This book would've gotten a higher rating for the writing if it weren't for the main character. I enjoyed the setting and how everything was described, but Eastern Jewel was a woman with little to be respected for.

Despite how unfortunate her life was, I couldn't help but feel like she deserved a lot of the misfortune because of how she behaved and treated others. The story was rather dense with narration instead of dialogue, but that wasn't the problem – it was the way everything was explained to death by the protagonist when it would've been clear enough through her actions instead.

I felt like a lot of the explaining was her trying to defend herself all while not feeling apologetic about it in the least. The description of the sex didn't bother me – nor, like other readers, would I even consider it BDSM as I would rough sex, which either way was boring after the many times it was described; it was just the same feelings from her over and over again, and sometimes even the same actions - like her being taken from behind (in her sleep) while she cried out.

Eastern Jewel's constant explanation of her love for Japan and her hate for China was just as overplayed as her boring sex life, which the book was full of. She fell in love more often than she admitted to it, and the love ended up being a weird desire to be owned despite her hating the trait in other women.

Her behaviour towards everyone was inexcusable and without any motivation - despite being a pain - and her breaking of the norm had no reason behind it. Even her “realization” that she really longed to have sex with her father was an annoying revelation that I could've done without, because it didn't justify anything or change her likeability. She took partners and engaged in sex, like other things, without thought. Not once did she question her promiscuity or the type of life she lived, and there was no goal that she strove for and that made the book feel pointless. The only good thing that was foreshadowed earlier was Kawashima's denial of her citizenship which fell into place rather nicely at the end.

The way Eastern Jewel used her sexuality to appeal to men, to use them, and to be used herself got old quickly, and it became a constant thing that was expected from her without fail. Towards the end, it just became heartless and boring the way men fell in love with her (and apparently she with them) and she abandoned them. She wasn't sympathetic at all, and that's exactly why I couldn't rate this book the four stars I was going to give it.

Her role in the war wasn't explained as well as I would have liked, because it still didn't make a lot of sense to me that she was abandoned by everyone and made into such a villain. Even though she was involved with the Japanese military, and was the one who encouraged Emperor Pu Yi to move to Manchukuo, her role felt so minor that it didn't justify her downfall. Her military career was something that the writer could've explored more instead of her sexual encounters, because that would have made the end feel less rushed and abrupt, and more deserved. At least I felt a bit of worry when she was arrested, but because of the foreshadowing from earlier I knew what was going to happen (not that it cheapened it).

If anything, I would've rated this novel 3.5/5 were it possible since the writing was beautiful – especially in the beginning. It's a shame the great writing was overshadowed by the hard to like Eastern Jewel. Perhaps if there were less explaining and defending, and more reflection on her life choices, it would've been better. At least it was a great book that allowed me to delve into a section of history that I wasn't familiar with, and it still was enjoyable to read despite the irritating personality and mindless actions taken that made up this fictional version of Eastern Jewel.