Title: Daughter of Xanadu Author: Dori Jones Yang
ISBN: 9780385739238 Pages: 336
Publisher: Delacorte Press, New York, 2011
Readers Annotation:
Princess Emmajin, is the granddaughter of the Great Kahn of the Mongol Empire, and has the dream of joining the great army. In turn, Emmajin's grandfather entrusts her with the task of befriending and spying on the foreigner Marco Polo, whose strange ideas and ways take root and dare to question Emmajin's resolve to be a true Mongol warrior.
Princess Emmajin, is the granddaughter of the Great Kahn of the Mongol Empire, and has the dream of joining the great army. In turn, Emmajin's grandfather entrusts her with the task of befriending and spying on the foreigner Marco Polo, whose strange ideas and ways take root and dare to question Emmajin's resolve to be a true Mongol warrior.
Author Information:
Dori Jones Yang conducted research for Daughter of Xanadu by visiting Mongolia and studying its culture. Yang is originally from Ohio and has a keen interest in the Orient. She studied Mandarin Chinese in Singapore, and explored Asia as a foreign correspondent for eight years when she worked for Business Week in Hong Kong. She has written two other books and received high praise for both.
Yang is married to Chinese born Paul, and together they have a daughter, Emily, who was born in Hong Kong. Currently, she lives near Seattle, Washington. Daughter of Xanadu has been recently nominated for ALA's Best Fiction for Young Adults.
www.dorijonesyang.com
Plot Summary:
Princess Emmajin, a member of the Golden Family, is the oldest granddaughter of the oldest son of the Great Khublai, ruler of the Mongolian Empire. Her sixteenth birthday is around the corner, and her official adult life will soon begin. Emmajin is best friends with her half-brother Suren, and together they have practiced archery, wrestling, and other male oriented pastimes, an unusual desire of a Mongolian woman. Emmajin has turned down several suitors in the hope of becoming a warrior. Her wish is to truly make a difference in her Empire, instead of living a passive life like most women in her country. When Suren's younger brother challenges all the male cousins to an archery contest, Emmajin is adamant to join and compete. She almost wins, and after observing her skill and bravery, her grandfather entrusts her with a special task.
Emmajin is to befriend and spy on the three foreigners from Christendom. In the process, one of these men, Marco Polo, shows her the world in a different light. After many adventures together, Emmajin starts to doubt some of her previous convictions, surprising herself most of all.
Yang is married to Chinese born Paul, and together they have a daughter, Emily, who was born in Hong Kong. Currently, she lives near Seattle, Washington. Daughter of Xanadu has been recently nominated for ALA's Best Fiction for Young Adults.
www.dorijonesyang.com
Plot Summary:
Princess Emmajin, a member of the Golden Family, is the oldest granddaughter of the oldest son of the Great Khublai, ruler of the Mongolian Empire. Her sixteenth birthday is around the corner, and her official adult life will soon begin. Emmajin is best friends with her half-brother Suren, and together they have practiced archery, wrestling, and other male oriented pastimes, an unusual desire of a Mongolian woman. Emmajin has turned down several suitors in the hope of becoming a warrior. Her wish is to truly make a difference in her Empire, instead of living a passive life like most women in her country. When Suren's younger brother challenges all the male cousins to an archery contest, Emmajin is adamant to join and compete. She almost wins, and after observing her skill and bravery, her grandfather entrusts her with a special task.
Emmajin is to befriend and spy on the three foreigners from Christendom. In the process, one of these men, Marco Polo, shows her the world in a different light. After many adventures together, Emmajin starts to doubt some of her previous convictions, surprising herself most of all.
Critical Evaluation:
This historical fiction piece stays true to the time period of the fifth Kahn, subsequent to Genghis Khan's conquest of Mongolia and parts of China. Although some of main characters are fictional, such as Emmajin, Emmajin's sister, and Emmajin's cousin Suren, all other characters are based on real people. The story takes place in 13th century Mongolia, when surrounding countries were still being conquered by the huge empire. Despite the fictional aspects, the Mongolian culture is portrayed truthfully and respectfully. The story line is realistic, and the emotions of characters are depicted truthfully. Emmajin's character relates her point of view throughout the narrative, thereby allowing the reader to understand the conflict between her previously held beliefs and her new yet foreign ideals. Daughter of Xanadu is truly a spellbinding adventure of an adolescent girl trying to break free of the bonds set by her time and culture.
Genre: Historical Fiction
Curriculum Ties: World History - Ghengis Kahn and his dynasty, Chinese and Mongolian History, Marco Polo
Booktalking Ideas:
1. Emmajin wants to fight as a soldier for her grandfather and for Mongolia, but is a female and not readily accepted as a fighter. How would you feel if you lived in a time where women were considered second class or weak?
2. Marco Polo and his relatives left their home and country for years at a time. How would you feel leaving your home and everything familiar for that long, without the ability to return even for a short visit?
1. Emmajin wants to fight as a soldier for her grandfather and for Mongolia, but is a female and not readily accepted as a fighter. How would you feel if you lived in a time where women were considered second class or weak?
2. Marco Polo and his relatives left their home and country for years at a time. How would you feel leaving your home and everything familiar for that long, without the ability to return even for a short visit?
Reading Level/Interest Age: 13+
Challenge Issue: none
Why I chose this item: I wanted to include a book with Oriental ethnicity, and thought that its historical accuracy would serve as an asset to my collection.
Daughter of Xanadu book trailer
Daughter of Xanadu book trailer
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