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Dragon Lady
The triumph of the notorious Zheng Yi Sao is the fierce and unflinching adventure of how a prostitute became the most powerful and successful pirate in the world.
Xianggu is sold into slavery to work on a floating brothel, her virginity bought by the highest bidder. Determined to rise above her poverty and lowly status, she learns the business from the madam. But a violent midnight pirate raid destroys her ambitions. Kidnapped by the powerful pirate boss, Xianggu embarks on a journey that demands beauty, brains, and brawn. Yet she must do more than learn to wield a sword, sail a ship, and swim across the bay if she hopes to survive. She must prove her worth to the Red Flag fleet.
The winds never blow in the same direction and tragedy forces Xianggu to make a risky decision that changes not only her life but the lives of thousands of pirates. Surrounded by jealous men, devious women, ancient prejudices, and the Qing navy, Xianggu battles to save her empire, her family, and her own heart.
In 18th century China, when men made and enforced the rules, the Dragon Lady lived by her own.
Xianggu is sold into slavery to work on a floating brothel, her virginity bought by the highest bidder. Determined to rise above her poverty and lowly status, she learns the business from the madam. But a violent midnight pirate raid destroys her ambitions. Kidnapped by the powerful pirate boss, Xianggu embarks on a journey that demands beauty, brains, and brawn. Yet she must do more than learn to wield a sword, sail a ship, and swim across the bay if she hopes to survive. She must prove her worth to the Red Flag fleet.
The winds never blow in the same direction and tragedy forces Xianggu to make a risky decision that changes not only her life but the lives of thousands of pirates. Surrounded by jealous men, devious women, ancient prejudices, and the Qing navy, Xianggu battles to save her empire, her family, and her own heart.
In 18th century China, when men made and enforced the rules, the Dragon Lady lived by her own.
446 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 25, 2019
93 people are currently reading
336 people want to read
About the author
Autumn Bardot
8 books281 followersnew release ~ GODDESSES INC ~ American Gods meets Sex in the City
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Autumn Bardot is the author of stories about fearless women and dangerous passions. She's a wife, mom, grandma, and teacher.
Because that doesn't keep her busy enough, she created Write Better, Author Smarter, a podcast and YouTube channel for new writers with writing tips, author tools, and inspiration.
Autumn writes best at home in her sunny Southern California backyard and while vacationing at the beach. She bakes great chocolate chip cookies, drinks too much coffee, buys too many shoes, and loves to write stories about courageous but flawed women who succeed despite the odds. And Autumn always spices it with a healthy dollop of romance!
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
April 10, 2020
I really enjoyed Dragon Lady by Autumn Bardot.
This was a great story and a well researched writing about a young and ambitious girl sold to a well known madam during 18th century China.
Xianggu was sold by her father to pay his debts and was sold to a very successful madam who runs a floating brothel and works for the madam as her servant. Xianggu would not settle being a servant for life as her ambitions motivate her to want to become a madam in the future through hard work and determination until the pirates plunder their brother and kills the madam.
Her will and determination keeps her alive among the pirates and their leaders, and Xianggu finds herself being one of the most successful pirates in the world.
This was an amazing story on how a woman with grit, dreams and passion survived the impossible.
This was a great story and a well researched writing about a young and ambitious girl sold to a well known madam during 18th century China.
Xianggu was sold by her father to pay his debts and was sold to a very successful madam who runs a floating brothel and works for the madam as her servant. Xianggu would not settle being a servant for life as her ambitions motivate her to want to become a madam in the future through hard work and determination until the pirates plunder their brother and kills the madam.
Her will and determination keeps her alive among the pirates and their leaders, and Xianggu finds herself being one of the most successful pirates in the world.
This was an amazing story on how a woman with grit, dreams and passion survived the impossible.
January 26, 2020
My Rating: 4.5 Stars
From daughter of a peasant to prostitute to pirate in 18th century China. When Xianggu is sold as a slave at the tender age of 13, she is forced to become a prostitute for several years. Resigned to live the life of the lowest class, her life becomes tedious. Xianggu was a fighter. She plots but cannot seem to change her fate.
Xianggu starts off in the hands of Madam Xu. The madam works Xianggu incredibly hard, and even goes a step further. This is by training Xianggu in the skill of paper cutting. Beyond that, Madam Xu and her girls are working on a flower boat, which is simply a term for a brothel. Xianggu's skills become that of a different nature altogether.
The flower boat is eventually attacked and although Xianggu's life is spared, many others die, including Madam Xu. This puts Xianggu into the hands of a man on a new boat, and he is Zheng Yi Sao, captain of the Red Flag. Zheng Yi is enamored with Xianggu, so much so that he makes her his wife.
Yes, so much has happened to Xianggu. Her life was never easy, and being Zheng Yi's bride has some advantages. However, there are still many troubles facing her. Xianggu is rather adept at using each and every experience to her advantage, and eventually makes history. She becomes a chieftain, a pirate, a female leader. Yes, she is The Dragon Lady.
What an incredible story! This time in history, with life on the high seas, was wrought with danger, so the story is not pretty at times. Despite the intensity laid before us, I simply could not put this book down. The pacing never lets up, and there is romance, intrigue, action and so much more.
What I found to be even more impressive than the story and the incredible writing, however, is the extremes that the author, Autumn Bardot, went to in her research. Although this is a fictional story, Ms. Bardot has used real historical people and experiences as a basis for Dragon Lady. Quite naturally, the author takes on her own creative flair in order to turn history of this sort into pleasurable reading. I highly encourage readers of this book to read the Author's Notes at the end.
Many thanks to Flores Publishing and to HFVBT Blog Tours for this ARC to review. This is my honest opinion.
From daughter of a peasant to prostitute to pirate in 18th century China. When Xianggu is sold as a slave at the tender age of 13, she is forced to become a prostitute for several years. Resigned to live the life of the lowest class, her life becomes tedious. Xianggu was a fighter. She plots but cannot seem to change her fate.
Xianggu starts off in the hands of Madam Xu. The madam works Xianggu incredibly hard, and even goes a step further. This is by training Xianggu in the skill of paper cutting. Beyond that, Madam Xu and her girls are working on a flower boat, which is simply a term for a brothel. Xianggu's skills become that of a different nature altogether.
The flower boat is eventually attacked and although Xianggu's life is spared, many others die, including Madam Xu. This puts Xianggu into the hands of a man on a new boat, and he is Zheng Yi Sao, captain of the Red Flag. Zheng Yi is enamored with Xianggu, so much so that he makes her his wife.
Yes, so much has happened to Xianggu. Her life was never easy, and being Zheng Yi's bride has some advantages. However, there are still many troubles facing her. Xianggu is rather adept at using each and every experience to her advantage, and eventually makes history. She becomes a chieftain, a pirate, a female leader. Yes, she is The Dragon Lady.
What an incredible story! This time in history, with life on the high seas, was wrought with danger, so the story is not pretty at times. Despite the intensity laid before us, I simply could not put this book down. The pacing never lets up, and there is romance, intrigue, action and so much more.
What I found to be even more impressive than the story and the incredible writing, however, is the extremes that the author, Autumn Bardot, went to in her research. Although this is a fictional story, Ms. Bardot has used real historical people and experiences as a basis for Dragon Lady. Quite naturally, the author takes on her own creative flair in order to turn history of this sort into pleasurable reading. I highly encourage readers of this book to read the Author's Notes at the end.
Many thanks to Flores Publishing and to HFVBT Blog Tours for this ARC to review. This is my honest opinion.
September 30, 2019
I stayed up way too late last night finishing Dragon Lady but it was worth it...what a fan-freakin-tastic book it was!
Set in 18th century China, Xianggu is the daughter of a peasant family with a loving mother but a father who is unsuccessful in life and who takes it out on her and her mother. When her father sells her to pay for his debts she is forced to leave the only home she knows and the love of her mother to become a prostitute on a flower boat owned by Madam Xu. But Xianggu is resourceful and clever and tries to make the best of her new situation by learning all she can from everyone she comes to meet. She ham ambition to become like Madam Xu and not just be another flower girl for the rest of her life. When her fate changes she is taken by pirates and again, with her cunning, she rises to the top and creates her own future. I absolutely adored Xianggu! She was stronger than anyone in her position had a right to be and she was no one's victim. She was truly a badass!
Again, Autumn Bardot has captivated me with her incredible writing skills. There is so much to love about Dragon Lady! Adventure, danger, passion, intrigue....this book had it all! I cannot recommend it enough and truly think it would make for an excellent movie! I can't wait for the next Autumn Bardot book and luckily I won't have to wait very long as The Emperor's Assassin releases tomorrow!
Set in 18th century China, Xianggu is the daughter of a peasant family with a loving mother but a father who is unsuccessful in life and who takes it out on her and her mother. When her father sells her to pay for his debts she is forced to leave the only home she knows and the love of her mother to become a prostitute on a flower boat owned by Madam Xu. But Xianggu is resourceful and clever and tries to make the best of her new situation by learning all she can from everyone she comes to meet. She ham ambition to become like Madam Xu and not just be another flower girl for the rest of her life. When her fate changes she is taken by pirates and again, with her cunning, she rises to the top and creates her own future. I absolutely adored Xianggu! She was stronger than anyone in her position had a right to be and she was no one's victim. She was truly a badass!
Again, Autumn Bardot has captivated me with her incredible writing skills. There is so much to love about Dragon Lady! Adventure, danger, passion, intrigue....this book had it all! I cannot recommend it enough and truly think it would make for an excellent movie! I can't wait for the next Autumn Bardot book and luckily I won't have to wait very long as The Emperor's Assassin releases tomorrow!
March 10, 2021
'If the goal cannot be reached, do not change the goal, change the steps to the goal.'
My first book by Autumn Bardot and it will certainly not be the last because it was fabulous.
Dragon Lady is the story of the notorious pirate lady Zheng Yi Sao. It is the fierce and unflinching adventure of how a prostitute became the most powerful and successful pirate in the world and it isn't only a story about her life.
'It's a story about how to survive in a cruel world, how to claw one's way to the top, how one must do horrible things to live another day.'
It's raw and gritty and unflinchingly descriptive of those horrible things people do not only to survive, but to reach a goal, regardless of the cost it may require.
Xianggu is sold into slavery at thirteen-years-old, to work on a floating brothel, her virginity bought by the highest bidder.
'Misfortune can be a blessing in disguise that you do not recognize until many years later.'
And that was exactly the case for Xianggu. Coming from a very poor family in which both her life and future had been as bleak as it gets, she saw a chance to rise above her poverty and lowly status with her madam. She started as slave, rose to the rank of prostitute and was determined to one day, find a way to be free. She learns the business from the madam and becomes her trusted apprentice of sorts. Her Little Dragon.
Until a violent midnight pirate raid destroys her ambitions and Xianggu ends up kidnapped by a powerful pirate boss. And this is when her journey truly starts. A journey that demands not only beauty and a prostitute's talents, but also brains, and brawn.
Xianggu has only one way to prevent the pirate boss from throwing her overboard when he tired of her - making herself indispensable to him. And for that, she must do more than please him. She must learn to wield a sword, sail a ship, and swim across the bay if she hopes to survive. She must prove her worth to her pirate and the Red Flag fleet.
But the winds never blow in the same direction and just when Xianggu thought she's about to succeed, tragedy forces her to make a risky decision that changes not only her life but the lives of thousands of pirates. Surrounded by jealous men, devious women, ancient prejudices, and the Qing navy, Xianggu battles to save her empire, her family, and her own heart. And she does it as the notorious Dragon Lady, who lived by her own rules.
This book is hands down incredible. Not only impressively well researched but also wonderfully written. Top notch wordbuilding, vivid and absolutely real-feeling descriptions, beautifully fleshed out characters, great pacing with just the right amount of tension, great intrigue, a good touch of romance and a hell lot of action.
It is not a pretty story and gets quite dark at times. It is the story of a slave turned prostitute turned infamous pirate after all, and there's nothing pretty and gentle about that. And yet, it is also inspiring because one single woman, in 18th century men-ruled China, manages to achieve her goal and live by her own rules.
Dark, intense and utterly gripping, Dragon Lady is one of those books that will keep you turning pages long into the night.
And what impressed me even more than all the already gushed about things above, is the way this author renders that line between villainy and respectability - thinner than silk thread.
The way she makes us see how, for a woman like Xianggu, taking a life is no different than taking a customer's cock in her body or mouth. Just a job done and a task that brought her closer to her dreams.
The way Xianggu makes use of power, while trying not to succumb to the giddiness it offers. The way she keeps herself in check when most villains wouldn't and the way she dances on that knife's edge in between being a 'respected' ruthless pirate without turning into a ruthless feared monster.
All in all, Dragon Lady is one of the best books I've read in a while and I highly recommend it to all historical fiction and pirate fans out there.
Happy reading everyone
'It's a good day to be alive.'
My first book by Autumn Bardot and it will certainly not be the last because it was fabulous.
Dragon Lady is the story of the notorious pirate lady Zheng Yi Sao. It is the fierce and unflinching adventure of how a prostitute became the most powerful and successful pirate in the world and it isn't only a story about her life.
'It's a story about how to survive in a cruel world, how to claw one's way to the top, how one must do horrible things to live another day.'
It's raw and gritty and unflinchingly descriptive of those horrible things people do not only to survive, but to reach a goal, regardless of the cost it may require.
Xianggu is sold into slavery at thirteen-years-old, to work on a floating brothel, her virginity bought by the highest bidder.
'Misfortune can be a blessing in disguise that you do not recognize until many years later.'
And that was exactly the case for Xianggu. Coming from a very poor family in which both her life and future had been as bleak as it gets, she saw a chance to rise above her poverty and lowly status with her madam. She started as slave, rose to the rank of prostitute and was determined to one day, find a way to be free. She learns the business from the madam and becomes her trusted apprentice of sorts. Her Little Dragon.
Until a violent midnight pirate raid destroys her ambitions and Xianggu ends up kidnapped by a powerful pirate boss. And this is when her journey truly starts. A journey that demands not only beauty and a prostitute's talents, but also brains, and brawn.
Xianggu has only one way to prevent the pirate boss from throwing her overboard when he tired of her - making herself indispensable to him. And for that, she must do more than please him. She must learn to wield a sword, sail a ship, and swim across the bay if she hopes to survive. She must prove her worth to her pirate and the Red Flag fleet.
But the winds never blow in the same direction and just when Xianggu thought she's about to succeed, tragedy forces her to make a risky decision that changes not only her life but the lives of thousands of pirates. Surrounded by jealous men, devious women, ancient prejudices, and the Qing navy, Xianggu battles to save her empire, her family, and her own heart. And she does it as the notorious Dragon Lady, who lived by her own rules.
This book is hands down incredible. Not only impressively well researched but also wonderfully written. Top notch wordbuilding, vivid and absolutely real-feeling descriptions, beautifully fleshed out characters, great pacing with just the right amount of tension, great intrigue, a good touch of romance and a hell lot of action.
It is not a pretty story and gets quite dark at times. It is the story of a slave turned prostitute turned infamous pirate after all, and there's nothing pretty and gentle about that. And yet, it is also inspiring because one single woman, in 18th century men-ruled China, manages to achieve her goal and live by her own rules.
Dark, intense and utterly gripping, Dragon Lady is one of those books that will keep you turning pages long into the night.
And what impressed me even more than all the already gushed about things above, is the way this author renders that line between villainy and respectability - thinner than silk thread.
The way she makes us see how, for a woman like Xianggu, taking a life is no different than taking a customer's cock in her body or mouth. Just a job done and a task that brought her closer to her dreams.
The way Xianggu makes use of power, while trying not to succumb to the giddiness it offers. The way she keeps herself in check when most villains wouldn't and the way she dances on that knife's edge in between being a 'respected' ruthless pirate without turning into a ruthless feared monster.
All in all, Dragon Lady is one of the best books I've read in a while and I highly recommend it to all historical fiction and pirate fans out there.
Happy reading everyone
'It's a good day to be alive.'
September 15, 2019
Xianggu is a teenager when she is sold into slavery by her father. Xianggu is bought by Madame Xu, the Madame on a floating brothel. Xianggu quickly learns the ways of the brothel and becomes indispensable to Madame Xu. After years on the floating brothel, Xianggu is a prized flower girl and has trained to take over for Madame Xu. However, the brothel is raided by pirates and Xianggu uses her skills to change her situation. Soon, Xianggu is the wife of the Zheng Yi, the boss of the Red Flag pirate ship. As Zheng Yi's wife, Xianggu does more than satisfy his needs, she learns everything about the ship, pirate hierarchy, how they conduct business and learns to battle. Xianggu is determined to rise above the situation she was handed in life and piracy is the key to her success.
Dragon Lady is an amazing adventure about a real extraordinary woman who faced adversity, survived and made the best of every situation thrown her way. The overwhelming theme of the story is "who is to say what is good or bad?" and using determination to change your own fate. From the moment Xianggu is sold into slavery and uses the power of a story to calm the other girls with her, I knew Xianggu's character would prevail. Xianggu used everyone as a stepping stone to her own growth, despite being in a position below them. The writing carried me through Xianggu's life with wonder and amazement, showing both of Xianggu's sides of fierce determination and shrewd business sense as well as sincerity, compassion and fairness. A great amount of research is evident when reading about Xianggu's time aboard the Red Flag, from the layout of the ship, to the food the pirate's ate and all of the crew to keep the ship running, the details are all precise and I could imagine the large ship clearly. Xianggu's role and importance in history is also shown as she played a part in battle planning, money making schemes, doling out punishments and creating pirate code. Overall, an absorbing story of Xianggu's rise to power and her ambition to lead on her own.
This book was received for free in return for and honest review.
Dragon Lady is an amazing adventure about a real extraordinary woman who faced adversity, survived and made the best of every situation thrown her way. The overwhelming theme of the story is "who is to say what is good or bad?" and using determination to change your own fate. From the moment Xianggu is sold into slavery and uses the power of a story to calm the other girls with her, I knew Xianggu's character would prevail. Xianggu used everyone as a stepping stone to her own growth, despite being in a position below them. The writing carried me through Xianggu's life with wonder and amazement, showing both of Xianggu's sides of fierce determination and shrewd business sense as well as sincerity, compassion and fairness. A great amount of research is evident when reading about Xianggu's time aboard the Red Flag, from the layout of the ship, to the food the pirate's ate and all of the crew to keep the ship running, the details are all precise and I could imagine the large ship clearly. Xianggu's role and importance in history is also shown as she played a part in battle planning, money making schemes, doling out punishments and creating pirate code. Overall, an absorbing story of Xianggu's rise to power and her ambition to lead on her own.
This book was received for free in return for and honest review.
July 15, 2019
5 CRANKY STARS
This book is an excellent offering of historical fiction. Set in China in the early 1800’s, I found it fascinating. The author appears to have done a thorough job of researching this era. The story revolves around the pirates who rule the south China coast and islands. Xianggu is a real woman who became the mighty ruler of the Red Flag fleet.
Xianggu was only 13 when her father sold her into slavery to cover his debts. His orange grove was failing, money was tight, and girls were not valued as much as sons. She was dragged to the coast and sold to the madame running the most successful flower boat on the river. In other words, a brothel. As an underage virgin, she was first used as a slave waiting on the madame. As she matured it became obvious, she would make more money as moon girl, so she decided to be the best she could be. When the Red Flag pirates killed the madame and took the girls hostage she knew she must act fast. She convinced their leader to spare her. After all, she knew where the riches were stored.
Well, one thing led to another and the Red Flag Captain married her. They had two children together and she learned how to be a ship’s captain. She was ever curious and bothersome but tricked the men into adoring her and teaching her all she needed to know. When a bad storm and the Mongolians attacked together, the Captain was washed overboard.
Now, she must convince the fleet she was the best choice to take over. In the pirate culture, no one took orders from a woman. What she was able to accomplish is astounding. The author keeps you interested in a fast paced and entertaining history lesson.
This book is an excellent offering of historical fiction. Set in China in the early 1800’s, I found it fascinating. The author appears to have done a thorough job of researching this era. The story revolves around the pirates who rule the south China coast and islands. Xianggu is a real woman who became the mighty ruler of the Red Flag fleet.
Xianggu was only 13 when her father sold her into slavery to cover his debts. His orange grove was failing, money was tight, and girls were not valued as much as sons. She was dragged to the coast and sold to the madame running the most successful flower boat on the river. In other words, a brothel. As an underage virgin, she was first used as a slave waiting on the madame. As she matured it became obvious, she would make more money as moon girl, so she decided to be the best she could be. When the Red Flag pirates killed the madame and took the girls hostage she knew she must act fast. She convinced their leader to spare her. After all, she knew where the riches were stored.
Well, one thing led to another and the Red Flag Captain married her. They had two children together and she learned how to be a ship’s captain. She was ever curious and bothersome but tricked the men into adoring her and teaching her all she needed to know. When a bad storm and the Mongolians attacked together, the Captain was washed overboard.
Now, she must convince the fleet she was the best choice to take over. In the pirate culture, no one took orders from a woman. What she was able to accomplish is astounding. The author keeps you interested in a fast paced and entertaining history lesson.
September 16, 2019
Dragon Lady is a little bit different from most books I read. I love historical fiction, but I can not remember reading one involving China. I thought it was pretty good. Xianggu is a great character. Her spirit, bravery, determination, courage, and her will to survive, makes a reader want to continue to read. I wanted to know what was going to happen to her next.
I am giving Dragon Lady four stars. I recommend it for readers who enjoy a good historical read.
I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.
I am giving Dragon Lady four stars. I recommend it for readers who enjoy a good historical read.
I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.
March 17, 2020
This one was give to me for an honest review.
Now I love the style of Autumn Bardot, and she keep surprising me every time I read a book of hers, they're just so well paced and redacted.
The plot and characters were so good and interesting and complex, I felt for them every little detail on their lives.
A great read to dive in.
Now I love the style of Autumn Bardot, and she keep surprising me every time I read a book of hers, they're just so well paced and redacted.
The plot and characters were so good and interesting and complex, I felt for them every little detail on their lives.
A great read to dive in.
September 19, 2019
This book is an OMG its so amazing kind of book. I think the last book like this that really had me turning the pages was Snow Flower and the Secret Fan.
Xianggu was a strong character who fights for all she has. She is absolutely amazing character. She was sold into slavery at a young age and then ends up a prostitute and then the wife of a pirate. She goes through so many ups and downs in life, downs that would break a normal woman, but as we see early on Xianggu is anything but normal.
She is the type of woman that the phrase "nevertheless she persisted is about." Everything she had, she received through hard word and determination. She rose to levels of power that most women couldn't at that time.
You start out wanting to feel sorry for her as she loses her family, but you can't because she's so strong and she knows what she has to do to better herself. In a few chapters you can only admire her, because a lesser woman would have broken, but not Xianggu.
What I truly loved about her was how well she knew herself and how well she she wanted more for her children even though her wealth and power were acquired through illegal means.
This was truly one of the best books I've read in a long time.
Xianggu was a strong character who fights for all she has. She is absolutely amazing character. She was sold into slavery at a young age and then ends up a prostitute and then the wife of a pirate. She goes through so many ups and downs in life, downs that would break a normal woman, but as we see early on Xianggu is anything but normal.
She is the type of woman that the phrase "nevertheless she persisted is about." Everything she had, she received through hard word and determination. She rose to levels of power that most women couldn't at that time.
You start out wanting to feel sorry for her as she loses her family, but you can't because she's so strong and she knows what she has to do to better herself. In a few chapters you can only admire her, because a lesser woman would have broken, but not Xianggu.
What I truly loved about her was how well she knew herself and how well she she wanted more for her children even though her wealth and power were acquired through illegal means.
This was truly one of the best books I've read in a long time.
July 31, 2019
"Dragon Lady" is a thrilling adventure set on the high seas of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century China. The story follows the life of Xianggu, a peasant girl sold into slavery at age thirteen who becomes a pirate captain.
From slave, to prostitute, to prisoner, and beyond, Xianggu's driving desire for a better life leads her to do terrible things and make hard choices as she struggles not only to survive, but to thrive in a cutthroat world.
"Dragon Lady" is historically fascinating, fast-paced, and just a little bit sexy. Recommended for readers looking for dynamic Asian female protagonists.
From slave, to prostitute, to prisoner, and beyond, Xianggu's driving desire for a better life leads her to do terrible things and make hard choices as she struggles not only to survive, but to thrive in a cutthroat world.
"Dragon Lady" is historically fascinating, fast-paced, and just a little bit sexy. Recommended for readers looking for dynamic Asian female protagonists.
August 9, 2021
This is a very good and interesting read, that reads pretty much like an autobiography.
Xianggou gets sold as a pre pubescent teen as a slave by her father to cover his debt. What follows is the journey of an intelligent young woman in a violent, cruel and completely depraved society in serch of equality and independence at a time, when that was just a dream even in Europe, where it would take another fifty years for a Florence Nightingale to emerge, which was only a start for women's rights.
Only her resilience and will keep her going through humiliation after humiliation until pirates raid the brothel she has ended up in. Being presente to the leader of the pirates she sees a possible future in freedom, but it may cost her her soul. The final resolution is as surprising as the woman herself, who actually is based on historical fact.
Xianggou gets sold as a pre pubescent teen as a slave by her father to cover his debt. What follows is the journey of an intelligent young woman in a violent, cruel and completely depraved society in serch of equality and independence at a time, when that was just a dream even in Europe, where it would take another fifty years for a Florence Nightingale to emerge, which was only a start for women's rights.
Only her resilience and will keep her going through humiliation after humiliation until pirates raid the brothel she has ended up in. Being presente to the leader of the pirates she sees a possible future in freedom, but it may cost her her soul. The final resolution is as surprising as the woman herself, who actually is based on historical fact.
March 10, 2021
The most successful pirate ever was not Blackbeard or Captain Morgan, but a Chinese woman who has gone down in history as Ching Shih. This novel brings her story to life, from a child sold into slavery and prostitution, to the powerful pirate queen of the south China coast. It doesn't shy away from the brutality of piracy or life as a poor woman in 18th-century China. Our heroine must make many tough decisions and compromises to rise in life, but the reader can easily cheer her as she does so. I did find the story rushed in parts, and it might have benefited from being a longer book or part of a series.
October 7, 2019
Cast your minds back to 2007 when you were watching Pirates of the Caribbean at World’s End and you saw a Chinese Pirate Lord named Sao Feng. She was fictional of course, but she was based on the actual Cheng Sao who dominated the South China Sea in the 18th century. She was by many accounts, terrifying.
This novel gives her a more human image and explains her reasons for why she committed piracy. But I mean when you’re a concubine dealing with men of the highest administration of the land that are so corrupt, it fills with you sadness. Instead of doing good work, they spent their time celebrating and dining with girls while the people began to starve. The Nobles couldn’t give a damn about the common peasant.
The Nobles of Korea were opposed to Sejong the Great for this manner, when he introduced his new language script, Hangul. That language that is now spoken by thousands of Koreans today. That was not possible to do because Sejong faced hostility from the nobles. The Nobles learnt Chinese characters and phonetic alphabets, thus that secured their power. By learning Hangul, Sejong was effectively ridding them of their power. There are contrasting opinions on this. Compare this to Xianggu, who is the dragon lady of our book. It is no wonder that she revolted, and desired more freedom for herself. And Zheng Yi is a brutal man that you would begin to despise. I did not feel much for him but only that he was one brutal pirate.
This book is a roller-coaster of emotions, love, and erotica set in a political backdrop when the cracks of the Great Qing Empire was beginning to demonstrate that it could no longer be self sufficient as a great power.
Corruption and Opium were two of the biggest downfalls of the Qing, and talented administrators were quickly replaced by corrupt administrators that in many ways resemble how Josean failed to modernise unlike its Japanese neighbour, and like the Qing, quickly fell under the Japanese’s Imperial Ambitions. I say this because both China and Korea for that matter were going into a period of decline at this point. Now if someone could write a novel where time travellers wanted to change the future, we would see a very different history in the far east.
Granted that this is 1800, but the Qing weren’t exactly making it easy for themselves when they could not get rid of Xianggu and her Red Sail Fleet. Hiring inexperienced Captains and unworthy sailing crew rather reminds me of Napoleon’s arrogance when he was warned by his naval experts that the French Navy was not ready to fight the British. The Qing had exactly the same attitude that they could send their navy and there would be a glorious victory when they weren’t making any serious reforms that the Qing Navy massively needed.
During the course of this novel, we spend a lot of time in junks, crew fights, family rivalries, and sexism. A lot of it. I say this because sexism was prevalent in the Far East. Do we know the motives behind it? There could have been a multitude of reasons. Nevertheless it was not easy for Xianggu to become chieftan. That was their time.
I enjoyed the writing style, the dialogue is quite good in this novel. I appreciate the author’s hard efforts of translating Traditional Mandarin script, as it would not have been easy to name every title of every ship’s commander position. The novel does have a lot of swearing but I suppose this is for the Western audience to relate too, as I read in Liu Cixin’s new published science fiction, Western readers couldn’t relate as much due to the missing nuances, i.e the cultural aspects that they may not be familiar with. So I commend for her that, I would have preferred to have seen more Chinese style swearing. It adds more immersion in my opinion, not in too much, but little sprinkles dotted around the book would have been nice to see.
This is a brutal world, that if fantasy writers wanted, they could make an ample book out of this. The Poppy Wars by RF Kuang are a very good example of this. I liked Xianggu’s character development but disagreed with most of what she did, as I feel she needed a bit more time with herself, as opposed to the amount of characters she has to deal with. But when you’re the Dragon Lady, commander of a large fleet terrorising the biggest empire in the known world, I did feel sadness that she couldn’t enjoy as much as she would have liked too. A normal life. Away from all the prostitution and misery. Even the Kings of Josean at some point wished to do good for their people, but they couldn’t when the arrogant Nobles and corrupt administrators kept interfering in their way and removed the royal families when they needed too.
I noticed this is quite common in what I’ve watched in Chinese, Korean and Japanese historical dramas. I would have liked to seen more involvement of the British and Portuguese because I didn’t know they were interacting there. Sure the Napoleonic Wars takes the cake of Britain’s involvement of Europe, but British expansionism into China during this period is not often explored for that matter. I wanted to see the actual massive man of wars that Britain had, and how they would fair against a Chinese Junk for that matter.
This is a great book, and Autumn has done a great work. I loved this, and think its fantastic. Prose is great, writing is great, everything about is great. I would rec this 4/5
This novel gives her a more human image and explains her reasons for why she committed piracy. But I mean when you’re a concubine dealing with men of the highest administration of the land that are so corrupt, it fills with you sadness. Instead of doing good work, they spent their time celebrating and dining with girls while the people began to starve. The Nobles couldn’t give a damn about the common peasant.
The Nobles of Korea were opposed to Sejong the Great for this manner, when he introduced his new language script, Hangul. That language that is now spoken by thousands of Koreans today. That was not possible to do because Sejong faced hostility from the nobles. The Nobles learnt Chinese characters and phonetic alphabets, thus that secured their power. By learning Hangul, Sejong was effectively ridding them of their power. There are contrasting opinions on this. Compare this to Xianggu, who is the dragon lady of our book. It is no wonder that she revolted, and desired more freedom for herself. And Zheng Yi is a brutal man that you would begin to despise. I did not feel much for him but only that he was one brutal pirate.
This book is a roller-coaster of emotions, love, and erotica set in a political backdrop when the cracks of the Great Qing Empire was beginning to demonstrate that it could no longer be self sufficient as a great power.
Corruption and Opium were two of the biggest downfalls of the Qing, and talented administrators were quickly replaced by corrupt administrators that in many ways resemble how Josean failed to modernise unlike its Japanese neighbour, and like the Qing, quickly fell under the Japanese’s Imperial Ambitions. I say this because both China and Korea for that matter were going into a period of decline at this point. Now if someone could write a novel where time travellers wanted to change the future, we would see a very different history in the far east.
Granted that this is 1800, but the Qing weren’t exactly making it easy for themselves when they could not get rid of Xianggu and her Red Sail Fleet. Hiring inexperienced Captains and unworthy sailing crew rather reminds me of Napoleon’s arrogance when he was warned by his naval experts that the French Navy was not ready to fight the British. The Qing had exactly the same attitude that they could send their navy and there would be a glorious victory when they weren’t making any serious reforms that the Qing Navy massively needed.
During the course of this novel, we spend a lot of time in junks, crew fights, family rivalries, and sexism. A lot of it. I say this because sexism was prevalent in the Far East. Do we know the motives behind it? There could have been a multitude of reasons. Nevertheless it was not easy for Xianggu to become chieftan. That was their time.
I enjoyed the writing style, the dialogue is quite good in this novel. I appreciate the author’s hard efforts of translating Traditional Mandarin script, as it would not have been easy to name every title of every ship’s commander position. The novel does have a lot of swearing but I suppose this is for the Western audience to relate too, as I read in Liu Cixin’s new published science fiction, Western readers couldn’t relate as much due to the missing nuances, i.e the cultural aspects that they may not be familiar with. So I commend for her that, I would have preferred to have seen more Chinese style swearing. It adds more immersion in my opinion, not in too much, but little sprinkles dotted around the book would have been nice to see.
This is a brutal world, that if fantasy writers wanted, they could make an ample book out of this. The Poppy Wars by RF Kuang are a very good example of this. I liked Xianggu’s character development but disagreed with most of what she did, as I feel she needed a bit more time with herself, as opposed to the amount of characters she has to deal with. But when you’re the Dragon Lady, commander of a large fleet terrorising the biggest empire in the known world, I did feel sadness that she couldn’t enjoy as much as she would have liked too. A normal life. Away from all the prostitution and misery. Even the Kings of Josean at some point wished to do good for their people, but they couldn’t when the arrogant Nobles and corrupt administrators kept interfering in their way and removed the royal families when they needed too.
I noticed this is quite common in what I’ve watched in Chinese, Korean and Japanese historical dramas. I would have liked to seen more involvement of the British and Portuguese because I didn’t know they were interacting there. Sure the Napoleonic Wars takes the cake of Britain’s involvement of Europe, but British expansionism into China during this period is not often explored for that matter. I wanted to see the actual massive man of wars that Britain had, and how they would fair against a Chinese Junk for that matter.
This is a great book, and Autumn has done a great work. I loved this, and think its fantastic. Prose is great, writing is great, everything about is great. I would rec this 4/5
September 2, 2019
This book was received from the Author, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own
Autumn Bardot, Dragon Lady
In 18th century China, when men made and enforced the rules, the Dragon Lady lived by her own.
Against all odds, a prostitute becomes the most powerful pirate chieftain in the South China Seas. Sold into slavery by her parents, Xianggu works on a floating brothel for ten years before a midnight pirate raid changes her life. Determined to rise above her lowly status, the fearless young woman embarks on a journey requiring beauty, brains, and brawn.
At 13 years old Xianggu life is a dramatically changed when she is sold into slavery to a moneylender by her father, to cover his debts. In an era where young children were sold quite often to slavers by their parents. This sets her on a remarkable path. Xianggu, along with other young girls who are transported to the coast to be sold. Her fate is sealed when she is purchased by the very successful Madame Xu, who operates a floating brothel, a two story flower boat on the river.
Rising from a mere slave to learning everything she can to survive. Xianggu was not afraid of working as flower girl. She was afraid of staying one. Making the best of any situation Xianggu wanted more for herself than what has been dealt to her. In a strike of bad fortune she takes destiny in her own hands .She sets her life on a course that leads her out of enslavement.
"Prostitution required the violation of my body. Piracy required my soul. The first enslaved me. The second set me free."
In Bardot’s rich imagery, you are catapulted 18th century China, as the legendary Xianggu Cantonese pirate comes to life. {Ching Shih also, now as Zhèng Yi Sao}Atmospheric, riveting and intensely entertaining! The Dragon Lady is faced paced and well researched historical fiction. The author intricately plots a character driven adventure that fights poignancy through the complex conflicts of fate.
Xianggu, proves herself as a shrewd business woman along with being a competent an dangerous pirate. A courageous, notorious woman feared and admired.She struggled within bonds that where placed on woman of her day. The author blends historical fiction with intense fiery romantic scenes that make for a passionate storyline
This is a Bold, fierce, in your face unflinchingly realistic story of how a prostitute who became the most powerful and successful pirate in the world.
#DragonLady #AutumnBardot #HFVBTBlogTours
Historical Fiction,
Autumn Bardot, Dragon Lady
In 18th century China, when men made and enforced the rules, the Dragon Lady lived by her own.
Against all odds, a prostitute becomes the most powerful pirate chieftain in the South China Seas. Sold into slavery by her parents, Xianggu works on a floating brothel for ten years before a midnight pirate raid changes her life. Determined to rise above her lowly status, the fearless young woman embarks on a journey requiring beauty, brains, and brawn.
At 13 years old Xianggu life is a dramatically changed when she is sold into slavery to a moneylender by her father, to cover his debts. In an era where young children were sold quite often to slavers by their parents. This sets her on a remarkable path. Xianggu, along with other young girls who are transported to the coast to be sold. Her fate is sealed when she is purchased by the very successful Madame Xu, who operates a floating brothel, a two story flower boat on the river.
Rising from a mere slave to learning everything she can to survive. Xianggu was not afraid of working as flower girl. She was afraid of staying one. Making the best of any situation Xianggu wanted more for herself than what has been dealt to her. In a strike of bad fortune she takes destiny in her own hands .She sets her life on a course that leads her out of enslavement.
"Prostitution required the violation of my body. Piracy required my soul. The first enslaved me. The second set me free."
In Bardot’s rich imagery, you are catapulted 18th century China, as the legendary Xianggu Cantonese pirate comes to life. {Ching Shih also, now as Zhèng Yi Sao}Atmospheric, riveting and intensely entertaining! The Dragon Lady is faced paced and well researched historical fiction. The author intricately plots a character driven adventure that fights poignancy through the complex conflicts of fate.
Xianggu, proves herself as a shrewd business woman along with being a competent an dangerous pirate. A courageous, notorious woman feared and admired.She struggled within bonds that where placed on woman of her day. The author blends historical fiction with intense fiery romantic scenes that make for a passionate storyline
This is a Bold, fierce, in your face unflinchingly realistic story of how a prostitute who became the most powerful and successful pirate in the world.
#DragonLady #AutumnBardot #HFVBTBlogTours
Historical Fiction,
September 22, 2019
From a life of filth, hunger, non-existence to be move in to another role of slave, prostitute, servant, to move further on to trades-woman to almost killed, to wife, to pirate, to the Dragon Lady. Xianggu works to become more than what her young life has taught her she should be. She knew there was more and did not completely give up on something more coming her way. She had a life in no way one would think or could think was easy, simple, or charmed. But she did what most would have just given up on. She survived. She became more. She spent her youthful life as nothing, but her ears and eyes were always open. She was like a sponge to her surroundings. She learned much.
There are many characters to relate to, to get to know, to not care for, to want some serious bodily harm to befall, but the stand out of them all was Xianggu. You find that her story touches you. It carries you through all she had ventured. The writing was a delicious blend of facts and fiction. The fictional world of Xianggu was real in a sense. It was someones life at some point during this time frame. The depths of knowledge that Autumn Bardot put in to this story was wonderful. It kept me hanging on as the turn of each page was made.
This Dragon Lady got much respect from me. The read was intense, sad, painful, rich, intriguing, alluring, changing and at times challenging. I found that the pacing of the story was just great. The scenes were vivid and rich. You could visualize them with each description of a new surrounding. Xianggu was what a strong, determined, headstrong, head-smart woman in a bad situation should strive to be if she has not accomplished it. She was a shero.
There are many characters to relate to, to get to know, to not care for, to want some serious bodily harm to befall, but the stand out of them all was Xianggu. You find that her story touches you. It carries you through all she had ventured. The writing was a delicious blend of facts and fiction. The fictional world of Xianggu was real in a sense. It was someones life at some point during this time frame. The depths of knowledge that Autumn Bardot put in to this story was wonderful. It kept me hanging on as the turn of each page was made.
This Dragon Lady got much respect from me. The read was intense, sad, painful, rich, intriguing, alluring, changing and at times challenging. I found that the pacing of the story was just great. The scenes were vivid and rich. You could visualize them with each description of a new surrounding. Xianggu was what a strong, determined, headstrong, head-smart woman in a bad situation should strive to be if she has not accomplished it. She was a shero.
September 2, 2019
The premise of this book caught my attention immediately when I read it. A prostitute gone pirate? There’s gotta be a story there!
Xianggu is the best part of this book. I appreciated her spirit; no matter the circumstances, Xianggu persisted. When she was set up to amount to nothing, she found a way to dream, to learn, to turn her circumstances into a benefit. She had a drive within that not many people have in life, and it’s a powerful part of this book.
Throughout the book, Xianggu faces a many ups and downs. The way the author chose to have her handle the tragedies and hardships was inspirational. Sometimes, the bad parts of life can break a person and they never climb out of that black hole. Not Xianggu.
The author captures the personalities of the pirates very well and explores their different perspectives of the world, and it’s interesting to listen as their initial reactions to ideas change. Specifically, the exploration of gender roles of women on a pirate’s ship/society, Xianggu’s quest to be in charge and how the men’s opinion of her changes is really well done throughout the story line.
Overall, this was a really enjoyable book and I flew through it. Easily a four-star rating. A quick note that I’d give this book a PG-13 rating; there are some adulty situations in the book.
Thank you so, so much to HFVBT and Autumn Bardot for the the opportunity to be a part of this tour and to read such an enjoyable book!
Xianggu is the best part of this book. I appreciated her spirit; no matter the circumstances, Xianggu persisted. When she was set up to amount to nothing, she found a way to dream, to learn, to turn her circumstances into a benefit. She had a drive within that not many people have in life, and it’s a powerful part of this book.
Throughout the book, Xianggu faces a many ups and downs. The way the author chose to have her handle the tragedies and hardships was inspirational. Sometimes, the bad parts of life can break a person and they never climb out of that black hole. Not Xianggu.
The author captures the personalities of the pirates very well and explores their different perspectives of the world, and it’s interesting to listen as their initial reactions to ideas change. Specifically, the exploration of gender roles of women on a pirate’s ship/society, Xianggu’s quest to be in charge and how the men’s opinion of her changes is really well done throughout the story line.
Overall, this was a really enjoyable book and I flew through it. Easily a four-star rating. A quick note that I’d give this book a PG-13 rating; there are some adulty situations in the book.
Thank you so, so much to HFVBT and Autumn Bardot for the the opportunity to be a part of this tour and to read such an enjoyable book!
Read
June 26, 20201.5 stars
I like historical fiction but this is in a subgenre of historical erotica. (didn't even know that was a thing) Not my cup of tea.
I am familiar somewhat with the Ching Shih.(Zheng Yi Sao's real name) It is a great story for that time in history. A woman goes from being sold into prostitution as a young girl to becoming a military leader and commanding the largest & most powerful leader of a pirate fleet.
Because she's smart, she's a fast learner & is able to understand what she needs to do in order to survive & become a powerful woman.
The book was well researched in giving a good fictional first person POV of her life. and it's an easy read which has a good pace.
But i didn't like the writer's style. (not sure why) And alot of it, I skimmed thru b/c it just wasn't for me.
Thanks to Hidden Gems for an ARC of the book.
I like historical fiction but this is in a subgenre of historical erotica. (didn't even know that was a thing) Not my cup of tea.
I am familiar somewhat with the Ching Shih.(Zheng Yi Sao's real name) It is a great story for that time in history. A woman goes from being sold into prostitution as a young girl to becoming a military leader and commanding the largest & most powerful leader of a pirate fleet.
Because she's smart, she's a fast learner & is able to understand what she needs to do in order to survive & become a powerful woman.
The book was well researched in giving a good fictional first person POV of her life. and it's an easy read which has a good pace.
But i didn't like the writer's style. (not sure why) And alot of it, I skimmed thru b/c it just wasn't for me.
Thanks to Hidden Gems for an ARC of the book.
January 20, 2020
A wonderful book. I was unable to put the book down once I started to read it. There is a lot of history, pirates, and interesting relationships in the book. I hope to read more of Autumn Bardot's books.
May 18, 2020
We are proud to announce that DRAGON LADY by Autumn Bardot is a B.R.A.G.Medallion Honoree. This tells readers that this book is well worth their time and money!
October 13, 2020
Unexpectedly good read
Very ambitious story of a womens life and what she sacrificed to become the leader of the Red flag and it’s pirate filled fleet.
Very ambitious story of a womens life and what she sacrificed to become the leader of the Red flag and it’s pirate filled fleet.
August 29, 2020
My rating: 3.5 stars
I received an advanced reader’s copy from Hidden Gems in exchange for an honest review. I always appreciate historical fiction that takes me to other times and places in the world that I have learned little or nothing about prior to that story. It was fascinating to learn that Xianggu and many of the other pirates were real historical figures. I admired her spirit of seeking to improve her situation and not stopping until she commanded a large pirate fleet, though it was unheard of for a woman to do so. It seemed to end rather abruptly, and I might have liked a epilogue to see the characters in a few years’ time after they were no longer pirates.
I received an advanced reader’s copy from Hidden Gems in exchange for an honest review. I always appreciate historical fiction that takes me to other times and places in the world that I have learned little or nothing about prior to that story. It was fascinating to learn that Xianggu and many of the other pirates were real historical figures. I admired her spirit of seeking to improve her situation and not stopping until she commanded a large pirate fleet, though it was unheard of for a woman to do so. It seemed to end rather abruptly, and I might have liked a epilogue to see the characters in a few years’ time after they were no longer pirates.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 22, 2022
Dragon Lady
This read was really intriguing & so vividly written I could smell salt of the sea. This is the story of a young woman whom was sold into slavery, took on the position of an esteemed flower girl & propositioned the most powerful pirate of her time. The Dragon Lady seen, went, conquered, found love & lost. What makes this tale so fascinating is that its based on a true story. But now you need to know how it ends.
This read was really intriguing & so vividly written I could smell salt of the sea. This is the story of a young woman whom was sold into slavery, took on the position of an esteemed flower girl & propositioned the most powerful pirate of her time. The Dragon Lady seen, went, conquered, found love & lost. What makes this tale so fascinating is that its based on a true story. But now you need to know how it ends.
December 16, 2019
Another hard-to-put down novel from Autumn Bardot, shining her light into the corners of history, this time in 18th century China.
Xianggu is a beautiful 13-year-old, destined to make a suitable marriage, but her father has debts he cannot pay so she is sold to the local slaver. The utter worthlessness of females in Chinese society is reflected in her father’s comments and the slaver’s remarks about her big, unbound feet. This practice of crippling young girls at an early age somehow gives them more status, but Xianggu has managed to escape this at least, though through the book she is sometimes self-conscious of her “big feet.”
The novel is based on the true story of the Dragon Lady, one of the fiercest pirate leaders of the South Seas. This fascinating woman, sent to the floating bordello, learns to read and write and manage a business, how to please the men who pay to be with her, and eventually talks herself, and the women of the bordello, out of rape at the hands of pirates. Though not at heart cruel, (something she has to learn to be to survive) she becomes one of the pirate band, the leader’s lover, and proves herself a brilliant strategist and leader in her own right.
Darkness and light shade Xianggu’s days and nights as the author immerses the reader into this sweeping maritime epic of romance and adventure with her attention to detail and the excellent prose I love so much. Highly recommended!
Xianggu is a beautiful 13-year-old, destined to make a suitable marriage, but her father has debts he cannot pay so she is sold to the local slaver. The utter worthlessness of females in Chinese society is reflected in her father’s comments and the slaver’s remarks about her big, unbound feet. This practice of crippling young girls at an early age somehow gives them more status, but Xianggu has managed to escape this at least, though through the book she is sometimes self-conscious of her “big feet.”
The novel is based on the true story of the Dragon Lady, one of the fiercest pirate leaders of the South Seas. This fascinating woman, sent to the floating bordello, learns to read and write and manage a business, how to please the men who pay to be with her, and eventually talks herself, and the women of the bordello, out of rape at the hands of pirates. Though not at heart cruel, (something she has to learn to be to survive) she becomes one of the pirate band, the leader’s lover, and proves herself a brilliant strategist and leader in her own right.
Darkness and light shade Xianggu’s days and nights as the author immerses the reader into this sweeping maritime epic of romance and adventure with her attention to detail and the excellent prose I love so much. Highly recommended!
August 28, 2019
Dragon Lady was gifted to us by its very talented author, Autumn Bardot. We are sooo appreciative when authors send us their books to read!!!💗💗💗
This is a historical fiction book about a girl who was sold into slavery by her father to pay off bad debt. It’s heart breaking seeing how much these children have to endure to survive. Xianggu is the main character and she goes through incredible lengths to ensure her rise out of slavery. She works extremely hard, doesn’t accept slavery’s limitations and encounters a little bit of good luck (although mostly she uses her brain and learned skills) There are so many obstacles she has to overcome on her journey to freedom. What is so inspiring about Xianggu is that she never gives up hope. From the moment she is sold, she starts setting her sights on becoming free.
We hope you pick up a copy of Dragon Lady and let us know what you think!
*** disclaimer- this book is for mature audiences
This is a historical fiction book about a girl who was sold into slavery by her father to pay off bad debt. It’s heart breaking seeing how much these children have to endure to survive. Xianggu is the main character and she goes through incredible lengths to ensure her rise out of slavery. She works extremely hard, doesn’t accept slavery’s limitations and encounters a little bit of good luck (although mostly she uses her brain and learned skills) There are so many obstacles she has to overcome on her journey to freedom. What is so inspiring about Xianggu is that she never gives up hope. From the moment she is sold, she starts setting her sights on becoming free.
We hope you pick up a copy of Dragon Lady and let us know what you think!
*** disclaimer- this book is for mature audiences
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews