The Moon in the Palace

The Empress of Bright Moon, Book 1

By: Weina Dai Randel

Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller

RITA Award winner, Mainstream Fiction with a Central Romance, 2017.

There is no easy path for a woman aspiring to power.

A concubine at the palace learns quickly that there are many ways to capture the emperor's attention. Many paint their faces white and style their hair attractively, hoping 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. But 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 ancient China - where love, ambition, and loyalty can spell life or death - and the woman who came to rule it all.

©2016 Weina Dai Randel (P)2016 Audible, Inc.

Lots of research done in writing this book.

I was humbled on the rough treatment of lower class. And was surprised the villains thought noting o f the consequences of their actions on others lives -i enjoyed the narrator of this book

Young teen novel

I got Tina hoping for a historical novel. It is a kids book read as if for tweens.

Where did Moon come from?

This story was lovely to listen to in two evenings. I am a little puzzled, how did Mei, become Moon or become described as such. I'm just wondering if I missed something while listening. The main character is fortunately lucky.

Historical Chinese story, need I say more?

This book had me from the first chapter. I do love a good historical read. The attention to detail of the inner workings of court were fascinating. I will admit I wanted to grab Mei at times and tell her to focus (Lol). I highly recommend this book if you love Chinese historical stories, you will not be disappointed. I do not write or share a lot of the book in reviews because I want you the reader to enjoy it as I did.

Enjoyed the book

However the narrator was slightly annoying ( sorry) it would have been nice to use make voices for male parts and older female voices for the appropriate characters. I enjoyed the book/reading for entertainment, not so much about how factual it was. I do look forward to book 2 and will endure the narration. I enjoy hearing as I drive too and from work and while cooking. Life gets in the way and audio books helps me catch up on the books I want to read.