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The Moon in the Palace
$15.99
Published: March 2016
SKU: 9781492613565
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Overview
"Randel's gorgeous debut novel seductively pulls back the curtain to reveal the heartbreaking world of...China."—Stephanie Dray, NYT bestselling Author of America's First Daughter
A thrilling work of historical fiction, bringing romance, intrigue, and the unexpected rise of an Empress to intoxicating life under the inscrutable moon.
In Tang Dynasty China, a concubine at the palace learns quickly that there are many ways to capture the Emperor's attention. Many hope to lure in the One Above All with their beauty. Some present him with fantastic gifts, such as jade pendants and scrolls of calligraphy, while others rely on their knowledge of seduction to draw his interest.
Young Mei knows nothing of these womanly arts, yet she will give the Emperor a gift he can never forget. Mei's intelligence and curiosity, the same traits that make her an outcast among the other concubines, impress the Emperor. But just as she is in a position to seduce the most powerful man in China, divided loyalties split the palace in two, culminating in a perilous battle that Mei can only hope to survive.
In the breakthrough first volume in the Empress of Bright Moon duology, Weina Dai Randel paints a vibrant portrait of the Emperor’s Palace—where love, ambition, and loyalty can spell life or death—and the woman who came to rule all of ancient China.
"I absolutely loved The Moon in the Palace... A rare and beautiful treasure."—Elizabeth Chadwick, NYT bestselling author
Winner of RWA RITA® Award 2017
Recommended by Texas Library Association's 2017 Lariat Reading List
One of the Biggest Historical Fiction books of 2016 by Bookbub
One of Washington Independent Reviews of Book's 25 Favorite Books of 2016
A San Francisco Book Festival Honorable Mention
Product Details
- Paperback
- Case Count: 12
- Series: The Empress of Bright Moon Duology
"eloquent first novel...a must for historical fiction fans, especially those fascinated by China's glorious past." — Library Journal, STARRED Review
"The Moon in the Palace depicts Empress Wu's sharp, persistent spirit but does not neglect to make her believably naive and vulnerable, an untried girl among ruthless women. The intrigue and machinations of the imperial court come to life under her hand, a vast and dangerous engine with each piece moving for its own reasons." — Shelf Awareness, Starred Review
"Like fragile yet strong silk threads, Randel's beautifully composed debut ensnares readers in the dynamic story of the young girl who would become Empress of the Bright Moon. Randel's novel is an impressive tale of lethal court intrigue that is seductive and alluring. It is a story of one woman's rise to power, but also of the relationships between the women of the palace. Readers will be transported by the colorful, fairy-tale-like story." — RT Book Reviews, 4.5 Stars, TOP PICK!
"Lyrical and intriguing." — Kirkus Reviews
"The engaging path of a Chinese empress." — Dallas Morning News
"A very successful and transporting novel that beautifully captures the sounds, smells and social mores of 7th-century China." — Historical Novels Review, Editor's Choice
"Randel's novel is an impressive tale of lethal court intrigue that is seductive and alluring. It is a story of one woman's rise to power, but also of the relationships between the women of the palace. Readers will be transported by the colorful, fairy-tale-like story." — RT Book Reviews, Top Pick, 4 1/2 Stars
"The real triumph of The Moon in the Palace is how Randel succeeds in showing court politics exclusively through female eyes, and how every decision and subsequent action, success, and failure are skillfully plotted like a chess match by the palace women... Magical." — Washington Independent Review of Books
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