The Fragrant Concubine
The Fragrant Concubine by Melissa Addey, published by Letterpress Publishing in 2015, is a historical fiction novel set in China during the year 1760. The story follows the Emperor’s conquest of Altishahr, a Muslim territory, and the subsequent summoning of a local woman to the Forbidden City as his concubine. Hidligh, a girl from Kashgar, is kidnapped by Iparhan, who seeks revenge against the Emperor. In exchange for a life of luxury, Hidligh must act as Iparhan’s spy, navigating the complexities of court life and the dangers that come with it.
Readers will find a richly imagined narrative that intertwines elements of romance, historical events, and the intricacies of court politics. As Hidligh enters the Forbidden City, she faces the challenge of maintaining her identity while contending with jealousy from the Empress and the watchful eye of Iparhan. The novel delves into themes of loyalty, love, and the struggle for power within a captivating historical context, offering insights into the lives of women in the 18th-century Chinese court. This edition spans 418 pages and is presented in English.
Official synopsis Publisher
China, 1760. The Emperor conquers Altishahr, a Muslim country to the west of his empire and summons a local woman from his new dominion to come to the Forbidden City as his concubine.
Meanwhile in the market of Kashgar a girl named Hidligh is kidnapped by Iparhan, a woman scarred by the Emperor’s conquest of her homeland and bent on vengeance. Iparhan offers her a deal: Hidligh will become the Emperor’s concubine, living a life of luxury. In return she will act as Iparhan’s spy.
But when Hidligh arrives in the Forbidden City, she enters a frightening new world. Every word she utters may expose her as an imposter. Iparhan is watching from the shadows, waiting to exact her revenge on the Emperor. The Empress is jealous of her new rival. And when Hidligh finally meets the Emperor, she finds herself falling in love…
“A passionate story, richly imagined in the spaces of real history. Melissa Addey meticulously evokes a strange, beautiful and harsh society.” – Emma Darwin, award-winning author of The Mathematics of Love and A Secret Alchemy.
“Melissa Addey has given us a new take on the cherished but controversial legend of ‘the Fragrant Concubine, ‘ one that weaves together the many conflicting versions of the story and plausibly embraces how romance might have blossomed between the brilliant Manchu monarch and his fragrant Muslim consort.” – Professor James Millward, author of A Uyghur Muslim in Qianlong’s Court: The Meanings of the Fragrant Concubine
If you enjoyed Lisa See’s Peony in Love, Anchee Min’s The Last Empress and Arthur Golden’s Memoirs of a Geisha then The Fragrant Concubine will be a new favourite. Set in China’s Forbidden City in the 18th century, where the women of the court vie for the Emperor’s attention and every concubine must fight for her position.
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