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The Poet Empress

The instant Sunday Times bestseller and BBC Radio 2 Book Club pick perfect for fans of R.F. Kuang and Madeline Miller

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The Poet Empress

By: Shen Tao
Narrated by: Eric Yang, Katharine Chin
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*THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER*
*A BBC RADIO 2 BOOK CLUB PICK*

'This is a five-star read, for real . . .' ROBIN HOBB
'An impressive debut with real psychological depth' THE GUARDIAN
'Richly imagined and politically driven' THE I PAPER
'In a class of its own' THE DAILY MAIL
'A novel of great power and force' LOCUS
'It now holds a standard for fantasy standalones' GRIMDARK MAGAZINE
'This dark fantasy stands out among the plethora of romantasy' BOOKLIST
'Vicious, gorgeous, and fiercely haunting' CHLOE GONG
'Sublime' AMELIE WEN ZHAO
'Enthralling' ANDREA STEWART
'Astounding' CHELSEA ABDULLAH
'Fantasy at its best' VAISHNAVI PATEL

TO KILL A MONSTER, SHE MUST BECOME ONE . . .

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.

The epic political arena of The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang meets the intimate tragedy of The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller in this internationally bestselling debut novel by visionary new voice Shen Tao, unmissable for veteran genre fans as well as readers of literary fiction looking to make their first foray into fantasy.©2026 Sophia Yuhan Tao Asian Epic Fantasy Historical Poetry World Literature War Royalty Heartfelt Tear-jerking Fiction
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Critic reviews

This is a five-star read, for real . . . Yes. There are cruel and vicious characters in this book. But neither the protagonist nor the author surrenders the story to them. There is deliberate cruelty, and the cold cruelty that occurs when the ruling class has no love for the folk who feed it. There is betrayal of trust, and there is personal sacrifice for the greater good. There is also a display of fairness as even the darkest characters are revealed as multi-faceted humans. That's not an easy thing to pull off. So, if you love court intrigue, a protagonist who is believably tough in the face of steep challenges, if you love unexpected magic, an unusual magic system, and imagery that makes you smile at the thought of being able to see that, well, here is your book! Recommended without reservation
The very definition of an epic. The Poet Empress draws its world with sharp clarity, its characters with astounding depth, and its magic with flawless precision. Vicious, gorgeous, and fiercely haunting until the end
The Poet Empress is a hidden knife, one that cuts so deeply and cleanly that it excises your heart and makes you like it. I have rarely had such a breathless reading experience, where each page reveals the ways in which humanity's beauty and ugliness run lockstep with one another. Terrifying and enthralling!
Sublime. Against a lush, poetic rendition of ancient China, Tao unfurls a breathlessly sweeping and brutally romantic historical epic woven with themes of feminism, courage, and morality. Powerful and poignant, The Poet Empress is one of my favorite recent reading experiences
With political intrigue as sharp as a blade and sweeping, ethereal prose, The Poet Empress is an astounding debut novel. This mesmerising fantasy shattered and healed my heart in equal measure - and I enjoyed every moment of it
Taut, sharp, and compelling. With haunting prose and characters vividly real, The Poet Empress is a devastating composition, revealing intrigue, magic, and politics turn by thrilling turn. Impeccably paced, vicious and romantic, this is a deadly debut that'll have you at the edge of your seat
The Poet Empress will surprise you. It will, at times, terrify you. But Tao's rich tale is multifaceted - it is brutal, yes, but also beautiful and full of hope and kindnesses both big and small. If you love court intrigue, creative magic systems, and protagonists who know that empathy is a strength and not a weakness, even as they are forced to make impossible decisions, this is the book for you
All stars
Most relevant
Both narrators did well, but, I felt taken out of the story when the male narrator read his chapters. I wanted different speeds and that took from just enjoying the story, also the energy was different. I feel the story would have benefited from having only the female narrator. At least, she has by far the most chapters. It’s just that it felt so unnecessary to add a second narrator at all, as the character with the separate narrator is in the general story as well, which actually makes the shift even weirder.

That being said, I very much recommend the story, it is well worth reading.

Would have preferred only the female narrator

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Wei is well-written and I truly loved seeing her growth throughout this story. I actually thought at the beginning that it would be Prince Isan who will be her romantic partner, it was such a surprise that he's who she ended up in the end. I'm glad Teren found his redemption, that in a span of a moment, he shared a true connection with Wei, learned to trust and feel happiness just like when he was young, that he still have that innocence deep within him. I cried for that lost boy that has been hurt and betrayed and I cried again when he finally found peace in the afterlife.

satisfying!

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Excellent book and narration, prepare for a whirlwind of emotions. Enjoyed it very much and recommend it.

Beautiful

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Such a beautiful story of human nature at its extremes. How power can corrupt and destroy the pure nature of our souls and how our egos are so easily manipulated and exploited. I loved it 10/10

What a brilliant book

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I absolutely loved this. It's a great story, written well, clever, and unputdownable. I can't wait for the next book of the author.

Intelligent writing that draws you in

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