Empress Orchid

When I grab this book, the only thing on my mind is "I want to buy 3 books today". Random as it is, I decided to grab this book because among all the books on shelves that day, it cost me RM35 and that means I spent close to RM100 for 3 books, and also, because the synopsis looked interesting together with the cover. I was curious.

Reading the book shows that I made the right choice. Drawn into this world where I usually watched on drama series on TV, it plays vivid images on my mind as I continuous to read, trying to understand the characters.

One thing I love about this book is, other than the author's creative story-telling, I too learn a chunk here and there about China's last Empress.

Synopsis:

To rescue her family from poverty and avoid marrying her slope-shouldered cousin, seventeen-year-old Orchid competes to be one of the Emperor's wives. When she is chosen as a lower-ranking concubine she enters the erotically charged and ritualized Forbidden City. But beneath its immaculate facade lies whispers of murders and ghosts, and the thousands of concubines will stoop to any lengths to bear the Emperor's son. Orchid trains herself in the art of pleasuring a man, bribes her way into the royal bed, and seduces the monarch, drawing the attention of dangerous foes. Little does she know that China will collapse around her, and that she will be its last Empress.

Anchee Min

Critics' Reviews:

'I loved Empress Orchid... a riveting read'
Judy Finnegan

'Empress Orchid delivers a fictional peek into the intrigues of the Forbidden City ... strong on both sexual chicanery and violent conspiracy ... a fascinating account'
Guardian
'Based on the true story of China's last Empress, a charismatic woman from an impoverished aristocratic family, who comes to life in this fascinating novel'
Image

'An engrossing story ... it is enhanced by Min's imaginative power and her skill in enlivening chunks of history with deft strokes of her brush'
Glasgow Herald
'Anchee Min is an expert when it comes to describing the machinations of power'
Observer