Title: Solid read
Product review: Having already read 'Raise the Red Lantern', I decided to give this book a try. It's not a bad book, with some solid and evocative descriptions - such as what happens to the concubines and the Palace of Discarded Concubines, along with what happens to the Emperor's love - this book is a interesting read in a fictional but Chinese-styled empire. I do wish there had been some more detail. The description made the book sound as if the Emperor was more crazy/cruel, and compared to the description, he actually comes across as rather mild, which disappointed me. I wanted to see an Emperor who would abuse his power more (and thus make a more fascinating and exciting novel for us to read) and even though this young emperor does do a few bad things, he's actually more meek and mild than what you would think despite his rages and tantrums.I enjoyed 'Rice' more than this book, but if you're a fan of Su Tong, you should at least find this book enjoyable. A decent 3.5/5 stars for a enjoyable read.
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