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pprajina's review against another edition
5.0
I cannot begin to articulate how great a read I found this marvelous biography to be. In fact, I am still a little too overwhelmed to put it in words, so I shall put myself to task in some days from now. For now, I shall leave this with a 5 rating and the dates I read this book. Most engrossing read ever!
hattifattener's review against another edition
2.0
Approachable chronicling of the complex history surrounding a fascinating woman.
Appallingly blatant apologist slant that makes it impossible to judge the substance of the text.
Appallingly blatant apologist slant that makes it impossible to judge the substance of the text.
dakota12's review against another edition
5.0
I'm ashamed to say that I barely knew her name before reading this book given now she has to be one of my favourite historical figures. The book focuses on her life story but in doing so also gives a great view of China and colonial affairs in the 19th/early 20th centuries. Chang also isn't shy about challenging the conventional stories around Cixi and often calls those misconceptions out. Uniquely, Chang uses primarily Chinese sources which seems like it should be the obvious thing to do but actually makes this book truly unique in western literature.
Some of the reviews here seem to get lost in whether Cixi was good or bad, at the end of the day she was human and this book shows that. Plus good or bad or anything in-between she is certainly one of the great figures of modern history.
Some of the reviews here seem to get lost in whether Cixi was good or bad, at the end of the day she was human and this book shows that. Plus good or bad or anything in-between she is certainly one of the great figures of modern history.
talkingdogg's review against another edition
4.0
Jung Chang is an engaging author who can make dry, dusty history come to life. Her prior book Wild Swans is one of my favorite glimpses into the complex history that informs modern China, and this book follows suit in its quality. This is an extensively researched volume which will enrich one's understanding of the complex and multidimensional history of China as its last imperial dynasty confronted modernization, the West, and internal social challenges.
k8dkc's review against another edition
4.0
I mostly read European history and it was great to read about China and the impressive Dowager Empress Cixi.
The audiobook reader wasn't great - at times it seemed like a single sentence was recorded at different times.
Definitely worth the read
The audiobook reader wasn't great - at times it seemed like a single sentence was recorded at different times.
Definitely worth the read
karingforbooks's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
My biggest issue with this book is the organization. It’s pseudo chronological, but she jumps between years and themes so there’s no continuous thread in the book to keep you on track. Aside from that I think the writing is good. I think her clarity was excellent. Her bias which every author has was weirdly pro
western and sinulteanously pro china, and I couldn’t quite
figure out which way to go with that. It wasn’t a bad thing, just unusual. I loved learning about this woman, however, and I love that she is being vindicated. I think the author did a really nice job of presenting Cixi as an empress in her own right rather than continuing the myth that she was only a woman, and therefore couldn’t have done anything let alone correctly.
western and sinulteanously pro china, and I couldn’t quite
figure out which way to go with that. It wasn’t a bad thing, just unusual. I loved learning about this woman, however, and I love that she is being vindicated. I think the author did a really nice job of presenting Cixi as an empress in her own right rather than continuing the myth that she was only a woman, and therefore couldn’t have done anything let alone correctly.
patrick2024's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
2.0
It was Jung’s usual perfectly researched self.