Daughter of Xanadu

Daughter of Xanadu by Dori Jones Yang     352 pages

From Goodreads:

Athletic and strong willed, Princess Emmajin's determined to do what no woman has done before: become a warrior in the army of her grandfather, the Great Khan Khubilai. In the Mongol world the only way to achieve respect is to show bravery and win glory on the battlefield. The last thing she wants is the distraction of the foreigner Marco Polo, who challenges her beliefs in the gardens of Xanadu. Marco has no skills in the "manly arts" of the Mongols: horse racing, archery, and wrestling. Still, he charms the Khan with his wit and story-telling. Emmajin sees a different Marco as they travel across 13th-century China, hunting 'dragons' and fighting elephant-back warriors. Now she faces a different battle as she struggles with her attraction towards Marco and her incredible goal of winning fame as a soldier.

Review:

I was very intrigued by this story when I first came across it. I have not really read anything about the Mongolian Empire, nor do I remember much about it from history classes. I was interested to see how the author would make this early empire come to life, especially as its told from a young woman's perspective.

And not just any young woman, but a princess and granddaughter of Khubilai Khan who wants to be a soldier in his army. Emmajin was a fascinating character, full of courage and strength. Even in her moments of fear and "weakness" she still showed a strong sense of self and a desire to be better, to be open minded, to learn. I loved watching her grow over the course of the novel, from a woman fighting for her right to her own future, a position in the army (a place no woman had been allowed before), and a strong desire to prove herself to someone who values peace, the cooperation with peoples of other nations, and a desire to end wars. Not only is Emmajin an excellent example of a strong female protagonist, she is also a really interesting person and seeing the world through her eyes was very enjoyable.


Overall, this was a good historical fiction story. It had twists and turns and a really well written character arc. If you're into historical fiction, or if you really dig character development, this is a good one to pick up.