Title:

By the Shores of the Middle Sea

Author:

Dana Stabenow

Category:

Literature

Rating:

Date Reviewed:

November 29, 2029

y the Shores of the Middle Sea is the middle book in Stabenow's Silk and Song trilogy. The action resumes from the cliffhanger ending of book 1, where Jaufre was stabbed in the back and Johanna and North Wind were abducted by the sheik's men. The novel has two different story arcs - one following Johanna's fate and the other Jaufre's as they both struggle to survive in central Asia. The Middle Sea in the title of the novel refers to the Mediterranean, but most of this book is set in Asia along the silk road. The Mongol army is again advancing, creating more hazards beyond the usual silk road perils of brigands, foul weather, disease and thieves.

I started reading this trilogy because of the unusual setting. Most historical novels seem to be set in England or Rome. But this trilogy is in the fourteenth century in Asia. It is a fictional tale that imagines Marco Polo left behind descendants in China (Johanna) when he returned to Europe.

Johanna was fleeing her evil step-mother when the sheik and his men captured her at the end of Everything Under the Heavens. Now she finds herself trapped in the sheik's harem and plots on how to free herself. North Wind is held in the stables and will allow no one but Johanna to ride him. When Johanna does go out riding, it is always under the supervision of guards. The sheik's son, Farhad, makes unsubtle hints about Johanna's fate when he succeeds his father. In the harem, Johanna makes a couple of friends: Hayat and Alma. These two women have led confined, pampered life and are astonished by Johanna's boldness and initiative. Johanna decides that if she is ever able to escape, she will take these two friends with her.

Jaufre finally regains his wits after a long bout of delirium and illness. Not only was he struggling to recover from the treacherous stab in the back, but he also contracted typhoid. Sasha has nursed him back to health, and once he is fit to travel, they must venture westward to Gaza. If their group ever got separated, the plan was to reunite in Gaza, and so Jaufre and company must join a west-bound caravan and trust that Johanna will meet them there. It is too dangerous to travel alone. Meanwhile, the assassin Firas has gone searching for Johanna.

The novel is about Jaufre's adventures heading west, and Johanna's attempts to escape the harem. It is interesting enough that I will look for book three of the trilogy, The Land Beyond.