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runjnee's review against another edition
3.0
Cixi's story is undoubtedly fascinating. The woman behind the screen who began the modernisation of China and ushered it into the 20th century better than any other Qing monarch could have, and also the woman that abolished foot-binding - what a legacy to leave behind. It is apparently sadly covered up due to the misogynistic nature of the political system as well as the historians of the 100 years after her death.
I picked up the book expecting to like it. I however thought the writing seemed patchy; it shone in some parts while it barely made a cursory effort in others. I would've thought that a story of such political intrigue could have been written in a more compelling fashion, but maybe it's just poor mass-market me that had to struggle to complete a few parts. Unfortunately this is a rare beast and, if you are interested in reading more about her at all, this is one of the few ways to go. Not the best pick for an introduction to modern Chinese history, however.
I picked up the book expecting to like it. I however thought the writing seemed patchy; it shone in some parts while it barely made a cursory effort in others. I would've thought that a story of such political intrigue could have been written in a more compelling fashion, but maybe it's just poor mass-market me that had to struggle to complete a few parts. Unfortunately this is a rare beast and, if you are interested in reading more about her at all, this is one of the few ways to go. Not the best pick for an introduction to modern Chinese history, however.
rosy_posy's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
4.25
I really enjoyed this book / never read about this period in China before and Cixi provided an extraordinary lens in which to view it. It is interesting how some of her decisions in the early twentieth century led to my great grandfather being in China during the Second World War. Her influence reached across the globe and the decades.
mrucker's review against another edition
I really wanted to like it but it has a dryness that was so difficult to get past. I wanted to learn about Cixi but over 25 pages in and she was background character while the history of China’s war with Britain and France took center stage. I understand how this is important to her story but she wasn’t even referenced in it and it was all focused on the King and Princes. There was also little to no info on her time as a concubine or in the palace before this and it felt like they were skipping through her story to get to the war bits and then marinating in them. I just couldn’t get it in my teeth enough to enjoy.
josiee's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
slow-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Ableism, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Excrement, Police brutality, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
journeyingjeff's review against another edition
4.0
Fascinating read about a historical figure I knew next to nothing about. I came across this book after reading Stephen R. Platt's Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom, a history of the Taiping Rebellion, which briefly describes the young concubine Cixi's coup d'etat after the death of the Xianfeng emporer. I was interested in learning more about her.
Cixi's life was full of intrigue and power plays and she effectively managed to rule China for nearly the entire period from 1861 to 1908. I noticed many parallels with the life of Elizabeth I of England, her political astuteness and her willingness to have foes executed, but only when they endangered her hold on power. However, I think the author might be prone to exaggerate Cixi's good qualities and responsibility for modernizing China. This positive depiction may result from a desire to counter the prevailing historical narrative about Cixi, which has been overwhelmingly negative. The author effectively explains the historical context for someone that doesn't have a lot of familiarity with Chinese history. An intriguing read!
Cixi's life was full of intrigue and power plays and she effectively managed to rule China for nearly the entire period from 1861 to 1908. I noticed many parallels with the life of Elizabeth I of England, her political astuteness and her willingness to have foes executed, but only when they endangered her hold on power. However, I think the author might be prone to exaggerate Cixi's good qualities and responsibility for modernizing China. This positive depiction may result from a desire to counter the prevailing historical narrative about Cixi, which has been overwhelmingly negative. The author effectively explains the historical context for someone that doesn't have a lot of familiarity with Chinese history. An intriguing read!
katy_bee's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
4.75
I'm not normally a non fiction reader but I was enthralled by this. Chang is a very readable author with a lot of information presented in a really accessible way. While she clearly admires dowager empress Cixi and wants to rehabilitate her reputation, she also describes her errors and flaws. I knew little about this period in Chinese history and I fascinated by the political intrigue and wider social impact.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Suicide, Torture, and War
mmaguirk's review against another edition
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
Very informative but such a slow pace and author goes back and forth expounding on random parallel concepts/events making the storyline drag. Wanted to put it down multiple times but hate not completing a work of literature so trudged through. Information could have been given in half of the page length.
bethanybarton's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
5.0