Tuesday, April 24, 2012

My Fair Concubine-Jeannie Lin

My Fair Concubine


Jeannie Lin

Harlequin, May 22 2012, $6.25

ISBN: 9780373296941



In 824 Changan, China, Fei Long came home when his Ministry of Works father died. He had ignored his sister Pearl’s plea to help her avoid a heqin bridal alliance to a powerful barbarian lord in Khitan as decreed by the Emperor. Stunned Fei Long believes his father’s spirit is restless because Pearl has run away with her beloved Zheng Xie Han. A desperate Fei Long selects recently fired from the teahouse Yan Ling as a perfect substitute for his sibling though his choice is an orphan ignorant about behaving like lady.



Enlisting his friends, Fei Long tries to teach his recruit to act like a noble instead of an outspoken opinionated street urchin. Inspector Tong feels Fei Long is pulling off a ruse, but shockingly the substitute hequin behaves like a lady. However, as Fei Long works his miracle to prepare her to “the other side of heaven”, he falls in love with his student while Yan Ling falls in love with her mentor.



This is a great My Fair Lady in a vividly drawn ninth century Tang Dynasty setting. The lead couple is a fabulous pairing of two intellects in a teacher-pupil relationship that is actually a delightful gender war. Fans will agree this is the year of Lin.



Harriet Klausner

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