Setting: China
Time Period: 1835-1908

I’m going to be honest, I knew next to nothing about China’s history and rulers before reading this book… In fact, until I picked it up, I didn’t even know they had a female ruler! LOL! But after reading about Cixi’s life, I’m amazed at all she accomplished in the traditional Chinese government with the regulations placed upon her. Not only did she bring China out of the dark ages industrially, she pushed her nation to be a major player on the world stage when it looked like they would be overrun and ruled by a foreign power. Though I typically stay away from books like these because I consider them a “difficult” read, I did not have such a problem with this biography. The author made every page easy to read and understand – and that’s a feat because I’m not into reading about politics! I was fascinated by the life of Empress Dowager Cixi and would read the book again, that’s how much I enjoyed it. The Empress Dowager Cixi is an example to all that anything is possible in life with a little bit of creativity, wisdom and willingness to change for the betterment of the people. A great read! I would highly recommend this biography!