Imperial Woman (Buck, Pearl S. Oriental Novels of Pearl S. Buck, 3rd,) (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"A long, richly woven and to me, quite absorbing novel." -- The Nation

Product Description

The story of Tzu Hsi is the story of the last Empress in China. In the novel Nobel Prize winner Pearl S. Buck recreates the life of one of the most intriguing rulers during a time of intense turbulence.

Tzu Hsi was born into one of the lowly ranks of the Imperial dynasty. According to custom, she moved to the Forbidden City at the age of seventeen to become one of hundreds of concubines. But her singular beauty and powers of manipulation quickly moved her into the position of Second Consort.

Tzu Hsi was feared and hated by many in the court, but adored by the people. The Empress's rise to power (even during her husband's life) parallels the story of China's transition from the ancient to the modern way.

Pearl S. Buck's knowledge of and fascination with the Empress's life are contagious. She reveals the essence of this self-involved and infamous last Empress, at the same time she takes the reader through China's struggle for freedom and democracy.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 376 pages
• Publisher: Moyer Bell (March 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1559210354
• ISBN-13: 978-1559210355
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #32,851 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

50 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Masterpiece, June 8, 2002

By	W. Carol "dog lover" - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

Imperial Woman tells the story of Tzu-Hsi, the last Empress of China. It is well known that she was a formidable, fierce and cruelly efficient leader, but this story begins when she is a beautiful young teenager, vibrant, full of life, and deeply in love with her cousin, a handsome and stalwart guard at the Imperial Palace.

As was the custom in the day (as I learned from this book), the Emperor yearly picked a new crop of concubines from the daughters of the wealthy of China. It was considered a great honor to send one's daughter into whoredom at the palace, and the shocking details of how they were chosen and used make up the first part of the book. Our heroine, who is still known by her childhood name, Yehonala, is sent, along with her cousin Sakota--both are picked. On one inevitable night, Yehonala is sent to the Emperor's bedroom, and there loses her innocence forever, in more ways than one.

Swiftly becoming the Emperor's favorite, our heroine learns the intrigues of the palace, learning to trust nobody but to rely on only those closest to her. She consolidates her position by giving birth to the Emperor's only son, thus receiving the new name of "fortunate mother"--and a place of power higher than any woman in the palace.

But was the Emperor's son really his son? Can the formerly innocent concubine, fast becoming a political player worthy of anybody in today's world, stay alive to see her son crowned? Or will she be murdered in the truly baroque but terribly dangerous palace in-wars?

All is told in this fascinating book, written in Buck's simple but elegant style. This is one of her best, and well worth finding and reading.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Equal to "The Good Earth" --a dramatic saga, December 29, 2003

By	Joanna Daneman (Middletown, DE USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)

This review is from: Imperial woman

The story of Tzu Hsi, last Empress of the Manchu empire of China, is dramatic and reads like a novel. Pearl Buck, who grew up in China and was there as a child while the Empress was alive, draws from the attitudes of the country people towards their almost mythical ruler "Old Buddha." While Buck takes liberties with some of the history, the story is essentially correct while giving an imperial-eye-view of how the times must have seemed to the woman who ruled for decades in turbulent times. The language is exquisite, the story is exciting. One of Buck's best novels and an enjoyable read for anyone who loves historical novels.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pearl S. Buck's finest book-- and that's saying a lot., November 7, 1997

By A Customer

Though Tzu Hsi (pronounced Sue- Z) was the last Empress of China very little of her life-- both personal and private-- is known. Much as been written about this unfortunate woman; nearly all of it speculation and a good deal of it obscene. In her book "Imperial Woman" Mrs. Buck trys her hand at telling the story of Tzu Hsi and,in my opinion, comes about as close to the real woman as we're ever going to find. Tzu Hsi here is no cardboard figure but a flesh and blood woman with fear, ambition,helpless, cunning, triumphants, and deep loniless. All set mid-late 19th century China in a court, in a county, weak and rotting from the inside out while struggling to deal wth coming of the West and the 20th century. The characterization, dialogue, and discription are magnificent. A "must read"-- definatly!