Song of the Silk Road by Mingmei Yip (Book Review and Giveaway!)

Title: Song of the Silk Road
Author: Mingmei Yip
Publisher: Kensington Publishing

As a girl growing up in Hong Kong, Lily Lin was captivated by photographs of the desert -- its long, lonely vistas and shifting sand dunes.  Now living in New York, Lily is struggling to finish her graduate degree when she receives an astonishing offer.  An aunt she never knew existed will pay Lily a huge sum to travel across China's desolate Taklamakan Desert -- and carry out a series of tasks along the way.

Intrigued, Lily accepts.  Her assignments range from the dangerous to the bizarre.  Lily must seduce a monk.  She must scrape a piece of clay from the famous Terracotta Warriors, and climb the Mountains of Heaven to gather a rare herb. At Xian, her first stop, Lily meets Alex, a young American with whoms she forms a powerful connection.  And soon, she faces revelations that will redefine her past, her destiny, and the shocking truth behind her aunt's motivations.

Powerful and eloquent, Song of the Silk Road is a captivating story of self-discovery, resonant with the mysteries of its haunting, exotic landscape.

My thoughts: I don't think that I have read a book set in China before.  I really liked the story line as it was peppered with descriptions of beautiful locations and much cultural history. It moved along pretty quickly, changing locales and "tasks" and keeping me interested in to where Lily would have to go next and who she might meet along the way.  There were many colorful characters from monks to fortune tellers to other travelers. 

After starting it, I was not readily invested in the character of Lily Lin.  She seemed very shallow and self-centered and sometimes the dialogue seemed a little stilted. I think that Lily comes full circle though and even though the ending contained an unforeseen twist, it had a very satisfactory conclusion.

Yip has two previous novels out, Peach Blossom Pavilion and Petals from the Sky that I think I will adding to my TBR list. 

~I received a complimentary copy of this book from Meryl L. Moss Media in exchange for my review.~

Meryl L. Moss also is letting me give away a copy of Song of the Silk Road to one of my readers!  This giveaway is open to US/Canada only.  It will end at midnight CST on April 27.

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Song of the Silk Road
Publisher/Publication Date: Kensington, April 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-7582-4182-5
356 pages

Interview with Mingmei Yip - (Song of the Silk Road Author)

1. Please describe your latest book in 15 words or fewer.


Romantic adventure on the Silk Road with the lure of a three million dollar reward.



2. What inspired you to write SONG OF THE SILK ROAD?

I owe this novel to a brave and unconventional writer -- and a dream.


In the seventies, Taiwanese writer San Mao’s adventures with her husband in the Sahara Desert captivated many readers, including myself. Inspired by her, I decided to write about a young woman’s adventures in the desert. But instead of the Sahara, my lifelong fascination with the romantic history of the Silk Road led me to write about its Mountains of Heaven and the Taklaman Desert, also named Go-In-But-Never-Come-Out.

Then I had a dream.

In my dream a young woman receives a letter from an aunt whom she had never known existed. The niece was told to undertake a long journey in China, retracing the same routes the aunt had taken, meeting the same people, and doing things the aunt had done. The niece would receive a big sum of money, if she successfully carried out all the tasks – and if she survived.


I remember the dream, but not when it came to me. The young woman had a strong personality and I knew she wanted me to give her a voice. The result is this adventure and love story, Song of the Silk Road.



3. Where do you do most of your writing?

At home. I can’t write at cafes, since most have loud music which is a distraction for me. However if they play classical music, then I stop writing and listen.



4. What is your favorite book?

The 2,500 year old Daode Jing, Classic of the Way and Virtue. This is about the Way of the Universe and how to live in accord wth it. A central theme is how the soft, feminine power can overcome brute strength. I imbibed a lot of its philosophy over the years and it crops up in my novels.


5. Which part of SONG OF THE SILK ROAD was the most enjoyable to write?


There are a few. First, the love-making scene in the desert, imagining golden singing sand dunes, the unrelieved heat, the passion…all aphrodiasical.


Another sequence I particularly enjoyed is the protagonist Lily Lin’s platonic love with one of her admirers – an Ughur healer who loves and protects her without asking anything back from her. Later, upon learning his tragic story she discovers she can open her yin eye to see beings from the realm of the dead.



6. Can you tell us something about yourself that not a lot of your readers don’t know?

Besides my hectic writing schedule, that I still manage to take time to perform the Chinese zither (guqin) professionally – last year I was invited by Carnegie Hall to play at its Chinese Music Festival -- and teach calligraphy workshops.

Mingmei - thank you so much for the interview and readers - please come back and visit me again this weekend to see my review of this amazing book!

Song of the Silk Road
Publisher/Publication Date: Kensington, March 29, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-7582-4182-5
352 pages