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A review by sarahlreadseverything
Empress Dowager Cixi: The Concubine Who Launched Modern China by Jung Chang
5.0
*Disclaimer: I recieved a copy of this book thanks to Goodreads First Reads. I recieved no other form of compensation and all opinions are my own*
I really enjoyed this one. It's readable, and the subject matter is fascinating. I have to admit, Chinese history is not my strong point and this served as an all encompassing introduction into the time period as well as a fascinating biography of an extraordinary woman. I am a little sad that I haven't read more about Empress Dowager Cixi before, as Chang's perspective is obviously a revisionist one. I'm looking forward to doing more reading, so I can see others perspectives on her.
The book starts with Cixi's birth, and traces her life all the way through to her death as the (almost) undisputed ruler of China. I enjoyed Chang's effort to make this a portrait of a woman as well as a ruler - effort is obviously made to explore who Cixi was in everyday life, not just as a head of state. I also enjoyed that even though her perspective is obviously revisionist (I understand that Cixi is usually portrayed as a tyrant or a despot, whereas Chang portrays her as a wise moderniser) she does not flinch from stating fact: Cixi did sanction murder, and torture, on multiple occasions and she made political decisions that turned out to be the wrong ones.
The picture of China Chang shows us is also a fascinating one and she does a beautiful job of showing a country undergoing extreme transition without it becoming the focus of the story she is trying to tell. Under Cixi's watch, China moved from the traditional to the modern, and later we see the beginnings of a society about to collapse.
Overall? Fascinating and interesting, Empress Dowager Cixi: The Concubine Who Launched Modern China is well worth reading (although I do wish Chang had cited her sources better. There are notes at the end of the book, but no endnote notations in the text!)
I really enjoyed this one. It's readable, and the subject matter is fascinating. I have to admit, Chinese history is not my strong point and this served as an all encompassing introduction into the time period as well as a fascinating biography of an extraordinary woman. I am a little sad that I haven't read more about Empress Dowager Cixi before, as Chang's perspective is obviously a revisionist one. I'm looking forward to doing more reading, so I can see others perspectives on her.
The book starts with Cixi's birth, and traces her life all the way through to her death as the (almost) undisputed ruler of China. I enjoyed Chang's effort to make this a portrait of a woman as well as a ruler - effort is obviously made to explore who Cixi was in everyday life, not just as a head of state. I also enjoyed that even though her perspective is obviously revisionist (I understand that Cixi is usually portrayed as a tyrant or a despot, whereas Chang portrays her as a wise moderniser) she does not flinch from stating fact: Cixi did sanction murder, and torture, on multiple occasions and she made political decisions that turned out to be the wrong ones.
The picture of China Chang shows us is also a fascinating one and she does a beautiful job of showing a country undergoing extreme transition without it becoming the focus of the story she is trying to tell. Under Cixi's watch, China moved from the traditional to the modern, and later we see the beginnings of a society about to collapse.
Overall? Fascinating and interesting, Empress Dowager Cixi: The Concubine Who Launched Modern China is well worth reading (although I do wish Chang had cited her sources better. There are notes at the end of the book, but no endnote notations in the text!)