venice alternates between her and Marco Polo as narrators, creating an interesting dynamic.

Plot: Son of Venice really is a sequel book. The plot could totally stand alone, but readers wouldn’t...more Son of Venice picks up a few months after Daughter of Xanadu (it's prequel) ended. Marco Polo and Emmajin are preparing to head west toward Venice with the Khan’s army, when Marco hears an ominous foretelling of their journey from a local shaman. Where Daughter of Xanadu was told in Emmajin’s voice, Son of Venice alternates between her and Marco Polo as narrators, creating an interesting dynamic.

Plot: Son of Venice really is a sequel book. The plot could totally stand alone, but readers wouldn’t have a good grasp on Emmajin and Marco’s relationship without having read Daughter of Xanadu. That being said, I loved the plot in Son of Venice. Actions and twists seemed natural, but not predictable. It is an exciting and interesting story.

Characters: I really enjoyed getting to know and understand Marco Polo in this book. It was interesting to alternate perspectives between him and Emmajin, because her point of view was definitely necessary too. Yang’s portrayal of Marco Polo brings his character and personality to life, and it really feels like that’s how Polo could have been in reality. I also liked the subtle side-romance between Emmajin’s cousin and her servant, but I felt like that should have had more depth to really allow the reader to relate to those characters and what happens to them. Although it works just fine for being a young adult novel, I have to admit that I was a little disappointed in the lack of much development into the villains of the book. I would have liked to learn more about Ai-Jaruk and Prince Shirki.

Setting: At some points, you can almost smell the fermented mare’s milk, the felt huts, and the sweat Yang depicts as the common scents of nomadic Mongolian life, but at most times, I just felt like I was floating above the places Emmajin and Marco were traveling though. I didn’t really feel drawn into the setting with this book, but at the same time, there were some critical moments where I could close my eyes and feel like I was right with the characters.

Originality: I’ve never read another book like it, except, of course Daughter of Xanadu. Dori does a great job of spinning a skin and muscle onto the long ago tales of Marco Polo, and getting into the complication of a cross-cultural romance in those early times.

Style: Even though it was an ARC/proof copy, I didn’t notice any glaring spelling or grammatical errors.

Having read both Daughter of Xanadu (the prequel) and this one, I felt like there was more meat and action in Son of Venice. I was drawn into the story and found myself anxious for both characters as they struggled through the book, controlling their forbidden love for one another, dealing with family politics and betrayals, and navigating the cross-cultural and social differences they each face.

I would definitely recommend it as an exciting and interesting read for young adults and just plain adults, alike!(less)

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May 03, 2012 Cass - Words on Paper marked it as top-wishlist

Shelves: 2012-release, historical-ya, sequels-series, author-love

OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!!

I feel like Daughter of Xanadu was like this really rare gem, and I've been giddy about the prospect of a sequel since Dori first announced it. And now there's a cover, a title, and a release date!

My only question now is HOW CAN I GET A COPY?

http://www.eastwestinsights.com/index...

WHYYYYYYY AMAZON ONLY? :'( I WILL find a way to obtain this. I must!

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Jun 17, 2012 Dori added it · (Review from the author)

Hope you love this sequel to Daughter of Xanadu! Every other chapter is told in the point of view of the romantic young Marco Polo and Emmajin, fictional granddaughter of Khubilai Khan.

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Aug 26, 2012 Joan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, young-adult

Son of Venice, the sequel to Daughter of Xanadu, takes the reader on a fascinating trek west along the Silk Road with Emmajin (the fictional granddaughter of Khubilai Khan) and Marco Polo. I thoroughly enjoyed this creative tale of a forbidden cross-cultural romance. Having the chapters alternate between Marco’s and Emmajin’s perspectives added an interesting element to the story. The exciting and believable plot transports the reader into the Mongolian culture of the thirteenth century. I highl...more

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Feb 23, 2013 Ri rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: silk-road

Okay this was amazing.

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About Dori Jones Yang

Author of Daughter of Xanadu, a historical novel about a fictional granddaughter of Khubilai Khan, and its sequel, Son of Venice, A Story of Marco Polo. A former Business Week correspondent in Hong Kong, Dori also wrote Pour Your Heart Into It: How Starbucks Built a Company One Cup at a Time and a children's book, The Secret Voice of Gina Zhang. For more, see www.dorijonesyang.com.

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