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The Last Empress - Anchee Min
At the end of the nineteenth century China is rocked by humiliating foreign attacks and local rebellions. The only constant is the power wielded by one woman: the resilient, ever-resourceful Tzu Hsi, also known as Empress Orchid.
Moving from the intimacy of the concubine quarters into the spotlight of the world stage, Orchid makes a dramatic metamorphasis from a strong-willed woman to a wise political leader, who must not only face the perilous condition of her fading empire but also a series of devastating personal losses. Yearing to step aside yet growing constantly into her role, only she can hold the nation’s rival factions together.
In this sequal to the bestselling novel Empress Orchid, Anchee Min brings to life one of the most important figures in Chinese history, a very human leader who assumes power reluctantly, and who sarifices all she has to protect both those she loves and her doomed empire.
When I first read this book, I couldn’t put it down. I had read the previous book about Orchid with pleasure, as I find Min’s writing style both easy to read and also vivid in the pictures it paints. I found the book interesting, as like a lot of what I read it’s historical fiction, but unlike a lot of Western Monarchs portrayed in fiction there is a different edge to Orchid. Anchee Min has dramatised the Last Empress’s life in a sympathetic and positive way, making me want to know more about this woman who ruled such a huge nation.
I would recommend both books as a interesting story that draws you in, with plenty of varied characters to keep you hooked.
Review submitted by Hattie
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