These extraordinary memoirs paint a vivid picture of court life in Korea during the middle of the 18th century as the background to a royal family tragedy of epic proportions, as seen through the eyes of a remarkable woman. In these most compelling of palace chronicles Lady Hong tells of her introduction to court life, of her selection as a consort to the Crown Prince at the age of ten, and of her brief years of happiness that were eclipsed by a series of dark events culminating in the madness of her husband and his death at the hands of his father, King Yŏngjo. Written at the end of her life for the benefit of her son and grandson who became kings, Lady Hong’s absorbing and revealing memoirs combine historical authenticity with the artistry of fine literature.
‘…Extraordinary memoirs…(if they) were presented as a work of fiction one would be irresistibly reminded of Vladimir Nabokov’s master piece , ‘Pale of Fire’…’ Auberon Waugh, Sunday Telegraph
‘…a remarkable psychological drama…East Asian Oedipus in reverse…’
John Gittings, The Guardian ‘…heartfelt emotions explained with a striking frankness…a lively autobiographical account…’
Paul Ensor, Far Eastern Economic Review ‘…jewel of a book deserves to become a classic…outstanding as narrative, as drama, and as characterization…’
Aidan Foster-Carter, South