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*Editorial Book Review*
A RED SILK THREAD:
A Romance of When China Met Rome
by Kenneth Kunkel
Publisher: Valeria Press
Page Lenght: 358
Genre: Ancient World Historical Romance
This was certainly not the life that she dreamed of back in her village.
Princess Hua’s days are long in the Imperial Palace of Chang'an, which she fills by reading, sculpting, and playing ball with little Xiaosheng (her only bright light).
As she carves yet another statue at her desk, an exasperated sigh escapes her lips. Ten years ago, she wanted nothing more than to be offered as a gift to the Han family. She wanted nothing more than to escape that dull village. But now? This place was just as boring and wearying as back there. And her sadly, Prince Qian, who she had a crush on from afar which got her into this mess, is more like a brother than a husband.
Now unexpectedly, the emperor decrees that she and her husband will be envoys to that other empire far to the west. At last! An escape from these oppressive walls! The outside world with all its wonders beckons!
Now, their guides did warn them that this journey is not without its perils. She doesn’t care. She's ready! Anything would be better than this.
Enter the worlds of Ancient China and Ancient Rome, where Princess Hua will face a much greater danger at her destination. Love.
When I opened "A Red Silk Thread: A Romance of When China Met Rome" by Kenneth Kunkel, I expected a historical romance shaped by diplomacy and distance. What I found instead was a richly layered, emotionally resonant story that lingered long after the final page—a novel that understands how fragile human connections can be when stretched across empires.
The story begins in the Han Imperial Palace, and I was immediately struck by the contrast between its splendour and its quiet brutality. This is a court ruled by fear, its beauty masking a lethal political reality. Under Emperor Chengdi, a man who has ordered the execution of his own sons, power is absolute and mercy scarce. From this volatile setting, Prince Liu Qian and Princess Huang Hua are sent on a diplomatic mission to Rome, tasked with forging a trade agreement that could reshape relations between East and West. From the outset, the stakes—both political and personal—are unmistakably high.
Princess Huang Hua quickly became the emotional centre of the novel for me. She is portrayed with grace, intelligence, and restraint, a woman shaped not by rebellion, but by endurance. Before her marriage, she had enjoyed a measure of freedom appropriate to her rank, but it is only after her arranged marriage to Prince Qian that her life becomes truly constrained. Their marriage is one of respect and familial affection rather than passion, more like that of siblings than lovers. Childless, Hua finds comfort in caring for Xiaosheng, Qian’s young son by a concubine, and this relationship reveals much about her generosity of spirit and the sacrifices she accepts without complaint.
What impressed me most was Kunkel’s restraint in handling Hua’s inner conflict. She does not rage against her circumstances, nor does she seek to escape them recklessly. Instead, she adapts, and it is this quiet acceptance that gives her character such emotional weight.
The journey to Rome marks a turning point, and I felt that shift keenly as the setting changed. Rome, with its cold marble and intricate politics, is no safer than the Chinese court, yet it offers Hua something profoundly different: freedom. Away from the rigid expectations of marriage and ceremony, she begins to rediscover herself. As a skilled healer trained in acupuncture and a woman capable of defending herself, Hua is anything but ornamental. Her habit of carving small statues became, for me, a touching symbol of her inner life, while her growing fluency in Latin mirrored her expanding confidence and autonomy.
Throughout this journey, Prince Qian remains a steady and likeable presence. Honourable, perceptive, and deeply aware of his responsibilities, he provides emotional balance to the story. His relationship with Hua adds a quiet complexity that deepens the narrative without ever becoming melodramatic.
It is in Rome that Alexander enters the story, bringing with him a darker emotional undercurrent that deepens the narrative. As the emperor’s personal bodyguard—and the nephew of the senator who first proposed the trade agreement—he stands at the uneasy intersection of power and duty. Marked by loss and bound by loyalty, Alexander is driven by a quiet determination that sets him apart from those around him. His pursuit of justice, undertaken even when ordered to stand aside, adds a compelling layer of tension and moral complexity to the narrative without ever overwhelming its emotional core.
The romance that develops between Hua and Alexander unfolds with exquisite restraint. This is not a story of sweeping declarations, but of stolen glances, fleeting touches, and the quiet comfort of shared companionship. I was particularly moved by how keenly both characters understand the impossibility of their feelings, yet still allow themselves the simple pleasure of being together. Hua’s longing is made more poignant through contrast with her handmaid Jin Chyou, whose more conventional romance highlights what Hua herself must deny.
As the diplomatic mission progresses, the broader political dangers come sharply into focus. The Parthians, working in the shadows, seek to undermine the alliance between China and Rome, reminding me that empires rarely allow cooperation without resistance. Personal lives, here, are collateral damage in the ambitions of nations.
By the time I reached the final pages, "A Red Silk Thread" had revealed itself as a novel of balance and restraint—where love is defined not by possession, but by endurance. Kenneth Kunkel has written a historical romance that honours both the sweep of history and the quiet courage of individuals navigating impossible choices. The red silk thread that binds China and Rome, Hua and Alexander, remains delicate, resilient, and unforgettable.
The Coffee Pot Book Club
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Ken grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His fascination with all things Roman began with seeing the film “Ben-Hur” when he was nine years old. From then on, he watched as many epic films as he could, thanks to the generosity of his parents. Reading and art joined movies as his other passions. His reading list included archaeology, ancient empires, mythology, biblical scholarship, comparative religions, science fiction, and thrillers.
His professional career took him in another direction though: Information Technology. From programmer to director, he traveled through the industry for forty-eight years. But during that time, he devised stories which made his wife comment, “You really need to write those down.”
Ken is retired now with his wife, Karen, of over fifty years and lives in southern Florida. And, he’s writing those stories down.
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