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The Moon in the Palace

ebook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available

"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

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    • Library Journal

      Starred review from September 15, 2015

      This eloquent first novel follows the life of a young girl during China's Tang dynasty (618-907). When Mei is five years old, a monk foretells that her destiny is to be both the mother of emperors and an emperor in her own right. Aspiring to have his daughter brought to the palace, Mei's father educates her in poetry, history, mathematics, calligraphy, and even Sun Tzu's The Art of War. All seems lost after his sudden death, but fate will not be ignored. Thirteen-year-old Mei is chosen as one of the 15 Selects to serve in the Inner Court. She will need to draw on all she learned from her father to survive the machinations of the imperial court and to earn favor with the emperor. Mei finds herself in danger, both from other women and her involvement with a boy named Pheasant. This is the first book in a duology recounting the life of Empress Wu (624-705), China's only ruling female emperor. VERDICT This story of a woman who made her own destiny and has been often vilified is a must for historical fiction fans, especially those fascinated by China's glorious past.--Catherine Coyne, Mansfield P.L., MA

      Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

    • School Library Journal

      October 1, 2016

      The first of a duology based on the life of China's Empress Wu (624-705). Mei is her doting father's favorite, until his sudden death forces her family out of their luxurious life to live with uncaring relatives. Summoned to serve the emperor at 13, she wants to appeal on behalf of her family but is quickly thrust into a world of palace intrigue and treachery. Despite being trained in The Art of War, Mei is unprepared to chart this complex world. Her successful navigation owes much to good mentoring and being in the right place at the right time. The mutual attraction she has for the emperor's eighth son, their clandestine relationship, and Mei's conflicting desires to follow her heart or save her family further complicate matters. Randel excels at the twists, turns, machinations, and alliances of the palace ladies and greater political forces, creating a page-turning volume as Mei learns to navigate the harshness of both worlds. A compelling look at the outside forces and inner determination that shape the protagonist to become a formidable force in her own right, painting a very different portrait of a women than we saw in Shan Sa's Empress or unflattering depictions in the histories written by her political detractors. Luckily, readers will not have to wait to see the rest of Mei's story, as The Empress of Bright Moon is already available. VERDICT Full of politics and intrigue, this is a fascinating must-read for fans of historical fiction and romance.-Jennifer Rothschild, Arlington Public Library, Arlington VA

      Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

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