"Silk has the brilliant colors . . . and the enchantment of a miniature. . . . Vividly erotic." --Newsday"A riveting, lyrical love story, an accomplished historical fiction, a compact, condensed . . . epic about human hearts in crisis." --Alan Cheuse, All Things Considered"A book with language to savor. . . . It seems as guileless as a folk tale but propels a reader with real force." --Denver Post"A heart-breaking love story. . . A stylistic tour de force [and] a literary gem of bewitching power." --The Sunday Times