Lady of the Imperial City


Romance - Historical
310 Pages
Reviewed on 01/20/2016
Buy on Amazon

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.

Author Biography

Laura Kitchell lives in Virginia. She was published for the first time in 2007 and is a member of Romance Writers of America and Chesapeake Romance Writers. She lived in Japan as a child and has a love and respect for Japanese history and culture.

Visit her website at laurakitchell.vpweb.com and visit her on Facebook at laura.kitchell.1@facebook.com.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Ray Simmons for Readers' Favorite

Lady of the Imperial City by Laura Kitchell is a fresh historical novel that takes place in ancient Japan. I am highly fond of historical novels, and Japan is one of my favorite settings. I loved James Clavell’s series of books set in Asia, especially that great classic of modern fiction; Shogun. What I found so fresh about Lady of the Imperial City was the conversations of daily life that centered around men and women as opposed to discussions of huge dramatic historical events. I find that discussions of female characters are kind of rare in novels about Asia and the way Laura Kitchell rendered these talks, essentially gossip, is masterful. She blends the requirements needed to portray ancient Japan to a modern western audience with a unique and expert voice. The characters are much more human and a lot less “Oriental” than those of many writers I have read before.

Yukan and his friends were no real surprise for me but Amai, Kirei, and practically all the female characters were a new and very well done insight into life in old Japan. Laura Kitchell is a master of dialogue and I highly recommend Lady of the Imperial City on that aspect alone - but don’t worry, the plot is clever, the characters very sympathetic, and the writing witty and entertaining. This novel is very well done on every level. If I had to read only one historical romance this year, this would be the one I would choose. You can’t lose with Lady of the Imperial City, whether your preference is history or romance.