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will love Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. 19th century, China, fiction, Forbidden City, historical fiction, series, royalty Empress Orchid is about a young woman who is accepted into the royal "family" of China as a concubine to the Emperor. Anchee Min tells of Orchid's experiences with vivid detail of the Forbidden City, the ceremonies, and the rules and expectations of these chosen women during the 19th century. There's quite a bit of history in the book but it's presented in an interesting, easy to follow format. Anchee Min is now one of my new favorite authors. I look forward to reading the rest of her work. "Love is survival, seduction is power, and treachery a way of life.." In this wonderful piece of historical fiction, we get a fictional account of the life of Orchid, the last empress of China. We follow her journey from poverty, to one of thousands of concubines, and eventually becoming one of the Emperor's seven wives. Life in the Forbidden City is tough and ruthless, and the way to the Emperer's attention and affection near impossible. As China's foreign problems increase, Orchid finds her life of loneliness getting even harder as she helplessly watches her country falling to pieces at her feet. I loved this book. I greatly enjoy reading about different cultures, and I especially enjoy reading about Asian culture. This combined with my love for historical fiction and romance made this novel a perfect fit for me. This historical fiction vividly introduces you into the last empress' world. It affords an emotional and personal point of view that is often masked from the public. I would read more from this author. no reviews | add a review
Amazon.com Product Description (ISBN 0618562036, Paperback)From a master of the historical novel, Empress Orchid sweeps readers into the heart of the Forbidden City to tell the fascinating story of a young concubine who becomes China’s last empress. Min introduces the beautiful Tzu Hsi, known as Orchid, and weaves an epic of a country girl who seized power through seduction, murder, and endless intrigue. When China is threatened by enemies, she alone seems capable of holding the country together. In this “absorbing companion piece to her novel Becoming Madame Mao” (New York Times), readers and reading groups will once again be transported by Min’s lavish evocation of the Forbidden City in its last days of imperial glory and by her brilliant portrait of a flawed yet utterly compelling woman who survived, and ultimately dominated, a male world. (retrieved from Amazon Tue, 05 Jan 2010 20:08:19 -0500) The first test round has been closed. Visit the Open Shelves Classification group for details. |
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As a child, Orchid had a decent life until her father, the governor of Wuhu dies, and leaves the family in poverty. Living with an uncle, Orchid is intended to marry a mentally challenged cousin named 'Bottle' when the decree is issued that his is looking for mates.
She soon discovers that life within the Forbidden City is nothing as she expected. And only gets harder as China begins to fall victim to outside forces attempting to take control of the country. (