Daughters of the Silk Road

by Debbie Rix

"'She crossed over to the shelf where her father kept the dragon vase. He had placed it there when they first arrived in Venice. She took it down carefully, feeling it cool and comforting under her shaking fingers.'"

Venice 1441: Maria and her brother Daniele arrive in the birthplace of their father, Niccolo dei Conti. An Italian merchant who has travelled far and wide, Niccolo has brought spices from India, lengths of silk and damask from the lands east of India and porcelain; a vase of pure white, its surface decorated with a cobalt blue dragon, the Chinese symbol of good fortune.

Maria settles in her new home, watching the magnificent and bustling city come to life each morning from her bedroom window. But while her father is away travelling, she soon finds herself and Daniele in terrible danger. She must protect her brother at whatever cost, and she "must" guard the delicate vase.

London 2015: Single mother Miranda is struggling to make ends meet and build a new life for her and daughter Georgie. When Miranda meets the charming but mysterious Charles, she is intrigued. Could he be her second chance at love? And why is he so fascinated by the old vase sitting on her hall table...

A stunning and richly evocative story following the journey of a precious family treasure passed down from one generation to another. Perfect for fans of Dinah Jefferies and Kate Morton.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Italy, Historical

346 pages, Paperback

First published April 15, 2016

About the author

I started writing novels after a long career in broadcasting and journalism. My first novel - The Girl with Emerald Eyes (originally published as 'Secrets of the Tower' in March 2015), is set in two time zones - the modern day and 12th century. It explores the extraordinary woman who left the money to build the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
My second novel: Daughters of the Silk Road follows the journey of a family of merchant explorers who return to Venice from China with a Ming Vase. The book again straddles two time zones.
The Silk Weaver's Wife was published in 2017 and is set in the world of the Italian silk industry. The period story follows the journey of a young Veronese woman who is forced into an abusive marriage. The modern heroine uncovers her remarkable story.
My last two novels are set in 20th century. 'The Photograph' tells the story of Hungarian refugee Rachael who escapes to London from Budapest in 1956. Travelling to Sardinia with her archaeologist father, she meets the man who will change her life. Meanwhile in 2018, her anthropologist grand-daughter Sophie is struggling with infertility. As their two stories intertwine, Sophie uncovers her grandmother's secret.
My latest novel: 'The Secret Letter' is due out on 22nd July. It explores the lives of two young girls in the 2nd world war - Imogen separated from her parents as an evacuee, and Magda who is determined to fight the Nazi regime. Their lives are brought together by a young RAF pilot. The story is based in part on the extraordinary experiences of my father who escaped a German prisoner of war camp at the end of the war.
I live in Kent with my family, four cats and chickens.

Reviews

[Renita D'Silva · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Debbie Rix's debut - it was one of my favourite books of the year and I was eagerly awaiting her next one. And this book! Wow! It deserves ten stars, twenty! Fabulous writing, immaculately researched, this book takes us on a fascinating journey through time and into the lives of many generations of one family. This book is a masterpiece much like the vase at its the centre. Loved every page and every colourful character. This book made me laugh, cry and cheer, it made me gasp in admiration and awe at the clever prose and the brilliantly constructed and researched tale with its myriad twists and turns. Every character was wonderful but I absolutely ADORED Miranda and loved her relationship with Georgie. Loved, loved, loved this book. This author seems to go from strength to strength and I absolutely cannot wait for her next book.

[Sarah White · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was our book club read for this month and I have to admit that I took one look at the front cover, and 'definitely not for me' was my initial reaction. I even contemplated not reading it after slogging through The Secret History, however, I'm so glad I did. It's a beautufully written story that cleverly interweaves a families history from the 1400s to present day. The Ming vase aspect was also something that I wasn't particularly interested in, yet it becomes a central aspect if the story without becoming stuffy or tedious. Yes, it was a little 'twee' in places but it wasn't filled with 'Mills and Boon' style sentiments like I initially envisaged! like historical fiction so this is probably why I enjoyed it so much, but felt it deserved a review after my initial trepidation from the (terrible) front cover!

[nikkia neil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks Bookouture and netgalley for this ARC.

I Loved Debbie Dix's first book, and I love this one even more. We have tension in the present, trouble in the past, and mystery in the future. A Ming vase is a the center of the mystery and mystical in this wonderful novel.

[Megalion · Rating 3 out of 5]

The title and synopsis presents an intriguing premise. A story about a girl and a mysterious dragon vase.

Turns out it's about a woman in modern day who has just inherited the vase from her great aunt. The story switches back and forth between her and the saga of the dragon vase starting from when it left Japan. Given in care of a merchant to be delivered to a king as a present from the Japanese emperor.

So we alternate between current day and the epic saga of the girls through whose hands the vase passes through the generations.

A nice added touch were brief interludes about how porcelain is made.

Just one problem. Assume for a minute that we, the readers, have arrived to a huge estate with a rich historical past. Our tour guide is an elderly professor. He definitely knows his history and tells a good story. Except, he easily is distracted and ends up often wandering absent minded through the grounds and his narrative. A couple times even gets tangled up in reciting parts so briefly that it's like an oral version of the family's genealogy.

It didn't make the book unreadable. Just... odd. It's more than just a 3 star which translates as "ok but nothing special". But not quite a 4, "good! I enjoyed it thoroughly". Yet I'm not even sure if it's a 3.5.

Which I realize makes me like the professor in my analogy.

If you are the kind of reader that enjoys lighter fare in your genres, you will probably like this.

I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

[Mirella · Rating 4 out of 5]

This enchanting story revolves around a precious Ming vase acquired in the 15th century by a shipping merchant to give as a gift to the Doge of Venice. Circumstances and some bad luck prevent the vase from leaving the family. Through the centuries the vase was handed down through the generations of the same family, bringing good fortune to its current owner. In the year 2015, the vase is owned by Miranda, a struggling single mother, who is unaware of the vase's true, precious value. She meets and succumbs to the charms of a man named Charles and readily gives her heart to him. But he is not all that he seems.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I especially loved the 15th century setting; it was beautifully written and very emotive. I was no less impressed with the portions of the story that dealt with Miranda. In fact, it definitely tugged at several of my emotions, anger being one of them. And rightly so. When a story can draw so many emotions from a reader, you can be certain that it is an excellent tale! Intrigue, betrayal, and abiding friendship are strong themes. I look forward to reading more by this author! A lovely read. Highly recommended.

Thank you to the author and publisher. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for visiting my blog, http://greathistoricals.blogspot.ca, where the greatest historical fiction is reviewed! For fascinating women of history bios and women's fiction please visit http://www.historyandwomen.com.

[Janni_B · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book quite enjoyable.

There are two main threads to the story - a mother and daughter in present day London, struggling a bit financially, and a brother and sister in 15th century Venice. A white porcelain vase decorated with a blue dragon links the two stories.

There is a lot packed into the book. The author must have undertaken a lot of research, especially in respect of the historical part of the story, and has cleverly linked the stories.

From a personal point of view, I think I preferred the present day story and characters (even although my suspicions about one character proved correct). Although I didn't dislike the historical side, sometimes I felt I was simply reading about a series of past events and that I was just an 'outsider' looking in. I didn't really feel caught up in some parts of the story. I would have liked a bit more dialogue. (Purely a personal preference).

I think fans of historical fiction will like this book and there is romance too!

[I read an advance copy provided by NetGalley and Bookouture].

[Sue Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this as an arc from net galley in exchange for an honest review.
She crossed over to the shelf where her father kept the dragon vase. He had placed it there when they first arrived in Venice. She took it down carefully, feeling it cool and comforting under her shaking fingers.
Wow. Fantastic read.
CNPID.
I loved the story and the characters.
I loved Miranda.
She was my favourite character.
I did not like Charles.
I loved how went back so we found out how the vase came to be.
I liked the ending too.
It was perfect.
Lovely moving read.
Highly recommended.
5 *.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Multiculturalism 16th - 21st century

The story starts from the farthest ends of the spectrum of this time span and finally rejoins in 21st century Britain.
Two centuries after Marco Polo's groundbreaking exploration, a young Venetian, barely 18, leaves his home to travel the world. He travels through the Middle East, learning Arabic and Farsi, then goes into India, where he meets and falls in love with a young woman who is an unparalleled beauty. His love is reciprocated; they marry; and they eventually have 4 children. They travel to China next, then known as Further India. The children are what we would call homeschooled, and the family travels as they wish. They trade, first, the young man by himself, then his wife, and his children learn about the business as they go. Eventually, they head back home, trading goods in hand, as well as gifts from the Emperor to the Doge. Also, while they were in China, so alike in beauty were the wife and the oldest daughter that both a famous Chinese painter and the Emperor himself ask to paint them. The emperor was one of the few known as a very good artist. One copy goes home with them as a gift, the one the Emperor painted.
As they travel back to Venice with their faithful servants, the man takes on the persona of a Persian merchant, a role he actually fulfilled on his way to the far East. When they arrive in Egypt, however, his ruse is discovered and the family and their 2 household servants are arrested, and no reason is given for their arrest. Finally, their case is brought up and they're told they must convert to Islam. This is not an issue for them. The young man was raised Roman Catholic, but had studied other religions along the way; his Indian wife was a Muslim; he was used to her practices; and he willingly converts (I must interject here that it must have required something more then than it does now; kids are often taught about Islam in American schools, and quite often, they are forced, if they wish to pass the unit, to recite the Shahada..and currently, this is the only thing which needs to be done to convert - which is an issue, because once one recites the Shahada, today, they're automatically considered a Muslim, and in stricter Sharia circles, if they are already attending a religious observance that is not Islam, returning to that observace in these stricter circles will, in the eyes of extremists, mean they are apostate, and apostates in Islam are targeted for death by more extreme factions...hence my surmise that conversion in the 15th century must have required more than saying the Shahada). Once they're released, the man's youngest son, a toddler, gets very sick and dies, amd so does one of the other children, and the man's wife, plus the 2 loyal servants. He manages to avoid sickness by covering his face and isolating the sick away from the healthy. He takes the 5 bodies into the desert and buries them under some rocks. The illness? Bubonic plague, which makes other appearances in the book. 0nce the man is sure he will not himself sicken, he rejoins his 2 remaining children. At their insistence, he returns with them to the burial site, then they continue to Venice, rent a home, hire servants, and the man is immediately in trouble with the Pope for apostasy for converting to Islam. Once he explains the circumstances, he gets a deal: forgiveness in exchange for a tale of his adventures, observations, findings, etc., from his trip. He is away for a long time, but the daughter is a capable household manager. The explorer has given a young man a chance, one who excels in his studies, catching up to and surpassing his master's son. This eventaully results in a lot of problems for the family, but they adapt and survive.
The story of the family is followed to the present day, while the story of their modern day descendants is interjected at intervals until the stories meet. Throughout the story is the tale of a porcelain vase created for the doge that is supposed to bring good luck. It's the unifying thread.
The book is fascinating. The explorer and his 2 surviving children are real, and there is a list in the back of the book that traces the names of the real people included in the story. The rest is fiction, but very well written. Well worth the time to read.

[Emma Crowley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed last years début from Debbie Rix :Secrets of the Tower. She took us to a time in history which I hadn't read before and I think that's what sets her apart from authors writing in the historical fiction genre. She takes a little known topic or just a brief period in history or even an object and uses it as the foundation for her story and then goes on to write an amazing book rich in detail and filled with characters you are rooting for. To say I was eagerly awaiting her second novel would be an understatement and when the cover for Daughters of the Silk Road was unveiled on Twitter it seemed so lavish and perfect for the era the story was based on. Again she uses a dual time frame as the centre of her story in this case modern day London and firstly Venice in the 1400's later moving to Holland. The author deftly weaves a tale between the time periods that geled well together. I had recently read a book using the dual time frame format and in that case the old and new elements of the story didn't gel well together. Rather they read as two separate stories but here Debbie has done a masterful job of allowing the connections to come together across hundreds of years. The most prominent connection being a Ming vase first given to a traveller/merchant/explorer Niccolo dei Conte. This vase plays a crucial role in the tale that unfolds. Immediately I had plenty of questions and was keen to discover just how a vase from the Ming dynasty ended up on a hall table of a house in Sheen London in the modern day? Why was it there and what adventures and secrets could it tell if enough digging and searching ensued?

The book is dived into three distinct parts and the chapters take us back and forth between present day London and to where ever the vase may be at the time in the past. In London Miranda is a single mum to 15 year old Georgie.Divorced from husband Guy she works part time in a struggling bookshop and has a small knitting business on the sidelines. But as with woman who have an ex who doesn't pay what he should Miranda is struggling to pay the bills. She longs to give Georgie the luxuries any teenager deserves instead of scrapping together dinners from a near empty fridge in the hopes they will last a day or two. Miranda had inherited a vase from her Great Aunt Celia on her death and it now sits on the hall table a place to throw keys or unwanted bits of paper that Miranda can't bare to look at. One day into the bookshop comes enigmatic Charlie Davenport an antiques collector and dealer.He buys a rare edition of a book and catches Miranda's eye. She hasn't felt that spark in years and can hardly imagine that such a man would have any interest in her. But stranger things have happened and soon Charlie has integrated himself into the family. Miranda can hardly believe her luck that love may be around the corner for her. But one question remains why does Charlie have such an interest in the old vase that Miranda really never wanted it? After all it really is only a dust collector but she can't part with it because of her Aunt. Miranda despite struggling financially seemed to have a wise head on her shoulders so I can't fathom why she didn't feel that Charlie was too good to be true. I felt he wasn't all that and that maybe he had ulterior motives. Miranda's story and connection to the vase proved interesting but it really was the travels of the vase in the past that intrigued me the most.


Initially I did think the story would focus just on Maria dei Conte and her family in and around the 1440's but instead Debbie set herself a huge task of tracing the history of the vase for several hundred years. But I have to say she nailed it in all aspects as there must have been an incredible amount of research undertaken particularly into the history of Venice and Antwerp and all the trade routes with the mysterious East. The sights, sounds, smells and hustle and bustle of the cities and areas mentioned in the book just jump off the pages. Debbie's way with words made the story come to life. My only fault is that as we jumped further into the future and successive generations it did slightly become repetitive and I did become confused as to who was who and how they all connected back to a person. I had to put this out of my mind and just enjoy the journey of the vase with the question ever burning in the back of my mind just how could a vase brought to Europe in 1441 end up in a London house in 2015. Maria is the daughter of Niccolo dei Conte returning from the East with his family after many years of travel bringing with him with goods and gifts from the Emperor amongst those vase with a picture of a dragon- a vase which supposedly brings good luck to all those who have it with them. Devastation strikes when Maria's mother and two siblings are struck with the plague in Egypt. Maria , her father and brother Daniele are all that are left and must forge a new life for themselves in Venice- the island built upon the sea. Having never visited Venice or any of the cities featured in the book I felt the author brought the places to life and really did an excellent job of describing the history, customs and sights. I got to know more about the cities in the past so vastly different from what they are now and it made me realise just how far we have come in all aspects of our lives including travel, buying and selling, the day to day running of households and also in medicine. Maria's story proved the most fascinating to me and I wish it could have gone on longer but the author knew the book needed to be kept moving forward to keep the reader engaged.


Maria settles into her life in Venice even though her father must go away to tell the story of his travels. She looks after Daniele and explores the markets and waterways even meeting a merchant named Peter Haas. You could tell straight-away that the pair had a connection and were made to come together despite all the obstacles that may arrive in their path. One thing that struck me about Venice at the time was the number of convents and just who was placed in them and what the nuns got up to. You couldn't imagine anything like that happening now. I wouldn't call it being liberal but my god that certainly put themselves at risk and in this story one convent in particular had a crucial role to play. What happened next had me very very angry at the injustice of it all and all because of jealousy and bitterness. The scenes on an island were powerful and realistic but made me even more angry at what Maria goes through despite her strength, courage and love.She was was forced to endure things no one should witness. One thing that shone through in this book was the power of love and family connections. It was highlighted perfectly down through the generations and also how one object even if the legend or belief behind it can give people hope in times of trouble and strife. As I've said I'd have loved more of Maria's story but the author needed to show the reader what happened to the vase and although it was interesting enough the connections and family generations became a bit muddled for me and I lost track. The later half of the book had a mystery element missing even though it was very much present in Miranda's story. We also seemed to stop around 1650 which left a significant gap to explain and I felt this was rushed considering all the previous detail we had read about. The author had put so much effort into the sections set in the past but then realised I have written x amount of words and I need to wrap this up and establish the connection with the present.

That said I really did enjoy this book although I think Secrets of the Tower slightly edges out Daughters of the Silk Road but that is just my personal preference. Both stories came to life on the pages and having the vase as the object of connection across the generations was a clever idea that had me hooked for the majority of the book. Now having read two books from Debbie Rix she has proven to me just what a storyteller she is as she takes her readers on a journey through the past to a time that should not be forgotten.This book is beautifully crafted novel full of secrets, love, friendship and family bonds with a few elements of not so nice character traits of people thrown in. Definitely one not to be missed.

[Bookfan36 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brief synopsis from the book cover:
‘She crossed over to the shelf where her father kept the dragon vase. He had placed it there when they first arrived in Venice. She took it down carefully, feeling it cool and comforting under her shaking fingers.’

Venice 1441: Maria and her brother Daniele arrive in the birthplace of their father, Niccolo dei Conti. An Italian merchant who has travelled far and wide, Niccolo has brought spices from India, lengths of silk and damask from the lands east of India and porcelain; a vase of pure white, its surface decorated with a cobalt blue dragon, the Chinese symbol of good fortune.

Maria settles in her new home, watching the magnificent and bustling city come to life each morning from her bedroom window. But while her father is away travelling, she soon finds herself and Daniele in terrible danger. She must protect her brother at whatever cost, and she must guard the delicate vase.

London 2015: Single mother Miranda is struggling to make ends meet and build a new life for her and daughter Georgie. When Miranda meets the charming but mysterious Charles, she is intrigued. Could he be her second chance at love? And why is he so fascinated by the old vase sitting on her hall table…
My rating:

Plot: 5 out of 5 stars
Writing: 4 out of 5 stars
Character development: 4 out of 5 stars
Overall: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Recommended for readers of:

General Fiction
Historical Fiction
Family Saga’s

Review:

This book is written over and dual time line and tells a families’ history through a family heirloom a Ming vase. The vase passes on from one generation to another. One timeline is set in the past and explains how the vase was acquired and tells the story of the different generations who had the vase in their possession.. The other timeline is set in the present and tells the story of the current owner of the vase.

The story is beautifully written, very captivating, it takes you on a journey through time and around the world from 14th century China and Venice through 17th and 18th century Holland and ends in present day England. The characters are well depicted and their actions are described in great details which made them easy to relate to. I thought the plot based around the vase was both interesting and original. I particular liked the bits that explained the process of making a Ming vase. Overall this is a nicely written story with interesting characters that transports you away to another place and time.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daughters of the Silk Road: A beautiful and epic novel of family, love, and the secrets of a Ming Vase is by Debbie Rix. This is a remarkable novel that grabs hold of you and won’t let go. Debbie Rix has a remarkable way with words that allows the reader to go back in time and feel he/she is actually there in ancient Venice. I did not want the story to end.
The story is told from two different eras, one is the present and the other is in the 1170’s and beyond. It follows the path of a family as they go through their lives and grow their families and their businesses. The one thing that binds them together through all the centuries is a white vase with a blue dragon swirling around it. Ironically, no one seems to worry about how much it is worth through the centuries. It is a sentimental vase that is passed down through the family along with a family tree.
It finally lands in the possession of Miranda Sharp. Miranda is a divorced mother raising her daughter, Georgia on a very small salary. She manages to make ends meet; but it is difficult. However, she and Georgie get along well. Miranda had received a box of items from her Aunt Celia as her inheritance. Her aunt thought she would appreciate them for their sentimental value more than actual value. Thinking nothing of the items, she put them on her shelves and went on with her life. The vase was a catchall in the hall and she kept flowers in it occasionally. It nearly fell every time Georgie put her coat on the rack; but it never did. It wasn’t until an unscrupulous man came into their lives that the vase became important.
The novel follows both families in their own time periods until time intersects. The story is delightful and well-told. It is definitely a novel to read and cherish.

[Kirsten Jaster · Rating 1 out of 5]

After a 2 books by author the 3rd is the same

What I assume is a idea to have strong independent women main characters...quickly shows you how flat out stupid they are. In this book lead character is frankly surrounded by dumb folks and a .com artist you can see from miles away. So much hype in the book about an object to get to the last bit where it's suddenly a cursed object then back to luck... Epic....Epic of dumbness and in the end...family has to many skeletons rattling lost. Now the writer does a nice job of writing, and a great way with words...she just had idiots for characters. I'm all the books so far. Oh...and I'm every book.some man has to save the "strong independent woman" from her stupidity. It's a romance trope. Cheer up lots of tropes in this authors books, might be why she sells a lot...for the brain dead beach reads we all pick them wonder why we have.

[Joy Ramlogan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Darting from 2016 in London where Miranda is barely making ends meet, divorced and living with her daughter Georgie, to a family of Venetian Merchants who were merchants to China to Amsterdam, the history of the family and the Ming dragon vase was traced. The narrative arc dives from a rather sterile English country village/town experience to a much more richly developed and imaginative past of the Venetian family and their adventures and their descendants. Lots of research was poured in this novel, and I particularly liked the auction in Hong Kong, which was written like a thriller. What made this book more episodic was the different styles of writing. I could not understand why the dashing and unbelievable Charles Davenport was interested in Miranda, and from the start one expected nefarious behaviour. Moral of the story is to take good care of unexpected bequests from aged relatives. Meh.

[Kym Hamer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The novel's common thread is a Chinese vase, first passed down by Italian explorer Niccolo dei Conti to his daughter in 1441 and a tradition that continues through the generations until it lands on Miranda's hall table (where we find it) in 2015. There's plenty of adventure and romance throughout each generation's story but the flitting about between them felt shallow (after all what did happen to Andreas in Venice?) and I didn't like the big gap in time between where the past 'runs out' and the story in 2015. Good but not great.

[gerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone who loves blue and white china and pottery will enjoy this charming story

The plot follows ownership of a remarkable Ming vase and the localities it resides in, covering many centuries up to the present. The owners are outstanding, successful people and their lives are filled with interesting adventures. The author includes information on the art and science required to produce beautiful Chinese porcelain. Throughout the novel, the story of the most recent owner is artfully woven into the historical plot. Highly recommended.

[Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I first started reading this book I was really quote enjoying it, but then it started to really get bogged down in the history of the vase. Way too much and I skipped over big chunks to get back to the present day story without missing anything or losing the thread.

[Judie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Had to read this for book group. Vaguely interesting, but I really didn’t like the writing style at all. Very disappointing as it had so many stars on Goodreads. Almost tempted to rate it one star just to make a point!

[Mary Carver · Rating 5 out of 5]

The research into the history of porcelain production was fascinating and the details of the families involved here were riveting.

I love antiques and history as well as reading so this book combined All.

This is the first time in a very long while that I have given a book 5 stars .

[Niki · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think it could have been really good! I enjoyed both the historical piece of the book as well as the moderns day storyline.... but together, they felt somewhat disconnected. I often felt like I was picking up a a different book everything the timeline switched.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, filled with a wealth of history and a lovely story line along the way. The characters were likeable and drew you in. I look forward to reading another book by this author.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was ok. I learned a lot. Eventually skimmed a lot of the middle. SPOILER and question- it seemed a little ironic that the base was supposed to go to the Dome of Venice and Maria hoped they’d over look that. Stolen at the beginning.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Not only the story of a remarkable family covering 500 years but the remarkable story of the making of a Ming vase.

[Marsha Thalin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book although you could almost guess that all will turn out well.

[Beverley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Lots of history and a lovely story .

[Rose Lambert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating

What a story and to think the individuals noted first in the book were real! Could hardly put the down as I wanted to finish finish it. Great!!!

[MRS A HARDY · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book

I did enjoy this book however at times it went into a little too much detail ie about pottery and I found myself skimming over this just to get on with the story

[susan palmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Generations

Moving tribute to generations of women with the luck of a vase thank you for writing a great. Tale true or not it was a good read!

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read, i really enjoyed it.

[Dean E. Bidle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok read

Interesting book about the Venetian merchants history. and Ming porcelain. Good book. Liked "The Photograph" more. May read another of her books.

[MsSwisis · Rating 2 out of 5]

‘Life, Miranda, is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.’