An Empire of Women

"Interesting and idiosyncratic..." -- Washington Post (reviewed by Carolyn See)"Karen Shepard's debut novel is a bravura performance by an author who writes with uncanny authority and courage." -- Rosellen Brown"Readers who appreciate Chinese history will especially enjoy this lovely work." -- Library Journal...Shepard excels in the rendering of dailiness, with lovely moments of linkage between cultures. -- Amy Hempel, Bomb Magazine...first page of An Empire of Women, I was captivated by Karen Shepard's unique voice. This is an exhilarating debut. -- Margot LiveseyNot since Virginia Woolf have the snares and scars of familial relationships been rendered with such brilliance... -- Ron HansenShepard's powerfully suggestive [novel] snaps with memorably acerbic dialogue...Plainspoken and direct, rich in complexities.... -- Publishers Weekly, July 17, 2000