Imperial Woman, by Pearl S. Buck
I have read some of Pearl Buck's work previously. I was delighted to come across this one. It is the story of Cixi, the Dowager Empress of China, based on true events. She, in a way similar to Esther, was plucked form her home and paraded in front of the Emperor, and chosen to be a concubine. Not #1 but just a concubine. She was intelligent and clever, however, and she learned that in order to get in good with the Emperor she needed to befriend his mother. From there, she got his attention and soon became pregnant and gave birth to the firstborn boy. This gave her a place as Empress Mother and changed her life. She asked for education on history and current events, and soon learned how to advise the Emperor in matters of state, something that was mostly unheard of back then in the 1800s. She gained more power and eventually ruled after the death of the Emperor.
I did enjoy this read. The one part I didn't like was the chapters are so long, sometimes over 100 pages.
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