Empress Orchid

Empress Orchid by Anchee Min tells about the fight a poor young girl, from the day she and her family can't even afford to eat, until she becomes one of the powerful woman in history. This Manchu girl, called Orchid, is chosen by the Emperor as one of his seven wives and begins to live in the Forbidden City. She gives him a son and becomes his favourite wife. The life is not easy, but she is not a woman who gives up easily. The book is very enjoyable, with lots of details about the life in the 19th century, especially in the Forbidden City. The British and French people are described as savages, who sells opium to the Chinese and with their treaties demand lots of money from the Emperor. They also rob and burn palaces in the Forbidden City. Emperor Hsien Feng, who is not a very strong man to begin with, dies broken hearted. Little Tung Chih, Orchid's son, succeeds him. This book ends with the burial of Emperor Hsien Feng. There is a sequel, entitled The Last Empress.