Colleen J. (shukween) reviewed on 1/5/2009 + 118 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 1

Anchee Min's sequel to Empress Orchid continues Orchid's story as she exercises power as regent for her minor son, then adopted son and grandson. She offers a lovely look at a woman, ill-prepared by her training and teaching for her role, but yet keenly intelligent, who figures out through actual experience how to hold her country together in its dying days. This book is a great window on pre-communist China's issues and history, as well as a study of political winds and the lightning-stark clash between Eastern and Western values and ideals as the two cultures interacted without any perception of each other's motives. I recommend reading the two novels back to back.

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