*** Fear And Loathing In The Forbidden City *** (Empress Orchid - Anchee Min)

Member Name: malibu_jenny

Product:	Empress Orchid - Anchee Min
Date:	13/07/09 (68 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Beautifully written and captivating.

Disadvantages: An occasional overload.

It's 19th century Peking, and a nervous Orchid is waiting at the gates of the Forbidden City before dawn to hear her fate. If she is chosen, she can save her family from starvation and escape an arranged marriage to her backward cousin, Bottle. But the price she will pay for winning is by no means clear.

Anchee Min's Empress Orchid is a beautiful historical biography, embellished with character, detail and ritual and I was surprised by how compelling I found it. The story starts with poor Orchid's humble beginnings and as I read it, I genuinely felt a sense that she was growing. To begin with she is meek and indecisive, but the events that follow make her into a strong and confident woman.

The description of the Forbidden City tired me out. Orchid takes in so much on that first journey into the unknown that it becomes overwhelming for the reader. I can picture the initial golden roofs, but by the time Orchid got through a multitude of chambers, I had lost focus for more descriptive dragons and another tapestry. I had the same problem with the various palaces; historically they probably merit description, but I think these are areas where an overview would have been a kinder option. Conversely the attention to detail was necessary in other respects, such as Chinese tradition, ritual and manners. Here, it was both interesting and helpful in understanding Orchid's relationships with the other concubines and the assorted staff of the city.

Orchid is bound by ritual and lives in constant fear of the consequences of her decisions; this is hammered home by the tales of cruelty and evil punishment suffered by her predecessors. Alone in her beautiful palace with only her cat, Snow and her servant An-te-hai for company, she is surrounded by silent staff, spies and expensive but useless gifts. Her boredom and depression in this prison are documented and suffered silently, while her only hope for change is to catch the Emperor's eye.

Increasingly, the story moves from Orchid's life in the gilded cage to the troubles which face China. The Opium wars and an influx of foreigners have caused cracks to appear in the Forbidden City; Hong Kong will be handed over to the British and new ports are to be opened. Once you begin to look at this story in the historical context and to contemplate a contemporary Europe, the distance between the East and West is more immediately striking than ever. China is still a golden bubble of tradition against the grey industrial force of the Allies and the changes that are taking place are what makes Orchid's story truly fascinating.

By the time Orchid becomes the mother of the Emperor, she is a political figure to be reckoned with and almost unrecognisable from the girl who made shoes in Peking. I felt the changes in Orchid were well handled and subtle enough for the gradual development of the character. Although we understand Orchid's emotions, these do not lead the book and events are quite often described dispassionately, leaving the reader to think about the impact on Orchid for themselves.

I'm not usually one for either biographies or historical books, but this odd mixture of glamour, betrayal and change caught me. Unlike the usual protagonist of a novel, Orchid is at times helpless to act out against the horror that surrounds her. She is often forced to accept her situation and the frustration it brings her. She has to deal with boredom, loss of control and fear, all of which change her as a person. There are enough moments of light to keep you reading though, you never lose the sense that Orchid might break free and her strong will is what makes her so likeable as a central character.

It's worth noting that the 'real' Empress Orchid, Tsu-Hsi suffered from a bad press in the past. There are accounts of her extravagant spending of public funds on personal luxuries while the peasants starved and historians suspect her of murdering her unborn grandchild to keep hold of the throne. This novel is a different take and in many ways a refreshing one. After all, if she became the person which history documents, it wouldn't be altogether surprising if it were a direct result of life in the court.

This isn't a long review, but I have no desire to spoil the book for anyone who wishes to read it. The pace is fast and the narrative colourful. It's an easy read and raises questions and emotion with no effort at all. There are ghosts walking the Forbidden City, evil toothless concubines, arch rivals and a sad figure of a spoilt Emperor who believes the sun shines only for him. This is a book which could never be described as boring. Confusing perhaps, but not boring.

*** 336 Pages ***

Summary: There is no predictable ending, even if you already know the history behind the story.