Empress: A Novel by Evelyn McCune: A Book Review

Empress: A Novel
Author: McCune, Evelyn
Genre: Historical Fiction
Release Date: 1994
Pages: 500
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Source: Personal Collection
Synopsis: Young Jao is a tomboyish thirteen, the culturally insignificant second daughter of a nobleman's second wife, when she is summoned to the imperial palace as one of the Emperor's new concubines. Jao's straightforward ways and logic, her innocence, and her beauty earn her the great warrior Emperor Taitsung's respect, attention, and finally, his love. But his death finds her banished to a convent until his son, Emperor Kaotsung, realizes his passion for Jao. Recalled to the palace, Jao discovers a place so entrenched in enmity and malice that she is forced to fight for power and just rule.

Sweeping through exotic, turbulent seventh-century China, Empress is the captivating epic of one extraordinary woman who would become the only female emperor in all of China's history. The story of Wu Jao, set against the backdrop of medieval China, reveals not only an age of horrifying barbarism, daring treachery, and precarious power, but also an eternal culture of sophistication and enlightenment.

My Review: This historical fiction novel about China's only female emperor is filled with romance, betrayal, and court intrigue. The story starts off as Jao, a young 13 year old, leaves to become the concubine of the Chinese Emperor. When she arrives, she is thrust into a position in which she and the other concubines are rivals for the Emperor's attention. Wu Jao use her intelligence, her beauty, honesty, and virtues to embark on a quest for power. When the Emperor dies, Jao is forced to live as a Buddhist nun for the rest of her life. However, her fate changes when the new Emperor realizes his love for Jao and sends her back to the palace. She competes for the title of Empress to the new Emperor. Eventually, she rises to become China's only female Emperor.

Before I read this book, I didn't know much about Chinese history. However, this novel gives a great introduction into the Chinese Medieval era. Because McCune writes vivid details of Imperial China, I felt as if I was walking alongside Jao (Emperor Wu). This book is also filled with Chinese customs, beliefs, and philosophy. It also discussed medieval Chinese politics that were later important to Emperor Wu's reign. I liked how McCune was very sympathetic to Emperor Wu. History has not been kind to China's only female emperor. Instead, she is criticized for being a ruthless power hungry schemer who plots to get rid of her rivals in order to become Emperor. McCune however, paints Jao as a victim rather than a cold-blooded murderer. It is others around her that are plotting to destroy her, and she must act to ensure her survival.

Overall, this book is a great account for those who are interested in Chinese history. McCune is very sympathetic to Wu Jao, and tries to justify her actions through her novel. McCune makes the readers want to learn about Emperor Wu Jao and Medieval China. This book is a little slow when Jao is Emperor, but it is still interesting to read about her reign. This novel is full of treachery, betrayal, court intrigue, and romance. Most of all, it is about an insignificant girl's journey who rises from her humble origins to become the most powerful person in China. Wu Jao's story is remarkable and astounding. This book will surely delight fans of Philippa Gregory and historical fiction lovers.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post by Allison Pataki: A Book Review

The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post Author: Allison Pataki Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: Ballantine Release Date: February 15, 2022 Pages: 381 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: Mrs. Post, the President and First Lady are here to see you. . . . So begins another average evening for Marjorie Merriweather Post. Presidents have come and gone, but she has hosted them all. Growing up in the modest farmlands of Battle Creek, Michigan, Marjorie was inspired by a few simple rules: always think for yourself, never take success for granted, and work hard—even when deemed American royalty, even while covered in imperial diamonds. Marjorie had an insatiable drive to live and love and to give more than she got. From crawling through Moscow warehouses to rescue the Tsar’s treasures to outrunning the Nazis in London, from serving the homeless of the Great Depression to entertaining Roosevelts, Kennedys, and Hollywood’s biggest stars, Marjorie Merriweath

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn: A Book Review

The Rose Code Author: Kate Quinn Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: Harper Collins Release Date: 2021 Pages: 635 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: 1940, Bletchley Park, Buckinghamshire. Three very different women are recruited to the mysterious Bletchley Park, where the best minds in Britain train to break German military codes. Vivacious debutante Osla has the dashing Prince Philip of Greece sending her roses – but she burns to prove herself as more than a society girl, working to translate decoded enemy secrets. Self-made Mab masters the legendary codebreaking machines as she conceals old wounds and the poverty of her East-End London upbringing. And shy local girl Beth is the outsider who trains as one of the Park’s few female cryptanalysts. 1947, London. Seven years after they first meet, on the eve of the royal wedding between Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip, disaster threatens. Osla, Mab and Beth are estranged,

The Seven Sisters (The Seven Sisters #1) by Lucinda Riley: A Book Review

The Seven Sisters (The Seven Sisters #1) Author: Lucinda Riley Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance Publisher: Atria Release Date: 2015 Pages: 463 Source: My State Public Library Synopsis: Maia D’Apliese and her five sisters gather together at their childhood home, “Atlantis”—a fabulous, secluded castle situated on the shores of Lake Geneva—having been told that their beloved father, who adopted them all as babies, has died. Each of them is handed a tantalizing clue to her true heritage—a clue which takes Maia across the world to a crumbling mansion in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Once there, she begins to put together the pieces of her story and its beginnings. Eighty years earlier in Rio’s Belle Epoque of the 1920s, Izabela Bonifacio’s father has aspirations for his daughter to marry into the aristocracy. Meanwhile, architect Heitor da Silva Costa is devising plans for an enormous statue, to be called Christ the Redeemer, and will soon travel to Paris to find the right sculptor to

History from a Woman's Perspective- A Book Blog

Search This Blog