The Last Empress

Critically acclaimed author Anchee Min completes her riveting narrative of one of the most amazing women in history with this exquisite sequel to her breathtaking Empress Orchid.

Late 19th-century China is a tumultuous land beset by warring enemies—both from beyond its borders and within the fabled walls of the Forbidden City. When her son and adopted son each succumb to early deaths, Orchid reluctantly assumes greater power. While foreign nations like Japan, Russia, France, and England fight for their share of the Chinese spoils, Orchid sees her nation divide into opposing factions. Struggling against sexism and insurgence, only she can keep China from tearing itself apart.

The Last Empress completes a revisionist masterwork that restores the reputation of a woman known in the West as the bloodthirsty “Dragon Lady.” It is historical fiction of the highest order.