The Poet Empress by Shen Tao
Debut author Shen Tao introduces readers to the lush, deadly world of The Poet Empress, a sweeping, epic and intimate fantasy perfect for fans of The Serpent & the Wings of Night, The Song of Achilles and She Who Became the Sun.
In the waning years of the Azalea Dynasty, the emperor is dying, the land consumed by famine, and poetry magic lost to all except the powerful.
Wei Yin is desperate. After the fifth death of a sibling, with her family and village on the brink of starvation, she will do anything to save those she loves.
Even offer herself as concubine to the cruel heir of the beautiful and brutal Azalea House.
But in a twist of fate, the palace stands on the knife-edge of civil war with Wei trapped in its center…at the side of a violent prince.
To survive, Wei must harden her heart, rely on her wit, and become dangerous herself. Even if it means becoming a poet in a world where women are forbidden to read—and composing the most powerful spell of all. A ballad of death...and love.
Can't believe this one's a debut novel!❣️✨ I think I felt almost all
kinds of emotions while reading this one and that doesn't happen
often(for me).
Hailing from a small village that has been ravaged by famine and
starvation, Yin Wei is desperate after seeing another one of her
siblings die. She wants to keep her brother safe and give her loved ones
the opportunities that the others didn't get so she decides to offer
herself as a concubine to the cruel crown prince(someone who's known for
his violent deeds). To her surprise, he mockingly chooses her as his
future empress and thus begins her ordeal. However, Wei is not one to
take it lying down and she sneakily learns to read + write(in a world
where women are forbidden to do so) and craft spells with words. If she
wants to take down her torturer, she'll have to craft a love spell and
to do that, she'll have to get to know him inside and out - from the
perspective of others and finally, himself.
I think I'll have to clarify that this one is not a romance, though it
may seem like one from the outside. It's a complex character-driven
fantasy with political intrigue and many dark moments. Each character in
this story is so well-crafted with so many sides to them - noone is
black and white. It's also an exploration into childhood experiences and
how they shape one's character.
Wei was a fantastic protagonist - intelligent, resilient and determined.
Her character development is pivotal to the story. I didn't think for a
second that I could feel anything but contempt for Terren but the author
managed to make me feel sorry for him. I think this story would make a
spendid cdrama!
Katharine Chin was an incredible narrator - her narration had a lyrical
quality to it and really suited the writing! If you're looking for an
intriguing historical fantasy with excellent characters, I highly
recommend this one!
You can also find this post on my bookstagram here
*I was provided with an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest
review*
Shen Tao immigrated to Canada at an early age, and grew up inspired by both Chinese and Western stories. She has wanted to be a writer for as long as she can remember. Her debut novel, The Poet Empress, is an epic fantasy about poetry magic and a woman who learns to read in secret to change a dynasty.
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