I grew up with two languages and one cultural identity crisis ? and heaps of curiosity. This book is my attempt to make sense of Chinese history, palace gossip and the sprawling world of serialised web fiction ? so you don't have to start from zero.

Inside you'll find short, sharp reviews of Ming-era alternate histories and web novels (from feel-good power fantasies to dark palace dramas), approachable explanations of recurring historical names and tropes, and plenty of tip-offs: which books are most binge-able, which are best avoided, and where to start if you only have an evening.

Whether you're a Western reader baffled by eunuch politics, or a curious middler like me hoping to understand why everyone raves about 'Zhu Yuanzhang', this is the companion you've been missing.