"Empress Orchid is a must-read for those fascinated by the intricacies of the Chinese court. Anchee Min does an exceptional job of bringing to life the complex world of the imperial harem and the power struggles within. Readers will find themselves rooting for Orchid as she navigates the treacherous paths of the palace, fighting for her own survival while trying to enact change in favor of the people. The historical accuracy coupled with the beautifully crafted characters make this novel a true gem."

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To rescue her family from poverty and avoid marrying her slope-shouldered cousin, seventeen-year-old Orchid competes to be one of the Emperor's wives. When she is chosen as a lower-ranking concubine she enters the erotically charged and ritualised Forbidden City. But beneath its immaculate façade lie whispers of murders and ghosts, and the thousands of concubines will stoop to any lengths to bear the Emperor's son.Orchid trains herself in the art of pleasuring a man, bribes her way into the royal bed, and seduces the monarch, drawing the attention of dangerous foes. Little does she know that China will collapse around her, and that she will be its last Empress.

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