While I enjoyed reading this book, it was more like reading a history book in college. Quite gruesome and sexually explicit, so I definitely would not recommend to younger readers. The names were very similar, so that made it a slow read - trying to figure out who was who. My book club did not care for it and I was the only one who actually finished the book. All I can really say is that I enjoyed it as much as I enjoy reading a history textbook.
However, if you like history and would enjoy leaning about China during the late 600s, early 700s, read this book on your own. I just would not recommend it for book club.