Review & Giveaway: Tales of Ming Courtesans by Alice Poon

Tales of Ming Courtesans by Alice Poon

Publication Date: June 1, 2020

Earnshaw Books

Paperback; 354 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

From the author of The Green Phoenix comes a riveting tale of female friendship, honor, and sacrifice for love, set in 17th Century China and featuring the intertwined stories of three of the era's most renowned courtesans, escorts skilled in music, poetry and painting who could decide themselves whether or not to offer patrons bed favors.

Inspired by literary works and folklore, Tales of Ming Courtesans traces the destinies of the three girls from the seamy world of human trafficking and slavery to the cultured scene of the famously decadent pleasure district of the city of Nanjing, evoking episodes in Memoirs of a Geisha.

The girls all existed - Rushi was a famous poet, Yuanyuan became the concubine of a general who changed the course of Chinese history by supporting the Manchu invasion in 1644 and Xiangjun challenged the corruption of court officials to try to save her lover. Rushi's daughter, Jingjing, gradually pieces together the stories of the three from a memoir left to her by her mother.

Betrayal, tenacity and hope all come together in a novel that brings to life an important era in China's history, and particularly highlights the challenges faced by independent-minded women.

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Praise for Tales of Ming Courtesans

"In Tales of Ming Courtesans, Alice Poon masterfully brings to life three fascinating women who had a lasting impact on China's culture and history. This beautiful telling of their turbulent lives and devoted friendship is a reverential testament to their memories." - Kelli Estes, bestselling author of The Girl Who Wrote in Silk

"Tales of Ming Courtesans is a poignant and captivating exploration of the lives of three extraordinary women.... Ultimately an enduring tale of the power of sisterhood and the bonds between women." - Jeannie Lin, USA Today bestselling author of The Lotus Palace

"Tales of Ming Courtesans is a brilliant, 'own voices' alternative to Memoirs of a Geisha....An exquisite reading experience. Highly, highly recommended." - M. H. Boroson, author of The Girl With Ghost Eyes

"Alice Poon's excellent Tales of Ming Courtesans follows the intertwined lives of three seventeenth-century courtesans..... Poon's real achievement is to create believable depth to her characters' known histories....She has clearly written Tales from the heart." - David Leffman, author of The Mercenary

Review

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Have you ever sat down to read a few pages of the book and you become so engrossed in it that by the time you look up its hours later and you're already half-way through it? That's what happened to me with Tales of Ming Courtesans! I was instantly hooked!

Tales of Ming Courtesans tells the story of Liu Rushi, Chen Yuanyuan, and Li Xiangjun, who were famous courtesans in China between the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The three women were all sold as children to slave traders and eventually became concubines. Despite the fact that their lives were controlled by the whims of powerful men, these amazing women persevered and fought their way to respect and freedom. I absolutely cannot fathom going through what they did and still have the strength that they did. They are truly inspiring. Each woman had a talent all her own and together they created their own family.

I have never read a book set during this time in China so that aspect was especially fascinating to me, as were the details of Chinese culture and traditions.

I don't think I will ever forget these incredible women - the beauty, the artist, and the rebel will remain in my thoughts for a very long time. I only wish I had their fortitude and grace. A truly remarkable story and I am grateful to Alice for writing this book and telling their story. I highly recommend you pick this one up.

About the Author

Born and raised in Hong Kong, Alice Poon steeped herself in Chinese poetry and history, Jin Yong’s martial arts novels and English Literature in her school days. This early immersion has inspired her creative writing.

Always fascinated with iconic but unsung women in Chinese history and legends, she cherishes a dream of bringing them to the page.

Her new historical novel Tales of Ming Courtesans will be released by Earnshaw Books on June 1, 2020.

She is the author of The Green Phoenix and the bestselling and award-winning non-fiction title Land and the Ruling Class in Hong Kong. She now lives in Vancouver, Canada and devotes her time to writing historical Chinese fiction.

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Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, May 25
Excerpt at Journey in Bookland
Review at Historical Fiction with Spirit

Tuesday, May 26
Review at Gwendalyn's Books

Wednesday, May 27
Review at 100 Pages a Day

Friday, May 29
Review at Reader then Blogger

Monday, June 1
Review at A Chick Who Reads

Wednesday, June 3
Guest Post at Chicks, Rogues and Scandals

Friday, June 5
Review at YA, it's Lit

Monday, June 8
Interview at Passages to the Past

Wednesday, June 10
Feature at What Is That Book About

Friday, June 12
Review at Passages to the Past

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour, we are giving away a copy of Tales from Ming Courtesans! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.

Giveaway Rules

– Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm EST on June 12th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Paperback giveaway is open to the US only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspicion of fraud will be decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– The winner has 48 hours to claim prize or a new winner is chosen.

Tales of Ming Courtesans