Empress Orchid by Anchee Min

Ever since reading Memoirs of a Geisha, I have been attracted to Asian-centric novels portraying life as a woman in another culture. I enjoyed Min's novel on many levels. First, the story is compelling and is a real page turner; second, the characters are fascinating and developed richly (LOVE!! Empress Orchid, want to smack Empress Nuharoo); third, the historical context is presented without overwhelming the reader or losing track of the story. I'm looking forward to reading the sequel, The Last Empress.

The plot of this novel follows the early life of Empress Orchid. She begins as the eldest daughter of a fallen noble family, through cunning wit becomes the Emperor's 4th wife, and masterfully win's his heart and gives birth to the Son of Heaven. She proves to be intelligent without being threatening to her male counterparts. With the death of the Emperor she secures her position and becomes China's last and longest reigning female ruler.