Empress (Paperback)

by Evelyn McCune (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Kirkus Reviews
A romp through the tumultuous life of Wu Jao, China's only empress. In her first novel, McCune tells an intricate story of lust and rebellion spanning two generations in seventh-century China. At 13, Wu Jao, the second daughter of a minor nobleman's wife, is summoned to serve as a concubine to the Emperor Taitsung. She is placed in a section of the emperor's harem that is scandalized by internal conflict and mysterious deaths. Still, as she has been instructed by her family, Jao remains obedient and keeps her suspicions to herself. She does befriend the caretaker of the emperor's children, thus getting to know the royal heirs. But when Jao deduces the identity of a murderer within her harem and realizes that she is to be the next victim, she goes directly to the emperor--a highly risky and unheard of act. Her frank and gutsy attitude, however, wins the affection of the emperor. The two develop a closeness that becomes the envy of the higher-ranking concubines. When the emperor dies, his concubines are permanently moved to a convent. But the new emperor, Kaotsung, remembers Jao fondly from his childhood and sends orders for her to return to the palace. This unusual act disturbs his jealous wife, who is eventually dethroned, allowing Jao to rise to an even higher status. As the story proceeds, Jao uses her insight and savvy (both personal and political) to become the closest confidante of the emperor, after whose death, when none of her children can govern as well as she, Jao assumes the throne. McCune's expertise in Asian studies is apparent, but the story drags at the end. Filled with the trials and tribulations of palace life, this book often reads more like a creatively written history book than a novel. We meet many characters, but few other than Jao display any depth. -- Copyright ©1994, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Product Description
"McCune has recreated the splendor and intrigue of the imperial court in the Tang dynasty...giving us entertaining and informative access to a brilliant time and a complex woman."
JEFFREY RIEGEL
Chair, Department of East Asian Languages
University of California, Berkeley
Sweeping through exotic, turbulent seventh-century China, EMPRESS is the captivating epic of one extraordinary woman who would become the only female emperor in all of China's history. The story of Wu Jao, set against the backdrop of medieval China, reveals not only an age of horrifying barbarism, daring treachery, and precarious power, but also an eternal culture of sophistication and enlightenment.


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Product Details

• Paperback: 500 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books; 1st edition (July 19, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 044990749X
• ISBN-13: 978-0449907498
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 6.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,150,265 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Please don't judge the book by its cover., December 3, 2004

By	belle (nyc) - See all my reviews

While the cover may be a thousand years off, we would do well to attribute this mistake to the publisher not the author. As a scholar currently researching the Empress Wu Zetian I can tell you that coming up with historical information on her can be tricky and difficult. Yet, Evelyn McCune does a masterful job of filling in the historical outlines of Wu's life into a believable and somewhat plausible (although a bit romantic) account. If the job of historical fiction is to make historical sympathetic, then McCune certainly achieves this end- a laudable feat given that the historical figure in question was one of the most violent and ruthless despots in Chinese history. McCune not only humanizes Wu Zetian, but justifies many of her actions (even if some of the less noble moments are glossed over.) The book should not to be taken as the gospel truth, but it is a very enjoyable novel. Then again, that's why they call it historical *fiction* isn't it?

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars book cover, May 13, 2005

By	Lynn (portland or) - See all my reviews

A cover illustration that is off by a thousand years creates a credibility problem. Imagine the reaction if an author in China wrote a biography about George Washington, but the cover illustration had him wearing Abe Lincoln's outfit. The artist and publisher would be scorned for not doing research. Accuracy in visual and costume detail is every bit as important as accuracy in content.

4.0 out of 5 stars Ignore the Cover, It's Not Representative of the Novel, August 1, 2005

By	Tse-t'ien (USA) - See all my reviews

Ignore the cover and the complaints about it. Yes, the COVER is grossly inaccurate, but the NOVEL is a decent work of historical fiction. It maintains the basic facts and presents interesting/reasonably probable "what ifs" to fill in the gaps (which are many). Be warned: this is by far the most sympathetic and favorable presentation of the Empress Wu. Mccune's desire for a strong, intelligent, female protagonist somtimes blinds her to Wu's very real ruthlessness and love of power. Take it from someone's who has read the book (more than once) and not just seen the cover.