Orchid’s family is of ancient Manchurian lineage, but they are dirt poor throughout her childhood. When her father dies, things get even worse, and she is forced to move to Peking with her mother, brother, and sister to live in a small house with her uncle’s family. Orchid starts work in a shoe shop and actually enjoys herself, mainly for the tales her boss tells her about the Forbidden City and the emperor’s many palaces. When Orchid is told that she must marry her slovenly, stupid cousin, though, she seeks refuge from her fate in a contest to become one of the young emperor’s new favorite concubines. Orchid finds herself chosen, but her world in the imperial palace is nothing like she’d imagined.
After the disappointment that was Katherine, I tempered my hopes for Empress Orchid. I would probably have waited a bit longer before reading it, but it was due back at the library and I had no choice. Besides that, I immediately wanted to read more about China, and particularly a book that was based on historical fact, after Under Heaven. I needn’t have worried about starting it so soon, though, because I thoroughly enjoyed this book and was completely fascinated by not only the characters portrayed within but also the entire Chinese culture that Min effortlessly depicts.
Orchid’s life in the book goes through a series of phases (and is picked up in the next volume, The Last Empress, which I have yet to read). She is first a pauper, a girl who would be beautiful if only she could actually eat once in a while or wear a pretty dress. She’s devastated by her father’s death, but that doesn’t stop her from seizing the opportunity to become the emperor’s concubine. Then she discovers life in the palace isn’t all it’s cracked up to be – after all, the emperor can have literally any woman he wants. He’s a spoiled brat convinced that he has the mandate of heaven, so Orchid (then Lady Yehonala) ceases to matter to him as soon as his gaze has drifted elsewhere.
After a bit of research on the internet, I’ve discovered that Anchee Min is actually a lot more sympathetic to Orchid than history has been. Here she’s depicted as a fairly wise woman who loves her son, loves her “husband”, and is much cleverer than anyone wants to give her credit for. I loved the politics involved in the book and I was fascinated by the extreme protocol of the Chinese court. It wasn’t as racy as I’d suspected either; the whole seduction part is a tiny fragment of the book. It’s much more about China’s collision with the rest of the world, the attitudes of the royal family to Orchid and towards the world, and about Orchid herself.
Empress Orchid was incredibly engaging and I would whole-heartedly recommend it to anyone interested in historical fiction or China. I am definitely going to read the sequel, The Last Empress, and seek out more books about this time period in the future.
I am an Amazon Associate. I borrowed this book from my local library.
I am drawn to this book just by the cover alone–sounds good too!
Stephanie´s last post …Q&A with Erin McCahan
I don’t think I loved this one as much as you did, and for the most part, I think it might have been the writing style. It’s been so long I am not quite sure about that though. I am really glad that you liked this book! I am going to be reading Min’s newest book soon, and I am hoping I enjoy it!
zibilee´s last post …Sugar by Bernice McFadden — 240 pgs
It’s always interesting learning new things.
Happy blogoversary
Teena in Toronto´s last post …Lou Dawgs
After finishing The Good Earth I’m craving anything related to Chinese culture, so this recommendation comes at a good time!
Andi´s last post …PS – Save the Libraries!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book too. I read it after I read Snow Flower and the Secret Fan…went on a bit of a binge for historical fiction based in China awhile ago. Still to read The Last Empress, The Good Earth and Shanghai Girls but they are sitting on my shelf…someday. I also enjoyed The Hundred Secret Senses and The Bonesetter’s Daughter by Amy Tan – though these are more contemporary – and Peony in Love.
NicoleM´s last post …Blogger or WordPress
Another book to go on the wish list. Thanks for sharing your Internet research about Orchid. I’m always curious about the differences between how an author depicts a character and how history does.
Beth F´s last post …Featuring Everything Here Is the Best Thing Ever by Justin Taylor
I also throughly enjoyed this book. I haven’t read much about China and this also sparked an interest for me. Glad you enjoyed it too
Great review.
jennygirl´s last post …Review- Shattered Mirror by Amelia Atwater-Rhoads
This sounds like my kind of book. I think the cover is fabulous too.
[…] century. Now, I haven’t read any non-fiction about that period yet, but just from reading Empress Orchid I recognized the huge palaces, the tropes of different levels of concubines with different names […]
[…] is the follow-up to Empress Orchid, which if you’ll recall (or click back to my review) I really enjoyed. I loved the Chinese […]