Night of the Willow cover

Night of the Willow

by Maureen Peters

Escaping her dreary job as a clerk at Sawyer's Mill, Lucy Mary O'Malley leaves behind the familiar world of Lancashire, England and embarks on a dangerous journey to the mysterious Forbidden City of Peking after agreeing to an arranged marriage with Prince Chang Lee, son of a Mandarin. Almost overwhelmed by the strange customs and colorful way of life in her new home, she is called into the perfumed court of the threatening Dragon Empress, Tz'u Hsi. Experiencing deep feelings of love - and jealousy - which she has never known before, she discovers the secret that explains the insolent stares of the housekeeper, Chen Sula, and the peculiar behavior of her new husband. But only when the Boxer rebels lay siege to the embassy does the spunky redhead find the courage to fight for her love and her life.

Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

  1. Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
  2. Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
  3. What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
  4. If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
  5. Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?