Review: 5 Hearts: Catt Ford is going to become one of my favorite authors.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 09 2, 2012
Catt Ford - The Last Concubine  {Reviewed by Rya @ Hearts On Fire Reviews}Catt Ford is going to become one of my favorite authors. I was always attracted to the idea of a male concubine, so, when I saw the blurb of this book, I had to read it.For me, this book has become an epitome of perfection. Being a history addict, reading this novel was like getting my very own dose of drugs. The start was magnificent, written as if someone was telling a story. The transfer from passive to present was very well done, not creating any disruptions in the reading.  No delays were made in suggesting the power of the general Hui Wei. From the dialog between him, his friend Jiang and the Liaopeh messenger, I could extract quite a few traits. Also, the beauty of Lan'xiu was implied through the eyes of the other characters.  I really liked the description of the physical traits of Lan'xiu and how easy her moral features could be deduced from her actions and words. I found her dresses really pretty and her servant extremely surprising.About him, I won't say a word. You should discover him all by yourself. It's worth it. The scenes between the general and the princess are full of passion and love. The way Lan'xiu accepted their lovemaking (sometimes rough, sometimes gentle) implied that she loved the general for who he was, with flaws and everything. Although, at the beginning of their relationship, trust wasn't at all the dominant element, throughout the story, it stands at its rightful place. With trust, what started as a purely physical attraction, becomes a love so deep, that crosses genders and preconceptions.Going to the other characters, I appreciated that there weren't too many bad guys and that their features weren't extremely imposing. They had just the right amount of evil in them. I really liked captain Wen and First Wife Mei Ju. I think each of the six wives, excluding Lan'xiu (she doesn't have only one), had a main moral feature (example: Bai was cheerful, while Alute was restful). I had the impression that Second Wife Ci'an was a mirrored image of Lan'xiu. While Lan'xiu was polite and courageous, Ci'an was impolite and a coward (the way she tried to get rid of the other wives).The only thing that I found disturbing was what happened with the three little girls. You have three chances to guess who did that.Technical Stuff: I already said that the story is very well written, having the transfer between passive and present done with great finesse. The descriptions are subtle and beautifully written. A symmetry between the beginning and the end of the story can be observed.Recommend :TO EVERYONE, from fluffy romance lovers to historical addicts. Although, it doesn't have lots of historical facts, The Last Concubine is a story that can satisfy very well your addiction.To sum it up, The Last Concubine is one of the best books I've ever read and, from my point of view, is a MUST READ. You will never regret travelling through its time.