Author: Robert Wang
Publisher: W&PN (November 12, 2019)
ISBN: 978-0578502922

The Opium Lord’s Daughter is about the first Opium War, told from the perspectives of both the Chinese and British.

Lady Lee Su-Mei goes against the convention of an upper-class family in China.  As a very young girl, her family wants to have her feet bound but she fights it so much that they give up even though she knows it will be near impossible to marry her off to a proper family.  She becomes a big problem as a young woman for her powerful father, one of the largest opium traders in mid-19th century China.  So much so that he sends her away to a convent hoping she will learn her place in life.

Sister Maria, who’s real name is Pai Chu takes her under her wing to help her learn the ropes.  They are close in age and become fast friends.  She loves learning English from Pai Chu and practises it every moment she can.  Eventually Su-Mei’s father comes back to get her to take her home but she doesn’t want to leave her now best friend, Pai Chu behind. The two women devise a plan that will convince her father to take Pai Chu as well.

During this time, Sh-Mei also meets an English merchant from the East India Company, Travers Higgins.  Though it is forbidden, they fall in love.  Events that unfold from the Chinese Emperor’s edict to gid rid of opium in the country, actually throw Sh-Mei and Higgins closer.

I really enjoyed ‘The Opium Lord’s Daughter’.  The characters were well written and the history was well researched.  19th century China really came to life.  I loved both the adventure and romance as well. My only complaint was toward the end with how Pai Chu evolved.  I wont spoil it for you but it got very old, very fast for me.  It certainly didn’t ruin the entire book for me but it was over the top for me.

If you enjoy historical fiction, I do recommend it.  It is a shameful part of both Chinese and British history that is brought to life with the expert writing of Robert Wang. I would love to read more by him!

About Robert Wang

Born in Japan and raised in Hong Kong before moving to the United States nearly 50 years ago, Chinese-American businessman and entrepreneur Robert Wang, being both bicultural and bilingual, has a first-hand perspective of both Asian and Western cultures and their entwined history.

Since he first learned as a schoolboy how this original "drug war" formed the basis for modern Chinese politics and history, Wang had been fascinated by this pivotal period, which became the catalyst determining how modern China has been shaped--and hindered--by Western colonization.

Even after settling in the United States, starting a family and becoming a successful entrepreneur and a pioneer in the aerospace industry, Wang remained an ardent Sinophile, fascinated with the lessons and impact of the Opium War and its aftermath. This passion only grew as Wang took note of the modern parallels--particularly the current opioid crisis--that echo similar events and actions from this earlier period.

Wang is a father of three daughters, a proud grandfather of three, and resides in Los Angeles with his wife Cindy.

You can learn more about him at www.opiumwar-story.com. You can also follow him on Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, and through his mailing list. He loves to talk about his past careers, traveling, golfing, and his love of wine and music!