Who Would Like This Book:
If you love a blend of historical fiction, folklore, and a touch of magical realism, this one's for you! "The Fox Wife" weaves together Chinese and Japanese myths about fox spirits with an atmospheric setting at the end of the Qing dynasty. Think vivid world-building, poetic prose, and a mix of mystery, fantasy, and romance. Fans of authors like Madeline Miller or anyone drawn to East Asian legends and morally complex adventures will find much to savor here.
Who May Not Like This Book:
Some readers found the pacing slow, especially in the middle of the book, and felt the action and emotional energy were too evenly distributed, making it harder to stay invested. If you prefer fast-moving plots or get impatient with gradual story builds, this one might try your patience. Also, if you need characters whose actions always make sense or stick closely to their natures, you might be frustrated.
About:
The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo is a captivating blend of historical fiction, fantasy, mystery, and romance set at the end of the Qing Dynasty. The story follows the adventures of three fox spirits who add chaos to the turbulent political climate of the time. The narrative is rich in fox lore, intertwining love stories between foxes and humans, and a compelling mystery involving deaths and disappearances. Choo's writing style is described as flawless, brilliant, and enthralling, with the plot dynamically unfolding to keep readers engaged and surprised till the end.
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Notes:
Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
There are medium-content warnings, likely related to themes of violence and grief associated with death.
Has Romance?
There is a medium level of romance intertwined with the fantasy and mystery elements.
From The Publisher:
Some people think foxes are similar to ghosts because we go around collecting qi, but nothing could be further than the truth. We are living creatures, just like you, only usually better looking . . .
Manchuria, 1908.
In the last years of the dying Qing Empire, a courtesan is found frozen in a doorway. Her death is clouded by rumors of foxes, which are believed to lure people by transforming themselves into beautiful women and handsome men. Bao, a detective with an uncanny ability to sniff out the truth, is hired to uncover the dead woman's identity. Since childhood, Bao has been intrigued by the fox gods, yet they've remained tantalizingly out of reach-until, perhaps, now.
Meanwhile, a family who owns a famous Chinese medicine shop can cure ailments but can't escape the curse that afflicts them-their eldest sons die before their twenty-fourth birthdays. When a disruptively winsome servant named Snow enters their household, the family's luck seems to change-or does it?
Snow is a creature of many secrets, but most of all she's a mother seeking vengeance for her lost child. Hunting a murderer, she will follow the trail from northern China to Japan, while Bao follows doggedly behind. Navigating the myths and misconceptions of fox spirits, both Snow and Bao will encounter old friends and new foes, even as more deaths occur.
New York Times bestselling author Yangsze Choo brilliantly explores a world of mortals and
spirits, humans and beasts, and their dazzling intersection. Epic in scope and full of singular, unforgettable characters, The Fox Wife is a stunning novel about old loves and second chances, the depths of maternal love, and ancient folktales that may very well be true.
Ratings (14)
Incredible (3) | |
Loved It (5) | |
Liked It (3) | |
It Was OK (1) | |
Did Not Like (2) |
Reader Stats (59):
Read It (15) | |
Currently Reading (2) | |
Want To Read (39) | |
Did Not Finish (1) | |
Not Interested (2) |
What can you read after
The Fox Wife?
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