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

informative inspiring slow-paced

5.0

A remarkable account of a remarkable historical figure. Jung Chang did a marvellous job of bringing Cixi to life on these pages: not just as a monarch, but also as a daughter, a wife, a mother, and a woman who was equally capable as she was vulnerable and flawed, her ambition and ingenuity evident through the bars of societal constraints. The author challenged modern views of Cixi as a corrupt tyrant with historical facts and logical reasoning, maintaining an objective approach throughout without glorification or obloquy. All in all, an excellent book with an engaging narrative. I highly recommend.