This is speculative fiction but the speculative elements (the Mandate of Heaven as a physical manifestation, people who can see ghosts) play more of a supporting role. It's intended to be a character-driven story of a girl embracing her will to live, and later to have power. She feels and embraces desire in a culture that tells girls particularly that they should not feel or act on desire.
But in truth, stories of singular people clawing their way to power get wearing, and setting them somewhere other than Europe doesn't help that much. Particularly not setting them in China, which is not common compared to Anglo fantasy settings but really it's been done, a lot.The action moves along and the characters develop, but I kept looking for something more. The book became something of a grind, particularly since the author took pains to let us know how the most suspenseful parts would turn out. It was all fated.
Ouyang, the eunuch general, is the most colorful of the characters but mainly by way of hyperbolically intense feelings. Overall it's an OK book, but I can't help wanting at least some of my life back.
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