When I heard the premise of this book and the comparisons to The Song of Achilles and She Who Became the Sun, I knew I had to pick it up. How did it stack up?
Thank you very much to Tom at Gollancz for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This review originally appeared on The Nerd Daily.
As the emperor lays dying, the once-great Azalea Dynasty plunges towards civil war. While its princes plot for power, a more hidden war – to become the next empress – occupies the imperial court.
Wei Yin – peasant girl turned concubine to the cruel Prince Terren – has already endured unimaginable suffering. Ripped from her family, she has no title, no allies, and no escape. But she does have a secret…
In the shadows of the palace, surrounded by enemies, she is learning a skill forbidden to women. Because when words are weapons and poetry holds an ancient magic, the fate of a girl – and a nation – can both be rewritten. All she has to do is compose the perfect poem – a tale so powerful, it can kill any man, even the next emperor.
Publication Date: 20th January
CW: death, murder, gore, violence, injury, torture, sexism, rape, sexual assault
My Thoughts:
The Poet Empress is an incredibly strong debut fantasy novel that does not hold back in its unflinching depiction of power and the consequences of trying to reshape your narrative.
Wei Yin is a phenomenal protagonist. Her life has been marked by suffering and she is willing to do anything in order to protect those she loves. This life at the palace is nothing like she expected and she must adapt quickly to the deadly games of power or risk being obliterated. The character arc Shen Tao has in store for her is fantastically complex and compelling. You root for her quickly as the underdog in a sea of sharks and you understand that pulsing motivation beneath it all as she must find her way through and ultimately decide what path she will take.
It is gorgeously written with a captivating voice, even as it delves into dark and bloody territory. There is a lyrical sense that adds to the feel of an epic tale being told before you. Fittingly, there is a poetic quality at times that mirrors the fantastic magic system at play. I love the concept of power in writing in a very meta way of underpinning a story concerned with narratives, stories and having the strength to change your fate. We are reminded how insidious and powerful language can be and Wei Yin’s story highlights this. The snippets we see of the magic system are brilliant, but I also loved the way Tao left it open to the reader’s imagination at times. It is such an immersive world that you can craft your own stories within it. However, it is an awful world driven by the endless fight to the top and then to retain your status. People are driven by desire and this makes them into monsters, willing to do unthinkable things in order to stay in their place or climb higher. The gilded cage of the palace is a stark contrast to the starving expanses of the kingdom they rule over. Many of these elite are willing to turn away for the sake of keeping up appearances and feeding their own ego. Within this, there is a throughline about death and murder with mysteries surrounding this exact royal legacy. How they have ended up here is a story steeped in blood and with a few surprises along the way. It is a stark and unrelenting look at the banality of evil that also wants to consider how this was shaped.
This was one of the most tragically beautiful books I have read. The ending seared itself into my brain and has not left since that final page. There is such a beauty in the nuance Tao allows for this story where characterisation is complex and shades of grey exist in almost every action. Tao never tries to justify the monstrosity and horror, but does allow readers to understand the path that led to this. You mourn for what could have been in another world and the cruelty of the way these power structures have destroyed these characters. It is all a game of power and legacy, but the choices made along the way have dire consequences. Ultimately this is a story about family, forging your own path and the legacy you will leave behind. There are countless journeys that were not chosen and as a reader, you cannot help but wish for it to work out differently.
The Poet Empress is a brutal fantasy book that broke my heart. It had such an impactful ending that I will treasure, supported by the phenomenal characterisation and the way it explored this fascinating magic system. This is one you have to add to your TBR immediately or regret letting it pass you by.
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