It's quite an ask, covering the collapse of China in a chick-lit type novel. I read the two novels of series straight off, and found the prequel- a world of courtly intrigue and royal doings worked better.
There's a lot of politics; a lot of politicians with similar names; I have some impression of China collapsing from internal strife and foreign incursions, but only a very vague sense.
Wasnt sorry to reach the end. ( )

Told from her point of view. She has many things to consider. The circumstances, the traditions, the courts and foreign pressures. ( )

Anchee Min continues the story of the last Chinese Empress much in the same vein as she did in the first book, Empress Orchid. So pretty much everything I stated in review for that book still stands, except that this volume now covers the decades from her cementing of the power to her very last day.

The struggles to keep China together, the intrigues, the yearning for love are still all there, as is the compassionate portrayal of the empress. My feeling of Anchee Min whitewashing, or at least glossing over some of the things the empress did, was still reinforced in this volume.

Yet, after reading this book, I have no trouble believing that the popular image of her as an overly conservative tyrant who brought down the dynasty, is exaggerated. Much of it came from the western press of that time, because it was in the interest of western colonial powers that were bullying China.

All in all, a good series to read if you're interested in China and the end of the dynasty. ( )

Not as good as Empress Orchid. Took me forever to get through. ( )

I was disappointed in the book after reading and loving Empress Orchid. I feel like I got a history lesson about China; I would have much preferred the story to continue about Orchid and her life. ( )