Declare Books Concering The Last Empress (Empress Orchid #2)
| Original Title: | The Last Empress |
| ISBN: | 0618531467 (ISBN13: 9780618531462) |
| Edition Language: | English |
| Series: | Empress Orchid #2 |
| Characters: | Tzu Hsi, Emperor Hsien Feng, Prince Kung, An-te-hai, Tung Chih, Tseng Kuo-Fan, Governor Ho, Sheng Pao, Yung Lu, Tsai-chen, Li Hung-chang, Nuharoo, Alute, Foo-cha, Li Lien-ying, Sun Pao-tien, Prince Ch'un, Rong, Tsai-t'ien, Emperor Gung-Hsu, Lan, Kuei Hsiang, Tutor Weng, Emperor Meiji, Willow |
Anchee Min
Hardcover | Pages: 320 pages Rating: 3.82 | 8125 Users | 537 Reviews
Present Out Of Books The Last Empress (Empress Orchid #2)
| Title | : | The Last Empress (Empress Orchid #2) |
| Author | : | Anchee Min |
| Book Format | : | Hardcover |
| Book Edition | : | Special Edition |
| Pages | : | Pages: 320 pages |
| Published | : | March 21st 2007 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (first published 2007) |
| Categories | : | Historical. Historical Fiction. Cultural. China. Fiction. Asia |
Relation In Favor Of Books The Last Empress (Empress Orchid #2)
The last decades of the nineteenth century were a violent period in China’s history marked by humiliating foreign incursions and domestic rebellion, ultimately ending in the demise of the Ch’ing dynasty. The only constant during this tumultuous time was the power wielded by one person, the resilient, ever-resourceful Tzu Hsi, Lady Yehonala -- or Empress Orchid, as readers came to know her in Anchee Min’s critically acclaimed novel covering the first part of her life.The Last Empress is the story of Orchid’s dramatic transition from a strong-willed, instinctive young woman to a wise and politically savvy leader who ruled China for more than four decades. Moving from the intimacy of the concubine quarters into the spotlight of the world stage, Orchid must face not only the perilous condition of her empire but also a series of devastating personal losses, as first her son and then her adopted son succumb to early death. Yearning only to step aside, and yet growing constantly into her role, only she—allied with the progressives, but loyal to the conservative Manchu clan of her dynasty—can hold the nation’s rival factions together.
Anchee Min offers a powerful revisionist portrait based on extensive research of one of the most important figures in Chinese history. Viciously maligned by the western press of the time as the “Dragon Lady,” a manipulative, blood-thirsty woman who held onto power at all costs, the woman Min gives us is a compelling, very human leader who assumed power reluctantly, and who sacrificed all she had to protect those she loved and an empire that was doomed to die.
Rating Out Of Books The Last Empress (Empress Orchid #2)
Ratings: 3.82 From 8125 Users | 537 ReviewsComment On Out Of Books The Last Empress (Empress Orchid #2)
Im sort of obsessed with Cixi, but I seriously regret wasting money on this book. Its so devoid of substance it hurts. There are no fictional characters in it, yet NO ONE behaves like a real person of their place and time. The empress does nothing but sniff the flowers, cry, and invite men for consultations aka for tea. Yes! The Empress Dowager of China has secret tea parties with dudes who are not even the part of her family! And she invites them to sit down! Nobody could sit down in herOur book club read the first of these two books ("Empress Orchid" by Anchee Min) and I just had to know the rest of the story, so I sought out "The Last Empress." I'm glad I did, especially after I did some research upon finishing this book. Anchee Min did an amazing job of taking the facts of history (the positive and inaccurate) regarding this time in Chinese history, and intertwined it into a story that made it more human and real than any history book or lecture.Every mother wishes the best
Bullet Review:So bittersweet at the end. The biggest problem with this though was how hurried and rushed it felt in places. When Min was given the time to flesh out a scene and spend time in it, THAT was pure gold.Full Review:Empress Orchid (Empress Dowager Cixi) has lost her beloved husband, the Emperor Hsien Feng. Together with Empress Nuharoo, she raises their son, Tung Chih to be Emperor. But there are trials and struggles, internal and external, not to mention a media and Western world that
The Last Empress, sequel to Empress Orchid, is the last book in the duology dedicated to Tzu Hsi, who was, as the title suggests, the last empress of China.I really enjoyed the first book, and this second one didn't disappoint either. Tzu Hsi, or Orchid, is a truly memorable character, and the story is still gripping, even if there were some parts I found a little heavy or too slow. Another thing I didn't exactly like was the fact that, especially at the beginning, the author jumps a lot in the
In terms of writing quality, Anchee Min is consistent here with this books prequel; Empress Orchid. Min writes with a wonderful ease and flow, combining imaginative description with show over tell. The Last Empress differs from Empress Orchid in construction of plot and pacing however. Whilst Empress Orchid covered a handful of years of the eponymous characters life, The Last Empress covers several decades. This means the pacing is considerably different. Empress Orchid had the leisure to dwell
I thought this book was absolutetly fascinating. The first book in the series Empress Orchid was an amazing book too. Detailing China's history, The Last Empress not only focuses on the Empress and her struggles, but also the struggle of China to merge its cultural past with the "western" technologies and advancements that are needed to enable China to compete in the world. This book made me want to take a Chinese history class. In both books by Anchee Min, I was amazed at the great lengths she
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