A review by cmccollum
Empress Dowager Cixi: The Concubine Who Launched Modern China by Jung Chang

3.0

Cixi was a fascinating stateswoman, and I didn't know her history before reading this book. The story of the dowager empress' ascent to power and deft maintenance of it was a treat to read. It's hard to fathom how much China changed between the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and this book methodically explains those shifts. I appreciate Chang's extensive use of primary sources, although at times I found the lengthy quotations from these sources dragged the narrative out, making it a slog for me to get through parts. It's also clear Chang is writing with an agenda; she's fighting to rehabilitate Cixi's image and I wish that had been less heavy-handed in the narrative. Overall though, a solid read about a captivating and complex figure in history.