Empress Orchid

I am disappointed. This needed a lot of patience. The pace dragged on tediously and it was unbearable at some point. If not for the notably inconsistent pacing, it had the potential to effectively deliver a strong, thought-provoking message. I think this book just isn't for me.......more

After my negative review of The Twentieth Wife A Novel, Mintzi recommended The Last Empress as a superior alternative and I thought I might as well read the prequel first. "Empress Orchid" started off pretty strong -- Orchid, like Mehrunissa from "The Twentieth Wife," is a poor girl who miraculously......more

BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN BUT SADLY UNDERWHELMING ✨ Popsugar Reading Challenge 2019✨ ✨✨A book written by an author from Asia, Africa, or South America✨✨ This was by no means a bad book. It just wasn't a book I am going to remember either. Which is really a shame, because I really enjoyed some of Anchee Min'......more

I'm so glad I read this book! Growing up in China, I've heard so many brutal tales about Cixi that I was almost ready to resist her even before I started reading. But how amazing it is to see Anchee Min tell the story. She got me on page one. The narrative is subtle, the historical details rich, and......more