Historical Fiction Review: Threads of Silk by Amanda Roberts

Threads of Silk by Amanda Roberts

Egalley courtesy of Red Empress Publishing

Synopsis from Goodreads
When I was a child, I thought my destiny was to live and die on the banks of the Xiangjiang River as my family had done for generations. I never imagined that my life would lead me to the Forbidden City and the court of China’s last Empress.

Born in the middle of nowhere, Yaqian, a little embroidery girl from Hunan Province, finds her way to the imperial court, a place of intrigue, desire, and treachery. From the bed of an Emperor, the heart of a Prince, and the right side of an Empress, Yaqian weaves her way through the most turbulent decades of China’s history and witnesses the fall of the Qing Dynasty.

Amazon US/UK | Amazon kindle US/UK

8/10

* * *

This was a lovely addition to my collection of historical fiction and fantasy about China. I haven't known or read much of this period specifically in Asia (1840 to 1908), and the only event I could recognise was the Boxers' rebellion, however Threads of Silk was utterly charming.


It's very Chinese in that sense as it's all about embracing your role and staying loyal and following the traditions...and yet, it also shows that women were not as powerless in Chinese Empire, and that Wu Zetian wasn't the only female Empress actually ruling and affecting policies in the long history of China.

Yaqian begins her story as a six year-old urchin, whose mother decides to bind her feet to improve the girl's prospects of marriage. As Han family, her family was expected to follow this barbaric tradition. It's a horrendous experience, and a woman never really recovers from it. She would always be in some pain throughout her life.

Forced to sit still, Yaqian