In the 1850s, Orchid is a concubine to the Emperor Tzu Hsi, but when he dies she is thrust into the position of empress because she is the only concubine/wife to birth a son. She learns to govern with the help of her trusted friend, Yung Lu until her son, Tung Chih, is old enough to become emperor. China has gone through difficult times, it’s lost the first opium war and European and Japanese powers demand China cede control of ports and claim its wealth for themselves.

The is a gripping and informative tale of the struggles over the last 100 years before Mao came to power of Europeans and Japanese greed as well as internal struggles seen through the eyes of the empress.

• Other Asian 5 out of 5s