This one was a TBR recommendation and I read it over about two days. My recommender this time really didn't seem to put too much time into the letter explaining the selections so I was a little surprised how much I liked two of the three of them.
I like intrigue novels. I'm a sucker for them actually, which is something I only really realized in the last few years. Intrigue isn't really its own genre and can show up anywhere. In this case it showed up in a work of fantasy modeled off of ancient imperial China. This world is built of warring kingdoms and ruthless rulers. It's dark and gritty and there's no expectation of happy endings.
It starts like a fairy tale. Xishi is a peasant girl born in a tiny village in the kingdom of Yue. She was born with incredible beauty which she hides behind a veil until one day a mysterious stranger shows up to ask Xishi an important question. The mysterious stranger asks Xishi to marry the king of the rival kingdom of Wu and spy for the Yue. Of course she says yes and becomes a princess.
At that point it stops being a fairy tale and turns into a court intrigue. Xishi becomes the king's courtesan and must navigate a foreign palace to feed information back to the Yue. What I liked about the story was how complex the characters were. Xishi was conflicted. The king of the Wu was a monster but he was also just a lost young man who yearned for love.
Not to drop a spoiler, but I really respect an author who can create a satisfying ending that isn't necessarily happy. I really enjoyed the book.
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