{"product_id":"the-poet-empress","title":"The Poet Empress","description":"\n\u003ctable align=\"center\" border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"2\" cellspacing=\"0\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"productDetailSmallElements\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBiographical Note\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tShen Tao immigrated to Canada at an early age, and grew up inspired by both Chinese and Western stories. She has wanted to be a writer for as long as she can remember. \n\u003ci\u003eThe Poet Empress\u003c\/i\u003e is her first book.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReview Quotes\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePraise for The Poet Empress: \u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\"Tao's debut is an intricate study of court politics and what a young woman will do to survive.\" -- \n\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/i\u003e, starred review \n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\"The many political threads become fascinatingly tangled, Tao's prose gleams with poetic precision, and climactic revelations strike with devastating inevitability.\" -- \n\u003ci\u003ePublisher's Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e, starred review \n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\"Shen Tao creates a world both terrible and wonderful in \n\u003ci\u003eThe Poet Empress\u003c\/i\u003e that will enrapture readers even as it horrifies them.\" -- \n\u003ci\u003eBook Page\u003c\/i\u003e, starred review \n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\"Resilient and clever, Wei is the heart of the novel, striving to navigate a world of lies and cruelty without becoming cruel herself. She learns to wield power with fidelity to her purpose, and though the novel's title alludes to her triumph, the story is full of page-turning suspense.\" -- \n\u003ci\u003eKirkus Review\u003c\/i\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\"With political intrigue as sharp as a blade and sweeping, ethereal prose, \n\u003ci\u003eThe Poet Empress\u003c\/i\u003e is an astounding debut novel. This mesmerising fantasy shattered and healed my heart in equal measure--and I enjoyed every moment of it.\" --Chelsea Abdullah, author of \n\u003ci\u003eThe Stardust Thief\u003c\/i\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\"The very definition of an epic. \n\u003ci\u003eThe Poet Empress\u003c\/i\u003e 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.\" --Chloe Gong, \n\u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \n\u003ci\u003eImmortal Longings\u003c\/i\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\"A beautifully devastating tale, powerfully and elegantly told - \n\u003ci\u003eThe Poet Empress\u003c\/i\u003e will cut you and heal you all at once. This is not a love story, but it is a story \n\u003ci\u003eabout\u003c\/i\u003e love, and all the ugly things that fill the void when it's taken away. With an unflinching eye and a poet's quiet restraint, Tao weaves power, pain, hope, and humanity together into an epic tapestry that will take your breath away.\" --Julie Leong, bestselling author of \n\u003ci\u003eThe Teller of Small Fortunes\u003c\/i\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\" \n\u003ci\u003eThe Poet Empress\u003c\/i\u003e 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!\" --Andrea Stewart, author of \n\u003ci\u003eThe Bone Shard Daughter\u003c\/i\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\" \n\u003ci\u003eThe Poet Empress\u003c\/i\u003e 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.\" --Kemi Ashing-Giwa, \n\u003ci\u003eUSA Today\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \n\u003ci\u003eThe Splinter in the Sky\u003c\/i\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\"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.\" --Kritika H. Rao, author of \n\u003ci\u003eThe Surviving Sky\u003c\/i\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\"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.\" --Amélie Wen Zhao, \n\u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e and #1 \n\u003ci\u003eSunday Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \n\u003ci\u003eThe Scorpion and the Night Blossom\u003c\/i\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\"There are many stories about the power of words, but none quite like this: an illiterate girl learns to write poetry that changes the world. And yet, no simple words can do justice to this book's beating heart--its intimate portrayal of characters so painfully human that you see them as real people, flawed, traumatized, and still yearning for love. From the very first page, this book had me completely gripped. \n\u003ci\u003eThe Poet Empress\u003c\/i\u003e is fantasy at its best.\" --Vaishnavi Patel, \n\u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \n\u003ci\u003eKaikeyi\u003c\/i\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\"Lyrical, romantic, and full of heart, \n\u003ci\u003eThe Poet Empress\u003c\/i\u003e is an epic fantasy debut that captivates from the very first page.\" --K. X. Song, \n\u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \n\u003ci\u003eThe Night Ends with Fire\u003c\/i\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\"This dark fantasy stands out among the plethora of romantasy books with its strong characters and unique setting.\" -- \n\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublisher Marketing\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eA \u003ci\u003eUSA TODAY\u003c\/i\u003e BESTSELLER!\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA LibraryReads pick!\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDELUXE EDITION―featuring gorgeous gilded edges, detailed endpapers, and beautiful case art under the book jacket! \u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eDebut author Shen Tao introduces readers to the lush, deadly world of \u003ci\u003eThe Poet Empress\u003c\/i\u003e, a sweeping, epic and intimate fantasy perfect for fans of \u003ci\u003eThe Serpent \u0026amp; the Wings of Night\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Song of Achilles\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eShe Who Became the Sun.\u003c\/i\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eWei Yin is desperate. After the fifth death of a sibling, with her family and village on the brink of starvation, she will do anything to save those she loves. \n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eEven offer herself as concubine to the cruel, dissolute heir of the blood-gutted Azalea House--where poetry magic is power, but women are forbidden to read. \n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eBut in a twist of fate, the palace now stands on the knife-edge of civil war, with Wei trapped in its center. . . with a violent prince. \n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eTo save herself and the nation, she must survive the dangers of court, learn to read in secret, and compose the most powerful spell of all. A ballad of love. . . and death. \n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ci\u003eThe Poet Empress \u003c\/i\u003eis an epic fantasy that explores darker themes, subjects, and scenes that may not be suitable for all readers. Please see the author's content note at the beginning of the book. \n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReview Citations:\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"italic\"\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/span\u003e 01\/15\/2026 (EAN 9781250406811, Hardcover)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"italic\"\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/span\u003e 11\/01\/2025 pg. 57 (EAN 9781250406811, Hardcover) - *Starred Review\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"italic\"\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/span\u003e 11\/03\/2025 (EAN 9781250406811, Hardcover) - *Starred Review\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"italic\"\u003eBooklist\u003c\/span\u003e 11\/01\/2025 (EAN 9781250406811, Hardcover)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eContributor Bio:\u003c\/strong\u003eTao, Shen\u003cbr\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tShen Tao immigrated to Canada at an early age, and grew up inspired by both Chinese and Western stories. She has wanted to be a writer for as long as she can remember. \n\u003ci\u003eThe Poet Empress\u003c\/i\u003e is her first book.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n","brand":"Bramble","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51496271577366,"sku":"9781250406811","price":39.59,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0857\/9910\/8886\/files\/9781250406811.jpg?v=1783058759","url":"https:\/\/lusper.myshopify.com\/products\/the-poet-empress","provider":"Lusperbooks","version":"1.0","type":"link"}