The Poet Empress - Review

*I received a digital copy from Tor Publishing Group and an audio version from MacMillan Audio via NetGalley. All reviews are my own.

The Poet Empress, by debut author Shen Tao, was the first book I chose for my 2026 reading goals. I had no idea that this beautiful, brutal tragedy would quickly become my first 5-star read of the year. Now, the rest of my TBR list is shaking in its book sleeves. Seriously, ya’ll have to check this one out!

"In the waning years of the Azalea Dynasty, the emperor is dying, the land consumed by famine, and poetry magic lost to all except the powerful.

Wei Yin is desperate. After the fifth death of a sibling, with her family and village on the brink of starvation, she will do anything to save those she loves.

Even offer herself as concubine to the cruel heir of the beautiful and brutal Azalea House.

But in a twist of fate, the palace stands on the knife-edge of civil war with Wei trapped in its center…at the side of a violent prince.

To survive, Wei must harden her heart, rely on her wit, and become dangerous herself. Even if it means becoming a poet in a world where women are forbidden to read—and composing the most powerful spell of all. A ballad of death...and love."

Audiobooks are my favorite way to read, so I was really excited when this one became available on NetGalley. The story is 15 hours and 43 minutes long and is narrated by both Eric Yang and Katherine Chin. Chin tells most of the story, but when Yang’s voice came in, I was a bit unsure at first. He isn’t a main character, but his parts are important for understanding the whole story. I would check both narrators out in other books in the future.

Wei Yin is a poor girl from the farmlands, on the brink of famine. When the opportunity of becoming a concubine for one of the Princes of the Azalea House presents itself, she jumps at the fool’s errand, not realizing what she’s fully getting herself into. First, the prince she’s supposed to serve is cruel and could become the next Emperor of the Azalea Dynasty, which means she might become the next Empress. Second, because of this, Yin is walking into a ruthless court filled with people who have no problem trying to off her on the first night in the palace. Wei Yin has to toughen up to survive the palace of swords and flowers, using lies, deceit, and forbidden literomancy, to stay in royal politics to protect herself.

At first, the story seems like a typical example of its genre, but by the end, so much more was revealed. I really liked how the book explores royal politics, especially for children in the line of succession. Very early on, we see how people corrupt children's innocence in the name of serving their providence or for selfish personal gain. I’m impressed with how Tao weaved this story together. She showed that kindness isn’t always the answer, yet exposed how inhumane people can be without compassion.

I loved the complexity of each character introduced; no one was perfect. But as we peeled back the layers of the onion, we got to the core and sweet spot of who these people actually are. Take Wei Yin, for example: She was looked down on for being a farmer’s daughter, but she stayed true to herself. She faced some of the most audacious situations, even having me scream at her to stop turning the other cheek, but as she gained her footing in the palace, she became one of the most strategic players in the game of survival.

The fantasy part of the book isn’t as overwhelming as it might seem. I actually wish it had been explained more. Poetry magic, or literomancy, is the story's primary source of power. The strength of the magic depends on how the poem is written. I thought it was interesting that Tao used literacy as a form of magic. Maybe it’s a reference to old Chinese texts or a comment on how women were once banned from learning to read and write. It could even be a reminder for people today to read more. Using literomancy as the main power was a unique way to show the importance of words and storytelling.

Overall, I gave this book 5-stars. The Poet Empress was a great way to start my 2026 reading goals, and I hope the rest of my books are just as good. The writing, storytelling, and message were all excellent, and I even enjoyed the emotional ups and downs. Every underdog story needs some tragedy to make it stand out. Congratulations to Shen Tao for this amazing standalone—I definitely want a copy for my shelves!

The Poet Empress debuts January 20, 2026

#TheLittLibrarian #RomanticFantasy #HighFantasy #DarkFantasy #AdultPoliticalFantasy