A concubine at the palace learns quickly that there are many ways to capture the Emperor’s attention. Many paint their faces white and style their hair attractively, hoping to lure in the One Above All with their beauty. Some present him with fantastic gifts, such as jade pendants and scrolls of calligraphy, while others rely on their knowledge of seduction to draw his interest. But young Mei knows nothing of these womanly arts, yet she will give the Emperor a gift he can never forget.
Mei’s intelligence and curiosity, the same traits that make her an outcast among the other concubines, impress the Emperor. But just as she is in a position to seduce the most powerful man in China, divided loyalties split the palace in two, culminating in a perilous battle that Mei can only hope to survive.
The first volume of the Empress of Bright Moon duology paints a vibrant portrait of ancient China—where love, ambition, and loyalty can spell life or death—and the woman who came to rule it all.
Just The Man She Needed #1) ♭ There is no easy path for a woman aspiring to power. . . .
A concubine at the palace learns quickly that there are many ways to capture the Emperor’s attention. Many paint their faces white and style their hair attractively Enchanting Baby (The Birth Place hoping to lure in the One Above All with their beauty. Some present him with fantastic gifts To Tempt a Cowgirl such as jade pendants and scrolls of calligraphy Innocent Sins (Harlequin Presents, while others rely on their knowledge of seduction to draw his interest. But young Mei knows nothing of these womanly arts Wild Nights with Her Wicked Boss yet she will give the Emperor a gift he can never forget.
Mei’s intelligence and curiosity Only a Whisper the same traits that make her an outcast among the other concubines Midsummer Night (Lady Julia Grey, impress the Emperor. But just as she is in a position to seduce the most powerful man in China Copper Lake Secrets divided loyalties split the palace in two Always You culminating in a perilous battle that Mei can only hope to survive.
The first volume of the Empress of Bright Moon duology paints a vibrant portrait of ancient China—where love You Sexy Thing! ambition North Country Hero and loyalty can spell life or death—and the woman who came to rule it all.
Lopera di Rabelais e la cultur la Rabelais
Lopera di Rabelais e la cultur la Rabelais
Ten years of writing.
Eighty-two rejection letters.
Two years of waiting to publication.
Here she comes,
from the bottom of my heart.
I didn't know anything about the history of 7th century China but was intrigued from the beginning with Mei and her story . The author successfully transported me there and for two days I found it difficult to come back . I was intrigued by the emperor and by the complex political atmosphere of the palace as well as the fierce competition among the women and girls wanting to be "the Most Adored" of the Emperor, as they fall in and out of favor by deceit and lies. The hierarchy of concubines, the promise of a better life , of being closer to the Emperor and perhaps bearing him son , breeds deceit and schemes to move others out of the way, conspiracies and bribery.
There are lovely descriptions of the palace , the royal attire and so much more without going overboard in this fast paced story of the power struggles among the women of the court and the politics of the palace. Watching Mei move closer and further away from the Emperor and then closer again, I read ...
A Guerreira da Lua Brilhante
Na China de tempos imemoriais, numa sociedade onde a mulher pouco mais fazia que procriar, nasceu uma criança encantadora — uma menina de rosto perfeito, que brilhava com a intensidade da Lua.
Reza a história que um monge profetizara que tal beleza reinaria sobre os homens. Estava escrito que Mei — a menina que encarnara a beleza da Lua — seria Imperatriz, e não haveria nenhuma antes, nem outra depois!...
Mei nascera num meio privilegiado. O pai era governador e vivia com a família numa casa palaciana com jardim e numerosos criados. Mei era uma menina rica, amada, mimada e a preferida do pai!
Contudo, essa infância paradisíaca cedo lhe foi roubada. O pai pereceu subitamente, vítima de acidente, deixando vago um cargo que não poderia ser preenchido pela mãe, por ela ou pelas irmãs, pois governar era apanágio dos homens.
Assim, foram simplesmente chutadas para a rua!
Despojada de t...
Importantly, no nation could claim sovereignty over the moon; thus, the novel titled "𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙈𝙤𝙤𝙣 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙋𝙖𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚" brings together a story of a woman ruler representing the moon, Empress Wu, during the Tang Dynasty. Mei, the main character that is supposed to rise to the position of Empress, has lived life treading on eggshells where the disposition of falling into a foe's trap would lead to death. This nameless young girl overcame hurdles, struggles, and cruelty within the palace where schemes are like relentless flying darts, unavoidable. In a palace story, one would expect that politics between women and men are rampant in dismay. Allies and allegiances were formed in common interests but never a friendship. Not to mention trying to keep up the pretense that everything was fine, to please one man, the Emperor. There was bravery, passion, and ambition at play to win it all.
The author's bold approach to retelling the...
I loved this book to pieces. All my favorite things -- romance, intrigue, and rich, vivid historical detail. And a glimpse of the complicated hierarchy of power in the imperial palace. It reminded me of the Hong Kong serials I watched about Empress Wu and Princess Taiping when I was young. *happy sigh*
Before I start this review I want to say that this book, and it's sequel, and the most incredible and stunning books of this kind that I have ever read. They tell a story I didn't know and had never heard of and that made reading these books a sheer joy and ultimate pleasure.
The book tells the beginning of the life of Empress Wu, during the Tang Dynasty, when she first joins the palace women under the name of Mei and begins a life she could never have dreamed of and would maybe have horrified her if she'd been told what her life had in store for her. What a terribly intriguing life she led if this book is to be believed too intriguing and dangerous to boot. To live in the way Mei does is heartbreaking to read, never knowing which way things will go for you, will you be accepted and loved or shunned and hated. Seems like a terrible way to live but Mei does it with calm aplomb, knowing what she wants without any real clue how to get there without sheer luck. Mei is a ...
3.75 stars! Imperial China, courtesans, political intrigue, poisoning, double crossings, secret alliances, beheading, rebellions, jade and jewels, silkworms,prophecies, romance and destiny.
4 stars - It was great. I loved it.
Prior to reading this, I did not know that much about China’s 7th century dynasty history, or anything of Empress Wu. The history revealed in the novel was fascinating and led me down numerous rabbit holes with Google searches and Wikipedia. The author’s writing style was enjoyable and I look forward to reading the rest of her series.
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Favorite Quote: To grow up was also to give up, and to build the future was to dissolve the past.
First Sentence: The day my future was foretold, I was just five years old.
But I understood it now. Somehow, sometime in our lives, we all needed to find a path through the clouds of our destinies and walk down, Alone."
"I knew now: love and destiny were two wild horses that could not be curbed. They galloped in different directions and ran down different paths where streams of desire and hope would not converge. To follow one was to betray the other. To make one happy was to break the other's heart. Yet I supposed that was part of life, a lesson we had to learn. To grow up was to give up, and to build the future was to dissolve the past.The only thing we could do was hope for the best, to believe that the horse we chose would find us a safe destination."
I picked this book up because {site_link}Kate Quinn gave this a four-star review and we all know Kate Quinn is queen of historical fictions. Oh, and China. Whaddup, my people.
THE GOOD
This story spans nine years so there's a lot of development in Mei's initial status from an initial Select concubine to her eventual one-step-away-from-Most-Adored status. Good for you, homegirl.
And Pheasant. Good for you, sweet face.
THE BAD
Bad book chemistry, perhaps? The narrative wasn't nearly as flat as {site_link}The Course of Honor but it also wasn't nearly as vivid and engaging as {site_link}Mistress of Rome, which is probably one of my favorite historical fictions.
Instead with this book, we never truly get to know Mei or empathize too much with her because all we are exposed to are her basic, logical thoughts. "How do I get noticed by the Emperor? Oh, drat, that mean spinster betray...
The book was in writing for 10 years.
Now keep that in mind, the author needed 10 years of research to write this and 2 years to get it published.
I don't even know what to say...
At first, not knowing who the character was supposed to be historically i thought it was an Alice in wonderland type of tale where the flat and lifeless character is there just so you can see the world through her eyes.
But there is very very VERY little world building here, even I can tell you that in the tang dynasty women did not have bangs! How do I know that? well because they didn't cut their hair up until well into the 19 hundreds.
It seemed that characters spiraled downwards so badly there was no way for the author to course correct and just went with it.
Mei is passive for the woman that became China's power hungry Empress Wu, She does nothing and her head is full of straw... unless we need exposition or a random attempt ...
How gorgeous is that cover? Honestly, even if the book hadn’t been about Wu Zetian, I would have picked up this book based on the cover alone.
But thankfully the book is also very good. I really enjoyed the story that Randel told here. She did a great job of creating the character of Wu Zetian, especially the young woman we don’t really know much about. Wu is often portrayed as a villainess in history, but here, she is a sympathetic protagonist. Randel did a great job humanizing the character of Wu.
She also did a good job of taking us inside Tang Dynasty China, an era I don’t know a lot about (I usually focus on Qing Dynasty China). While this is a work of fiction, it is clear a lot of research went into her descriptions and it was interesting to see what life was like inside the palace at that time.
Unfortunately, the book is part of a two-book set, and I haven’t read the second one yet. I’m dying to know what happens from Wu’s poi...
I adored this novel of ancient China in the same way I loved Anita Diamond's The Red Tent, both for the evocative language and the story of a time when lovers and wives were sisters, and jealousies and scheming were rampant. Even when women had few rights—I would not want to be one of them!—this story shows its female characters were not powerless, and somehow found the inner strength to improve their lot in life. The book has left me thinking about marrying for love vs marrying for influence, and how each affects our lives. The Chinese folk wisdom, superstitions, and quotes from The Art of War scattered throughout enriched the story. I'm eager to read the second book, taking a break only because I don't want it to be over! Highly recommend.
Eu nu sunt o fana a romanelor despre cultura chineza sau japoneza, nu m-a atras niciodata istoria lor, dinastiile si traditiile si recunosc ca nu stiu foarte multe despre aceasta parte a lumii. Insa am citit cateva romane bune, care m-au adus mai aproape de aceasta cultura atat de diferta de a noastra si trebuie sa recunosc ca imi plac. Si romanul de fata mi s-a parut o lectura frumoasa, o poveste bine construita, cu personaje vii, cu suficienta istorie cat sa te familiarizezi cu contextul si cat sa nu strice povestea cu detalii. Nu a fost o poveste impresionanta, am citit altele mai bune si, in acest context, trebuie sa mentionez Imparateasa orhidee, care trateaza acelasi subiect si care mi s-a parut mai complexa si mi-a transmis mai mult, insa a avut ce trebuie si cred ca a reusit sa contureze atmosfera acelor vremuri si viata de la palat.
Romanul surprinde povestea lui Mei, o tanara de numai 12 ani care, dupa ce tatal ei moare si isi pierde locuinta, ajunge la palatul ...
Mei - She begins the book as a child, and by the end of it, she has blossomed into a courageous, captivating woman who stays true to her heart, and her loyalties take her beyond her own expectations. She was truly mesmerizing.
Pheasant - His gentleness, and kindheartedness circled my heart like a ray of sunshine. He's a man of honor and distinction. I look forward to reading more about him in the next novel.
The other characters were very well developed. Some I loved, and others I loved to hate, all making for a sensational read.
It is the first book that I have read that takes place in China. A while back I watched a documentary about The Forbidden City, which sparked my interest in China's traditional past, and then when searching for my next book to read, The Moon in the Palace enticed me with its beautiful cover. I am so thankful it did, because this is, by far, the best book I have read all year. No lie.
The emperor in this book...
I knew nothing about 7th Century China. This story begins when a prediction is made that a 5 yr old girl will one day rule China. This novel brings us to the early years of Empress WU.
This book was an eye opener. I love to read about things I do not know. It was very interesting how the women in this novel had to compete to be the best. The competition to be the Most Adorned was fierce. I loved the characters of Mei and Pheasant and look forward to seeing what happens next This book is rich in history, much of which I was not aware of and how families lived in that time to survive. I would highly recommend this book. I look forward to the next book.
This book was everything I expected. It lyrically portrays all the violence and beauty of one of China’s most cosmopolitan eras. I enjoyed the inclusion of harem politics and plots. While this is a fictional account, I am sure many similar events happened. It is about duty, friendship, love, loyalty, choices, loss, and sacrifices. This novel is about a woman who is searching to find her happiness. Full of court intrigue, action, danger, and a forbidden romance. Moon in the Palace left me breathless and utterly captivated. Full review you can find on my blog: {site_link}https://poetryofreading.blogspot.com/...
The MOON IN THE PALACE was reminiscent of the tale CINDERELLA but with an Asian twist and more conniving women in it. Weina Dai Randel creates a captivating story about the rise of the young Empress Wu, known as Mei in this book, and her struggles in the ruthless court of Emperor Taizing of the Tang Dynasty.
I loved how Randel showed Mei’s determination and battle against impossible odds to achieve her dream. The author did a wonderful job of keeping my interest with Mei having her wish just a grasp away and then ripped away, causing her to be further away from her goal each time. Although there is intrigue, court politics, conniving foes, betrayal, and great losses, there is also love and friendship with a prince.
If you love stories about strong women who are determined to create their own destiny, then I think you will enjoy THE MOON IN THE PALACE.
{site_link}
"Cumva, la un moment dat în viață, cu toții avem nevoie să găsim o potecă printre cețurile destinelor nostre și să coborâm. Singuri."
Volim čitati povijesnu fikciju, pogotovo kada se radi o likovima, dobima i civilizacijama o kojima do sada nisam znala baš puno. A još kada je u središtu priče jedna iznimna žena, ne može bolje!
Mlada Mei kći je kineskog guvernera, koja nakon smrti oca ostane bez svega. Jedini izlaz iz bijede i način da pomogne svojoj obitelji Mei vidi u prilici da dođe na dvor kineskog cara kao jedna od njegovih odabranica. Zahvaljujući očevom položaju, Mei vrlo brzo doista bude pozvana na dvor, ali tu tek počinje njen trnovit put do pravog položaja - i, možda, carevog srca. Naime, carevih je odabranica puno i svaka je od njih na svoj način lijepa i darovita, te se u tom moru ljupkih (i ambicioznih) djevojaka teško istaknuti. Mei će morati pomno odabrati svoj put i pažljivo iskoristiti svaku priliku koja joj se pruži da bi uopće došla do cara. Put je to koji joj može donijeti nezamislive nagrade i ostvariti joj životnu želju, ali i odvesti ju u propast ako ...
In an interview at the end of this novelization of the early life of ancient Chinese Empress Wu (AD 624-705), the author notes that in reaction against Maxine Hong Kingston's The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood amongst Ghosts, she decided to tell stories about "Chinese women who succeeded in controlling their destinies." Though Wu is noted for being the only woman to be given the title "emperor" of China, her early days as fictionalized by Randel (and no doubt in actual life, too) do not show her enjoying much control over her life.
Our protagonist, known by her childhood name of Mei, loses her wealthy and powerful father when she is only 12. She, her mother, and two sisters are forced out of their home and flee to the home of an unwelcoming half-brother. But Mei's luck turns when, a year later, she is called to court to be one of the emperor's "Selects," 13 and 14-year-old girls who are chosen as potential concubines to the Emperor. Lots of court intrigu...
I met Weina Dai Randel when I was in the US earlier this year, attending the Historical Novel Society conference in Portland. A gorgeous cover and intriguing premise worked their usual powerful force on me, and I added her novel The Moon in the Palace to the great pile of books I had to lug home.
The story begins when a Buddhist monk predicts that a five-year-old girl named Mei would one day be the mother of emperors and reign over the kingdom of China. From that moment, Mei’s father began to plot to have his beautiful little girl brought to the attention of the Emperor. Her father’s plans are disrupted by his unexpected death, but then Mei – now twelve years old – finds herself summoned to the court as one of fifteen maidens chosen to enter the Inner Court. From this moment, her life changes drastically. Separated from her mother, she must learn to negotiate through the intrigues and dangers of the life at the palace. The Emperor has many hundreds of concubi...
Highly recommend this one. It was hard to put down. This first book of the only woman ruler of China, Empress Wu, deals with the early years of her life in the palace before she was the empress. The palace politics, with successes and downfalls of the women and others surrounding the emperor, was fascinating. I love historical fiction especially when it deals with areas that I know little to nothing about. There were similarities to Memoirs of a Geisha in regards to women trying to make a better life for themselves in a man's world. If you enjoyed that one, I think you will love this as well.
I love books that dust off the lives of history's forgotten women, so I thoroughly enjoyed Weina Dai Randel's take on Empress Wu's early years. The ten years spent writing The Moon in the Palace show in all the tiny details that whisk the reader back to the Tang Dynasty: scenes set in the silkworm workshop, Mei's trek to a Buddhist monastery, and a behind the scenes glimpse at the cutthroat political machinations of the Emperor's concubines. The love story between Mei and Pheasant sets the stage perfectly for the second book in the series, which I can't wait to read!
"- Se a criança fosse uma rapariga, com este rosto, - o monge, Tripitaka, estudou-me atentamente - ela eclipsaria a luz do Sol e brilharia com mais intensidade do que a Lua. Reinaria sobre o reino que governa muitos homens. Seria mãe de imperadores da terra mas também seria imperador em seu próprio nome. Ela desmantelaria a casa de mentiras mas construiria o tempo do divino. Ela dissolveria o reino dos fantasmas mas fundaria uma dinastia de almas. Ela seria imortal."
A verdade é que se tratava de uma rapariga!
Um imperador, intitulado e tratado por "Único acima de Todos".
Uma viagem ao séc VII chinês e às suas cortes imperiais.
Uma complacência e subserviência inacreditáveis.
De tradições tão inculcadas que se tornam inquestionáveis.
De formas de vida tão distintas que nos surpreendem incrivelmente.
Uma linha tão ténue sobre a vida e a morte, da...
Este livro foi uma primeira vez para mim em vários pontos e fico contente porque foi uma boa leitura e uma boa experiência.
Opinião completa em:{site_link}http://aviciadadoslivros.blogspot.pt/...
Wu Zetian, mais tarde conhecida por Imperatriz Wu (e neste livro por Mei), foi a primeira e única mulher a ocupar o trono imperial da China, entre 690 e 705 d.C. Foi sobre esta personagem que Weina Dai Randel – nascida na China mas atualmente a residir nos Estados Unidos – decidiu escrever, naquela que é a sua estreia nos romances. A Imperatriz da Lua Brilhante, primeiro de dois romances sobre esta importante figura histórica chinesa, cobre o período da juventude e chegada à maioridade de Mei, intimamente ligados à sua entrada na corte do palácio.
Mei nasce num meio privilegiado, tendo o seu pai cargo de governador, o que lhe conferiu desde tenra idade acesso à educação e, consequentemente, a fez desejar chegar longe. Logo no início do romance, um monge profetiza o destino da pequena Mei, dizendo-lhe que no futuro seria imperatriz do reino e mãe de imperadores. Mei nunca esquece essa profecia e, depois da morte do seu pai e com a sua entrada na...
"The Moon in the Palace" is the story of Mei, a concubine of the Chinese Emperor. This is the first book in a duology that takes readers back to ancient China. When Mei comes to court, she finds herself in stiff competition for the Emperor's affections. She really has no idea what she is doing and the way that she captures his attention is unlike any other concubine. This book explores the gilded court life and Mei's fascinating life at the center of it!
This book is so filled with court intrigue. Mei is at the center of so much in this book. We see when she first arrives at the Palace and how competitive it is with the other concubines. Mei is so happy to have a chance at a better life inside the palace walls that she isn't really aiming to impress the Emperor at first. It seems to be a happy accident that he is so enthralled with her. The author does a great job of showing Mei's growth throughout the book.
You all know that I love historical fiction. I e...
Prava Mei (Wu) je bila nemilosrdna... Dana 17. veljače davne 624. godine rođena je kineska carica Wu Zetian, jedina žena koja je ikad zasjela na kinesko prijestolje. Wu Zetian rođena je u bogatoj plemićkoj obitelji te je kao dijete naučila pisati, čitati i svirati, što je bilo neobično za ženu u to doba. Već s četrnaest godina postala je konkubina cara Taizonga, kojeg je oduševilo njeno znanje o književnosti i povijesti, pa ju je postavio da radi administrativne poslove na carskom dvoru. Nakon što je car umro naslijedio ga je njegov sin Gaozong, a Wu je poslana u budistički samostan, što je bila tradicionalna sudbina carevih udovica. No, Gaozong je bio fasciniran njenim sposobnostima i ljepotom, te ju je za nekoliko godina vratio na dvor i uzeo za svoju konkubinu.
Nakon što je rodila dva sina i zadobila carevo povjerenje, postala je suparnica carice Wang. Wu je ovom prilikom prvi puta pokazala nemilosrdnost po kojoj je kasnije postala notorna – n...
i stumbled upon this book while reading The Bookshop Book by Jen Campbell. i was hunting for another book that was mentioned there when i found The Moon in the Palace.
From the first page onwards, i was hooked. i have read books about Empress Wu and there are many version of her. But in this book she was the same and yet different. Here she is so innocent even though hhave been in Court for 5 years.
i love the story of her and Pheasant. It was very moving. Here their love was vety much alive and felt real.
Many times i found myself hating the Emperor for his indifference attitude. Poor Mei.
yes, this book is for keeps as it's not only page turning but also heart warming to read about Mei's courage. The author had done well making the characters jump out of the page. Am looking to read book 2 of this series.
Yes i would recommend this book to friends.