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The Fox Wife
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Fantasy (2024)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.
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.
669 pages, Library Binding
First published February 13, 2024
3472 people are currently reading
118321 people want to read
About the author
Yangsze Choo
5 books11.1k followersYangsze Choo is a fourth generation Malaysian of Chinese descent. Due to a childhood spent in various countries, she can eavesdrop (badly) in several languages. After graduating from Harvard, she worked as a management consultant before writing her first novel. Yangsze eats and reads too much, and often does both at the same time. You can follow her blog at http://yschoo.com/ or on Twitter @yangszechoo
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,826 reviews
December 2, 2024
Exquisite and mesmerizing, The Fox Wife kept me enchanted from the very first moment to the very last.
Told through the alternating perspectives of Bao, an aging investigator with a penchant for sniffing out the truth, and Snow, a mysterious lady on a quest to avenge the death of her child, this story sits at the irresistible intersection of historical fiction, mystery, and folklore.
Secrets and questions abound in here. Who are these characters? What do they want? And how do their paths cross through so many years and miles of tribulations? Add to that a main character who is not quite human, as well as the singular backdrop of the wintery world of Manchuria during the last years of the Qing dynasty, and the scene is set for a tale unlike any I've come across before.
I'm always drawn towards folklore, and the hallmark of a good one is the seamless blending of the real and the fantasy. You don't want to get mired in the weeds of the how's and why's of this slightly altered world, but you also don't want to just be dropped in the middle of what feels like an artificial construct. And this story achieves that balance flawlessly.
With so much of the story riding on its animal characters, there's the fear that it can come across contrived or, even worse, silly. But the foxes in here feel so real, as if these creatures really do live in our world, coexisting among us in disguise and leaving havoc but also wonder in their wake. In fact, the portions of the story told from Snow's perspective were the most evocative, and I found her to be vivid and compelling.
Snow's quest to avenge her dead child struck something in me. The quiet and reflective prose that Yangsze Choo so deftly wields adds this soft dignity to Snow's plight, and the end result is so emotionally resonant, I felt it deep within my heart. Her grief and anger were so raw and sharp, yet her continued strength in the face of such tragedy makes her the sort of strong female character I love and cheer for.
One of the most surprising and delightful additions in here were all the little nuggets of fox wisdom. Of course if the world were seen through the eyes of an animal, their life experiences and their way of thinking would be different from ours, resulting in unique insights. And these little morsels were dispensed at the most pertinent times, leaving me nodding and chuckling along at their undeniable wisdom and humor.
When I finish a book, there are two distinct feelings I can have. Either I'm happy to be done and excited to move on to something else, or I feel a sense of melancholy that I've reached the end of a magical journey and there's no more. And this book falls squarely in the latter. I could've easily gobbled up another 400 pages of this and it still wouldn't have been enough.
What an epic and memorable tale Yangsze Choo has crafted. The story itself often speaks of foxes beguiling humans into falling in love with them, yet I can't help but feel as if it were the story that has cast a spell on me, and I were the one who was beguiled all along.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
✧ Connect with me ✧ Instagram ✧
Told through the alternating perspectives of Bao, an aging investigator with a penchant for sniffing out the truth, and Snow, a mysterious lady on a quest to avenge the death of her child, this story sits at the irresistible intersection of historical fiction, mystery, and folklore.
Secrets and questions abound in here. Who are these characters? What do they want? And how do their paths cross through so many years and miles of tribulations? Add to that a main character who is not quite human, as well as the singular backdrop of the wintery world of Manchuria during the last years of the Qing dynasty, and the scene is set for a tale unlike any I've come across before.
I'm always drawn towards folklore, and the hallmark of a good one is the seamless blending of the real and the fantasy. You don't want to get mired in the weeds of the how's and why's of this slightly altered world, but you also don't want to just be dropped in the middle of what feels like an artificial construct. And this story achieves that balance flawlessly.
With so much of the story riding on its animal characters, there's the fear that it can come across contrived or, even worse, silly. But the foxes in here feel so real, as if these creatures really do live in our world, coexisting among us in disguise and leaving havoc but also wonder in their wake. In fact, the portions of the story told from Snow's perspective were the most evocative, and I found her to be vivid and compelling.
Snow's quest to avenge her dead child struck something in me. The quiet and reflective prose that Yangsze Choo so deftly wields adds this soft dignity to Snow's plight, and the end result is so emotionally resonant, I felt it deep within my heart. Her grief and anger were so raw and sharp, yet her continued strength in the face of such tragedy makes her the sort of strong female character I love and cheer for.
One of the most surprising and delightful additions in here were all the little nuggets of fox wisdom. Of course if the world were seen through the eyes of an animal, their life experiences and their way of thinking would be different from ours, resulting in unique insights. And these little morsels were dispensed at the most pertinent times, leaving me nodding and chuckling along at their undeniable wisdom and humor.
When I finish a book, there are two distinct feelings I can have. Either I'm happy to be done and excited to move on to something else, or I feel a sense of melancholy that I've reached the end of a magical journey and there's no more. And this book falls squarely in the latter. I could've easily gobbled up another 400 pages of this and it still wouldn't have been enough.
What an epic and memorable tale Yangsze Choo has crafted. The story itself often speaks of foxes beguiling humans into falling in love with them, yet I can't help but feel as if it were the story that has cast a spell on me, and I were the one who was beguiled all along.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
✧ Connect with me ✧ Instagram ✧
June 4, 2025
This was my most anticipated 2024 release. I'm sorry to say I was a little disappointed. Don't listen to me and be discouraged. There are tons of four and five star reviews, and this is wonderfully written. Check out Marquise's. It just didn't hold my interest in the way that THE NIGHT TIGER did.
As an aside, again, because I will talk about this until I die, do not try to compare THE GHOST BRIDE with the TV series. Overseas Chinese communities of this time period do not speak Mandarin.
Back to this novel. I love fox mythology. It's heavily prevalent in East Asian culture. This is actually the first book Yangsze has written that isn't set in Malaysia, her home country. As she is ethnically Chinese, I was interested to see where she would take this.
This is a very slow novel. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. I've enjoyed other books like this before. However, the story never really picks up for me. There's a mystery. There's a touch of romance. It is wonderfully representative of East Asian cultures of the time: Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Mongolian. I just found myself wanting more.
If you're into historical fiction, and looking to diversify your reads, Yangsze is the author for you. However, as I read mostly Asian diaspora fiction these days, this is middling at best. That's not to say I won't continue to support the author. I loved her other two novels, and I'm sure I'll like the next.
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio
As an aside, again, because I will talk about this until I die, do not try to compare THE GHOST BRIDE with the TV series. Overseas Chinese communities of this time period do not speak Mandarin.
Back to this novel. I love fox mythology. It's heavily prevalent in East Asian culture. This is actually the first book Yangsze has written that isn't set in Malaysia, her home country. As she is ethnically Chinese, I was interested to see where she would take this.
This is a very slow novel. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. I've enjoyed other books like this before. However, the story never really picks up for me. There's a mystery. There's a touch of romance. It is wonderfully representative of East Asian cultures of the time: Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Mongolian. I just found myself wanting more.
If you're into historical fiction, and looking to diversify your reads, Yangsze is the author for you. However, as I read mostly Asian diaspora fiction these days, this is middling at best. That's not to say I won't continue to support the author. I loved her other two novels, and I'm sure I'll like the next.
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio
April 10, 2024
of course i want to read about magic fox girls.
but my favorite part of this was the food descriptions.
unfortunately, the rest was extremely repetitive. we have two perspectives, one of a fox girl and the other of an aging investigator, both of which sound interesting and aren't. each perspective just follows its respective protagonist as they go from the same place to the next, looking for the same thing, unchanging in themselves or in the plot. i waited for this book to pick up and it never did.
the writing was also strange—a lot of moments where something would happen, and then it would be rhetorically referred to as if it didn't. a character spots another character, and then 2 sentences later, when he starts speaking to her: "he'd managed to find me after all." like, no, he just saw you. we just talked about that. "she'd used her patron's name, hoping it would open doors. which it had." okay, why did we have to say that then. it resulted in me going back and rereading a lot of paragraphs and getting frustrated.
the ending and romance came out of nowhere, after hundreds of pages of sexual harassment, but there were parts of this i enjoyed.
i just wish there were more of them.
bottom line: more foxes, more food, less weirdness.
(2.5 / thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
but my favorite part of this was the food descriptions.
unfortunately, the rest was extremely repetitive. we have two perspectives, one of a fox girl and the other of an aging investigator, both of which sound interesting and aren't. each perspective just follows its respective protagonist as they go from the same place to the next, looking for the same thing, unchanging in themselves or in the plot. i waited for this book to pick up and it never did.
the writing was also strange—a lot of moments where something would happen, and then it would be rhetorically referred to as if it didn't. a character spots another character, and then 2 sentences later, when he starts speaking to her: "he'd managed to find me after all." like, no, he just saw you. we just talked about that. "she'd used her patron's name, hoping it would open doors. which it had." okay, why did we have to say that then. it resulted in me going back and rereading a lot of paragraphs and getting frustrated.
the ending and romance came out of nowhere, after hundreds of pages of sexual harassment, but there were parts of this i enjoyed.
i just wish there were more of them.
bottom line: more foxes, more food, less weirdness.
(2.5 / thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
August 20, 2023
This book started so slowly that it took me longer to get into it than is normal for a story of this length, but at some stage I hit the magic point and adjusted my pace to the book's quieter pace. So if you're one of those readers that get impatient at the slowness of plots, you know it's probably going to take you a while as well.
The story starts in Manchuria in 1908, a few years before the Xinhai Revolution topples the ruling Qing dynasty currently headed by the about-to-die Empress Dowager Cixi. But it isn't about royals or nobles in the least, and the looming Revolution plays out more like background music than an important plot. Instead, it's about Snow, domestically known as Ah San at the household she's a maid to an iron-willed elderly lady, a mysterious woman who arrives to the Manchu city of Dalian from the countryside in pursuit, we are told, of a photographer by the name of Bektu Nikan who has done her a grievous wrong she wants revenge for.
What the wrong she means to avenge is will slowly unravel as the plot advances, keyword being slowly. We first get a glimpse into what might've happened through the eyes of Bao, a detective past his prime that is investigating the murder of a courtesan. The photographer is the first connection of many that'll eventually lead him to link up with Snow and through her an old friend he thought lost. Is it an original mystery? No, it's simple, and those that read mysteries regularly will likely guess what happened even earlier than I did and the resolution to the wrongdoing is rather anticlimactic for my tastes. But that's not what's going to sell readers on this story.
It'll be the characters. And the setting. The aspect I've always liked best about Yangsze Choo's books is that she manages to place her characters (her main character tends to be a woman, usually) in a setting that feels as real as it's credible and lived-in without having to overexplain the time period or the culture. My knowledge of Asian folklore and history is alarmingly low, but she's never made me feel like an ignorant foreigner who needs to be educated on the ins-and- outs of her culture to be able to immerse myself in it and enjoy walking through her worlds holding her hand. She always has supernatural elements and creatures and tales from Asian mythology (Chinese and Manchurian and Japanese in this case), but it's so understated and tightly woven throughout the more realistic aspects that it is more Magical Realism than Fantasy. Take away the fox/kitsune fantastic elements, and it'll be a regular historical fiction novel.
Did I like Snow? Yes, quite, her POVs were the best parts of the book for me. Bao? Not so much, his POVs were the slowest and most chore-like parts for me. Snow is emotions, messes, mistakes, successes, wit, humour, fails, loves, hates, pains, memories, etc., all told in first person. Bao is all memories and regrets and digressions, wanderings, boring dreams, police stuff, etc., told in second person present tense. This brusque tossing of the reader between two very different POV styles was honestly an irritant I'm sure others will struggle with too; I can predict that some will be skimming his chapters. I almost took away one more star from the rating only for this, and would have if not for, ultimately, finding Snow's chapters compensated enough for Bao's. It would've been better to tell it all from her POV, or at least have both POVs in the same style. Snow's voice was so much more agreeable and fun. She even had endnotes where she did commentary on fox people tidbits!
I mentioned that I found the resolution to the photographer question anticlimactic, and I'll leave it at that to avoid spoilers. It's the aspect that bothered me the most, even more than the POV disparity, because we had seen the buildup towards this for the entirety of the book and to have the resolution happen practically off-page was . . . disappointing. Snow isn't given time to duly process it all, and on top of that we're told details post-facto that don't help at all. It was so important to her arc, so it should've been solved in her terms.
Indeed, it's an imperfectly resolved story the enjoyment of which will depend on how much you like the fox wife. And speaking of the "wife" bit from the title, Choo's style of romance tends to be low-key and understated as well, so don't expect a grand passion. Usually, I like that type, but here I was neutral and not particularly down for it. I also liked the one who wasn't chosen best over the chosen one, mostly because he was mischievous and a troublemaker, as his kind are meant to be.
I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
The story starts in Manchuria in 1908, a few years before the Xinhai Revolution topples the ruling Qing dynasty currently headed by the about-to-die Empress Dowager Cixi. But it isn't about royals or nobles in the least, and the looming Revolution plays out more like background music than an important plot. Instead, it's about Snow, domestically known as Ah San at the household she's a maid to an iron-willed elderly lady, a mysterious woman who arrives to the Manchu city of Dalian from the countryside in pursuit, we are told, of a photographer by the name of Bektu Nikan who has done her a grievous wrong she wants revenge for.
What the wrong she means to avenge is will slowly unravel as the plot advances, keyword being slowly. We first get a glimpse into what might've happened through the eyes of Bao, a detective past his prime that is investigating the murder of a courtesan. The photographer is the first connection of many that'll eventually lead him to link up with Snow and through her an old friend he thought lost. Is it an original mystery? No, it's simple, and those that read mysteries regularly will likely guess what happened even earlier than I did and the resolution to the wrongdoing is rather anticlimactic for my tastes. But that's not what's going to sell readers on this story.
It'll be the characters. And the setting. The aspect I've always liked best about Yangsze Choo's books is that she manages to place her characters (her main character tends to be a woman, usually) in a setting that feels as real as it's credible and lived-in without having to overexplain the time period or the culture. My knowledge of Asian folklore and history is alarmingly low, but she's never made me feel like an ignorant foreigner who needs to be educated on the ins-and- outs of her culture to be able to immerse myself in it and enjoy walking through her worlds holding her hand. She always has supernatural elements and creatures and tales from Asian mythology (Chinese and Manchurian and Japanese in this case), but it's so understated and tightly woven throughout the more realistic aspects that it is more Magical Realism than Fantasy. Take away the fox/kitsune fantastic elements, and it'll be a regular historical fiction novel.
Did I like Snow? Yes, quite, her POVs were the best parts of the book for me. Bao? Not so much, his POVs were the slowest and most chore-like parts for me. Snow is emotions, messes, mistakes, successes, wit, humour, fails, loves, hates, pains, memories, etc., all told in first person. Bao is all memories and regrets and digressions, wanderings, boring dreams, police stuff, etc., told in second person present tense. This brusque tossing of the reader between two very different POV styles was honestly an irritant I'm sure others will struggle with too; I can predict that some will be skimming his chapters. I almost took away one more star from the rating only for this, and would have if not for, ultimately, finding Snow's chapters compensated enough for Bao's. It would've been better to tell it all from her POV, or at least have both POVs in the same style. Snow's voice was so much more agreeable and fun. She even had endnotes where she did commentary on fox people tidbits!
I mentioned that I found the resolution to the photographer question anticlimactic, and I'll leave it at that to avoid spoilers. It's the aspect that bothered me the most, even more than the POV disparity, because we had seen the buildup towards this for the entirety of the book and to have the resolution happen practically off-page was . . . disappointing. Snow isn't given time to duly process it all, and on top of that we're told details post-facto that don't help at all. It was so important to her arc, so it should've been solved in her terms.
Indeed, it's an imperfectly resolved story the enjoyment of which will depend on how much you like the fox wife. And speaking of the "wife" bit from the title, Choo's style of romance tends to be low-key and understated as well, so don't expect a grand passion. Usually, I like that type, but here I was neutral and not particularly down for it. I also liked the one who wasn't chosen best over the chosen one, mostly because he was mischievous and a troublemaker, as his kind are meant to be.
I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
February 26, 2024
“I exist as either a small canid with thick fur, pointed ears, and neat to black feet, or a young woman. Neither are safe forms in a world run by men.”
Set in early 1900s Manchuria in the final years of the Qing dynasty, The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo his novel revolves around Snow/ Ah San as she embarks on a journey to find the man responsible for the death of her daughter. Her grief and quest for revenge take her across Manchuria to Japan and back. In the course of her journey, she enchants many and also encounters others like herself - with whom she shares history and as the narrative progresses, it becomes evident that her quest is not hers alone. Her journey intersects with that of Bao, an aging detective investigating the mysterious death of a young courtesan found frozen to death in the doorway of a restaurant. Bao is a loner who has a special ability to discern when someone is lying - a gift that renders him a successful investigator. Bao is intrigued when his investigation leads him to stories about the same young woman who seems to be searching for a photographer – the same man connected to his case. Bao also comes to know about the sightings of a fox near his crime scene – an omen he believes to be significant on account of the ancient beliefs about foxes and fox spirits that have been instilled in him since his childhood. As the story progresses and we get to know more about Bao and Snow, the events and people that have shaped their lives, it is only a matter of time before Snow and Bao inevitably cross paths.
Beautifully written with elegant prose The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo is a slow-paced character-driven novel with an element of mystery woven into a narrative steeped in Chinese folklore, emotion, wit, and magical realism. The narrative is shared from the perspectives of Snow (in the first person) and Bao. The strength of this novel lies in its characterizations and the vivid, immersive setting that transports you to Snow’s world of shapeshifters, myth, and secrets. Snow is a captivating character. She is emotional yet clever, driven, and headstrong, and her endeavors often land her in a predicament. In contrast, Bao is a quiet dignified man with meticulous attention to detail, intuitive and analytical but whose beliefs and firsthand experiences allow him to see the bigger picture in terms of the people and cases her investigates. Each of the supporting characters is well thought out, and though it was a bit difficult to keep track of all the characters, at no point did I lose interest or find the narrative difficult to follow. I will say that the mystery element often takes a backseat to the other aspects of the novel and the final resolution to the mystery was a tad underwhelming but there is a lot to like about this story and the characters. Overall, I found this novel to be a fascinating read.
I enjoyed reading the Author’s note, where she briefly discusses the beliefs revolving around Fox Spirits, the historical setting of this novel and much more.
I paired my reading with the beautiful audio narration by the author for a memorable immersion reading experience. Given the slower pace of the novel, the audio narration certainly enhanced my overall reading experience. I would suggest pairing the audio with the book or keeping the book handy as relying solely on audio might render following the large cast of characters a bit difficult.
Many thanks to Henry Holt and Co. for the ARC and NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel was published on February 13, 2024.
Connect with me! ✏ Instagram ✏ My Blog ✏ The StoryGraph
Set in early 1900s Manchuria in the final years of the Qing dynasty, The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo his novel revolves around Snow/ Ah San as she embarks on a journey to find the man responsible for the death of her daughter. Her grief and quest for revenge take her across Manchuria to Japan and back. In the course of her journey, she enchants many and also encounters others like herself - with whom she shares history and as the narrative progresses, it becomes evident that her quest is not hers alone. Her journey intersects with that of Bao, an aging detective investigating the mysterious death of a young courtesan found frozen to death in the doorway of a restaurant. Bao is a loner who has a special ability to discern when someone is lying - a gift that renders him a successful investigator. Bao is intrigued when his investigation leads him to stories about the same young woman who seems to be searching for a photographer – the same man connected to his case. Bao also comes to know about the sightings of a fox near his crime scene – an omen he believes to be significant on account of the ancient beliefs about foxes and fox spirits that have been instilled in him since his childhood. As the story progresses and we get to know more about Bao and Snow, the events and people that have shaped their lives, it is only a matter of time before Snow and Bao inevitably cross paths.
Beautifully written with elegant prose The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo is a slow-paced character-driven novel with an element of mystery woven into a narrative steeped in Chinese folklore, emotion, wit, and magical realism. The narrative is shared from the perspectives of Snow (in the first person) and Bao. The strength of this novel lies in its characterizations and the vivid, immersive setting that transports you to Snow’s world of shapeshifters, myth, and secrets. Snow is a captivating character. She is emotional yet clever, driven, and headstrong, and her endeavors often land her in a predicament. In contrast, Bao is a quiet dignified man with meticulous attention to detail, intuitive and analytical but whose beliefs and firsthand experiences allow him to see the bigger picture in terms of the people and cases her investigates. Each of the supporting characters is well thought out, and though it was a bit difficult to keep track of all the characters, at no point did I lose interest or find the narrative difficult to follow. I will say that the mystery element often takes a backseat to the other aspects of the novel and the final resolution to the mystery was a tad underwhelming but there is a lot to like about this story and the characters. Overall, I found this novel to be a fascinating read.
I enjoyed reading the Author’s note, where she briefly discusses the beliefs revolving around Fox Spirits, the historical setting of this novel and much more.
I paired my reading with the beautiful audio narration by the author for a memorable immersion reading experience. Given the slower pace of the novel, the audio narration certainly enhanced my overall reading experience. I would suggest pairing the audio with the book or keeping the book handy as relying solely on audio might render following the large cast of characters a bit difficult.
Many thanks to Henry Holt and Co. for the ARC and NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel was published on February 13, 2024.
Connect with me! ✏ Instagram ✏ My Blog ✏ The StoryGraph
September 3, 2024
I was so charmed by this story. I felt I was in the hands of a master storyteller, one who know how to take her time, how to entrance me, how to make me see the story in my mind's eye, how to delight me and keep me turning the pages. It took its beautiful elegant time to tell me a beautiful, elegant story, one that captivated me. In some places I felt--and this is a good thing--that I knew what was going to happen next--and the anticipation what I knew was coming was such a pleasure, like hearing a wonderful old tale told once more by a master storyteller, or hearing a song you know by heart performed by someone who has been practicing that song her whole life. Wonderful. I read the book while simultaneously listening to Choo's narration which was such a treat.
February 2, 2024
3.5 Stars
I love Asian mythology! So when I saw this, I knew I had to read it!
In this story, we are introduced to two intriguing main characters: Snow, a Huxian, and Bao, a detective with a unique affinity for fox spirits. Snow is on a long and dangerous journey, seeking vengeance for the tragic loss of her daughter two years ago. As a Huxian, Snow has the ability to transform into a human, allowing her to blend into society and move unnoticed as she navigates her mission.
Unbeknownst to Snow, Detective Bao is hot on her trail, determined to unravel the mystery behind the recent string of murders. Bao's affinity for fox spirits has led him to believe that Snow may be connected, and he is determined to bring her to justice. Will Snow be able to complete her mission of revenge or will Detective Bao stop her?
I appreciate the effort put into creating the story, and I found it to be enjoyable overall. However, I do think there is some room for improvement. While the story did pick up in the second half, it took a bit too long to get going and didn't quite have the impact I was hoping for. It lacked momentum and oomph. That being said, I did find Bao's childhood and his friendship with the neighbor's daughter to be a highlight of the story.
***Thank you to NetGalley, Yangsze Choo, and Macmillan Audio for graciously sending me the audiobook to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***
I love Asian mythology! So when I saw this, I knew I had to read it!
In this story, we are introduced to two intriguing main characters: Snow, a Huxian, and Bao, a detective with a unique affinity for fox spirits. Snow is on a long and dangerous journey, seeking vengeance for the tragic loss of her daughter two years ago. As a Huxian, Snow has the ability to transform into a human, allowing her to blend into society and move unnoticed as she navigates her mission.
Unbeknownst to Snow, Detective Bao is hot on her trail, determined to unravel the mystery behind the recent string of murders. Bao's affinity for fox spirits has led him to believe that Snow may be connected, and he is determined to bring her to justice. Will Snow be able to complete her mission of revenge or will Detective Bao stop her?
I appreciate the effort put into creating the story, and I found it to be enjoyable overall. However, I do think there is some room for improvement. While the story did pick up in the second half, it took a bit too long to get going and didn't quite have the impact I was hoping for. It lacked momentum and oomph. That being said, I did find Bao's childhood and his friendship with the neighbor's daughter to be a highlight of the story.
***Thank you to NetGalley, Yangsze Choo, and Macmillan Audio for graciously sending me the audiobook to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***
May 30, 2025
Unfortunately I wanted to love this as the prose sounded interesting & i’d been looking forward to getting my teeth into this book but I am on outlier Island 🏝️yet again, the characters were well written & fleshed out the writing was articulate but was not for me this author certainly knows how to write a historical fiction folklore tale but a tad too slow for my taste, that does not mean I won’t read more by this author 4 stars 🌟
September 22, 2024
Favorite line so far: "Did you love him?
Yes, a love like madness."
The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo
NetGalley audio review Advance Reader Copy Macmillan Audio
Due out February 13, 2024
The weirdest thing happened to me while listening to the new book by Yangsze Choo. I was out hiking on the dunes in Cape Cod and saw the most beautiful fox. A fox that seemed so tame it did not run away but stood and watched me. I took a picture of it.
(I tried but can't get the photo to post but take my word for it--it was an amazing creature with brilliant red fur and a tail that was magnificent. I did manage to upload into my profile photos and can be viewed there.)
If you read this book you will certainly understand why I found this chance sighting so amazing and somehow portending of something, I wasn’t sure what. It definitely had to do with this complex story. As a NetGalley reader I often choose to listen to an Advance Reader Copy in audio. It is great fun to listen to something with few reviews, yet I am finding that doing this without a print copy of the manuscript can be difficult at best.
If you want to know my thoughts on the audio format for this book I will discuss at the end.
First the story itself.
Having read Choo’s two previous books I knew a little of what I was in for and I was in all the way. This story begins in Manchuria in the early 1900’s. It is the story of a woman who is on a journey to find the man she believes is responsible for the death of her daughter. Along the way are complications and the stirrings of a mystery and the death of another young woman believed to be a prostitute who is found in a doorway frozen. We are not sure exactly how the incidents are related but there seem to be Foxes and a photographer, Bektu Nikan, and an old detective, Bao who is trying to identify the dead girl and if possible to determine the events of the night she died.
This story is wrapped around a great deal of Chinese folklore, some Chinese history from the time and mostly Foxes and how they exist in the world according to Oriental legend. According to myth foxes are shaping shifting creatures who can turn into human form and enchant men and women. (next time you hear someone described as foxy think of this). A fox in human form is able to produce a love so obsessive, so desirous in the humans it encounters that it may drive some to madness. The Fox can not always choose who will be affected or what the result/ consequence will be. There are real dangers to the Fox when it shape shifts and interacts with humans. But sometimes they are driven to it. More than one fox populates this story including the mother looking for her child's killer, who the reader learns early on might be a fox now in human form.
This complicates the quest and the story in many, many ways both confusing and intriguing and there is no easy way to summarize. The beginning is quite slow as we learn who the characters are, much of their backstory and the lore that makes the fox such a wily creature, who is able to trick and fool man/woman to get what it wants. I’ve found that Choo’s stories make me see the world in whole new ways and are not easily forgotten. In this one I really felt she had grown and attempted new heights in her weaving of story and myths. At times she almost reached too far (the story got redundant and muddled a little) but in all I loved what she was doing. It is not an easy listen, requires a lot of focus and may not appeal to all readers but I found it enchanting and quite unique. There is a great author’s note at the end that gives a more background into the history of this time in China and the lore about Foxes.
I will continue to follow Choo’s books but for my next listen I will want a print copy in hand as I found the audio alone often more than my brain could comprehend or hold on to easily.
4.5 great stars yet there were many times in my listening I felt it was a little long and less than clear but the story and the lore keep me going and the reward was in the end. I too became enchanted and a little obsessed. I will be looking for Choo’s next.
Comments on the audio:
This book was really a challenge in audio for several reasons: It is a complex story following a Chinese myth, It has dual points of view, lots of unfamiliar to me Chinese names that were difficult at first to keep straight and read by the author. A visual map of the areas travelled or a family tree of characters would have really helped (don’t know if the print will have either) but boy I would have referred to them. Just to have a list of characters would have been great. The author has a beautiful voice that is prefect for the story telling but she reads all parts and her voice offers little inflection. It was sometimes difficult to tell which of the main characters was talking. I had to know the context of where I was in the story in order to know who was speaking or telling of events and this required often returning to earlier pages or paragraphs to first review. I repeated many parts several times, never good for the flow or pacing of the story and just a pain in audio.
Yes, a love like madness."
The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo
NetGalley audio review Advance Reader Copy Macmillan Audio
Due out February 13, 2024
The weirdest thing happened to me while listening to the new book by Yangsze Choo. I was out hiking on the dunes in Cape Cod and saw the most beautiful fox. A fox that seemed so tame it did not run away but stood and watched me. I took a picture of it.
(I tried but can't get the photo to post but take my word for it--it was an amazing creature with brilliant red fur and a tail that was magnificent. I did manage to upload into my profile photos and can be viewed there.)
If you read this book you will certainly understand why I found this chance sighting so amazing and somehow portending of something, I wasn’t sure what. It definitely had to do with this complex story. As a NetGalley reader I often choose to listen to an Advance Reader Copy in audio. It is great fun to listen to something with few reviews, yet I am finding that doing this without a print copy of the manuscript can be difficult at best.
If you want to know my thoughts on the audio format for this book I will discuss at the end.
First the story itself.
Having read Choo’s two previous books I knew a little of what I was in for and I was in all the way. This story begins in Manchuria in the early 1900’s. It is the story of a woman who is on a journey to find the man she believes is responsible for the death of her daughter. Along the way are complications and the stirrings of a mystery and the death of another young woman believed to be a prostitute who is found in a doorway frozen. We are not sure exactly how the incidents are related but there seem to be Foxes and a photographer, Bektu Nikan, and an old detective, Bao who is trying to identify the dead girl and if possible to determine the events of the night she died.
This story is wrapped around a great deal of Chinese folklore, some Chinese history from the time and mostly Foxes and how they exist in the world according to Oriental legend. According to myth foxes are shaping shifting creatures who can turn into human form and enchant men and women. (next time you hear someone described as foxy think of this). A fox in human form is able to produce a love so obsessive, so desirous in the humans it encounters that it may drive some to madness. The Fox can not always choose who will be affected or what the result/ consequence will be. There are real dangers to the Fox when it shape shifts and interacts with humans. But sometimes they are driven to it. More than one fox populates this story including the mother looking for her child's killer, who the reader learns early on might be a fox now in human form.
This complicates the quest and the story in many, many ways both confusing and intriguing and there is no easy way to summarize. The beginning is quite slow as we learn who the characters are, much of their backstory and the lore that makes the fox such a wily creature, who is able to trick and fool man/woman to get what it wants. I’ve found that Choo’s stories make me see the world in whole new ways and are not easily forgotten. In this one I really felt she had grown and attempted new heights in her weaving of story and myths. At times she almost reached too far (the story got redundant and muddled a little) but in all I loved what she was doing. It is not an easy listen, requires a lot of focus and may not appeal to all readers but I found it enchanting and quite unique. There is a great author’s note at the end that gives a more background into the history of this time in China and the lore about Foxes.
I will continue to follow Choo’s books but for my next listen I will want a print copy in hand as I found the audio alone often more than my brain could comprehend or hold on to easily.
4.5 great stars yet there were many times in my listening I felt it was a little long and less than clear but the story and the lore keep me going and the reward was in the end. I too became enchanted and a little obsessed. I will be looking for Choo’s next.
Comments on the audio:
This book was really a challenge in audio for several reasons: It is a complex story following a Chinese myth, It has dual points of view, lots of unfamiliar to me Chinese names that were difficult at first to keep straight and read by the author. A visual map of the areas travelled or a family tree of characters would have really helped (don’t know if the print will have either) but boy I would have referred to them. Just to have a list of characters would have been great. The author has a beautiful voice that is prefect for the story telling but she reads all parts and her voice offers little inflection. It was sometimes difficult to tell which of the main characters was talking. I had to know the context of where I was in the story in order to know who was speaking or telling of events and this required often returning to earlier pages or paragraphs to first review. I repeated many parts several times, never good for the flow or pacing of the story and just a pain in audio.
February 22, 2024
The Fox Wife was a well written book by Yangsze Choo. It was the second book that I had the opportunity to read by her. I listened to the audiobook that was narrated by the author herself. It was a book that portrayed magical elements, some elements of fantasy, a mystery that was woven throughout the story and even some romance. The Fox Wife took place in Manchuria during the early 1900’s. To my dismay, I found The Fox Wife to be extremely slow. It was hard to get into the crux of the story and follow all the characters. For those reasons, I was disappointed that I didn’t like it more than I did.
There were two main characters in The Fox Wife. Snow was a Huxian or a “supernatural, shape shifting being derived from a Fox and often depicted as female”. In Chinese mythology, a huxian was also known as a Fox fairy and was regarded in high esteem across northern China. Snow transformed into a woman and found employment as a maid to an elderly woman. Snow accompanied the woman to Japan and then back. As Snow moved across Manchuria, she had one thing on her mind. Snow was determined to seek out a way to avenge her daughter’s death that occurred two years prior. She was looking for the photographer who had commissioned a hunter to take her daughter’s life to secure her beautiful white fur coat.
Bao was getting on in years. He was still working as a detective even though many thought he should stop. Bao had a very unique inborn talent. From a very young age, Bao was easily able to distinguish between when a person was telling a lie and when the truth was being told. This ability helped Bao enormously in his role as a detective. Bao had also always been curious about foxes and fox spirits. His curiosity stemmed back to an old nursemaid that took care of Bao when he was a young boy. Bao had been sequestered to investigate a death of a young woman who was found at the door of a restaurant frozen to death. No one seemed to know her identity. She was dressed as a courtesan but with no coat in the cold winter weather of Manchuria. As Bao interrogated various people along his way, many mentioned a woman looking for a photographer. Bao was determined to find this woman. What would happen when his path crossed with the woman he sought?
The Fox Wife was not my favorite novel by Yangsze Choo. I felt that it was both too long and extremely slow. Perhaps others will find it more enjoyable than I did. There were parts that I enjoyed, however. I really liked the parts when Bao was young. His friendship with the daughter of a local neighbor was one of my favorite parts in the book. I really enjoyed how their relationship developed despite their class differences. The Fox Wife was about revenge, solving murders, hunting fox spirits, Asian folklore and mythology and all with a touch of fantasy. Even though this was not my all time favorite of Yangsze Choo I will recommend it if you enjoy elements of magical realism and fantasy. It was well written but very slow as I have already mentioned.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
There were two main characters in The Fox Wife. Snow was a Huxian or a “supernatural, shape shifting being derived from a Fox and often depicted as female”. In Chinese mythology, a huxian was also known as a Fox fairy and was regarded in high esteem across northern China. Snow transformed into a woman and found employment as a maid to an elderly woman. Snow accompanied the woman to Japan and then back. As Snow moved across Manchuria, she had one thing on her mind. Snow was determined to seek out a way to avenge her daughter’s death that occurred two years prior. She was looking for the photographer who had commissioned a hunter to take her daughter’s life to secure her beautiful white fur coat.
Bao was getting on in years. He was still working as a detective even though many thought he should stop. Bao had a very unique inborn talent. From a very young age, Bao was easily able to distinguish between when a person was telling a lie and when the truth was being told. This ability helped Bao enormously in his role as a detective. Bao had also always been curious about foxes and fox spirits. His curiosity stemmed back to an old nursemaid that took care of Bao when he was a young boy. Bao had been sequestered to investigate a death of a young woman who was found at the door of a restaurant frozen to death. No one seemed to know her identity. She was dressed as a courtesan but with no coat in the cold winter weather of Manchuria. As Bao interrogated various people along his way, many mentioned a woman looking for a photographer. Bao was determined to find this woman. What would happen when his path crossed with the woman he sought?
The Fox Wife was not my favorite novel by Yangsze Choo. I felt that it was both too long and extremely slow. Perhaps others will find it more enjoyable than I did. There were parts that I enjoyed, however. I really liked the parts when Bao was young. His friendship with the daughter of a local neighbor was one of my favorite parts in the book. I really enjoyed how their relationship developed despite their class differences. The Fox Wife was about revenge, solving murders, hunting fox spirits, Asian folklore and mythology and all with a touch of fantasy. Even though this was not my all time favorite of Yangsze Choo I will recommend it if you enjoy elements of magical realism and fantasy. It was well written but very slow as I have already mentioned.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 15, 2025
“Northern China is the ancestral home of the fox cult, which spread to Korea and Japan. Foxes were mentioned as omens of good fortune, with records of them dating from the Han and Tang dynasties. The transition from being regarded as celestial foxes to life-devouring demons perhaps represents two sides of the same coin—foxes as supernatural beings whose intentions towards humans are unclear.”
My own quick “magical” experience with a fox happened at Pebble Beach about 20 years ago. Walking near the woods, a red fox with black sox, black-tipped tail and ears looked at me, with almost a smile, as he ran past and deep into the forest.🦊🤷🏻♀️ That encounter is one I always think about…am I bewitched?😊
Choo’s story, based on a folktale, is a lightly melancholic read woven together by mystery and revenge. Well written and an easy read, THE FOX WIFE is a definite MUST READ.
My own quick “magical” experience with a fox happened at Pebble Beach about 20 years ago. Walking near the woods, a red fox with black sox, black-tipped tail and ears looked at me, with almost a smile, as he ran past and deep into the forest.🦊🤷🏻♀️ That encounter is one I always think about…am I bewitched?😊
Choo’s story, based on a folktale, is a lightly melancholic read woven together by mystery and revenge. Well written and an easy read, THE FOX WIFE is a definite MUST READ.
Read
January 31, 2024Why I love it
By Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
From the very first pages of this novel, when I met the lovely, enigmatic—and clearly dangerous—Snow, I was entranced by her and her mysterious quest. The setting is fascinating—a winter-gripped Manchuria in the beginning of the twentieth century, being carved up by the Japanese and Russians. It is not a world I had encountered before, and it is portrayed vividly, interweaving history, myth, and magic beautifully.
Snow’s adventures will keep readers glued to the page as she works as a maidservant in the home of a rich Chinese medicine-seller’s family. She exudes a magical attraction that causes the wrong people to fall in love with her, and this lands her, as you might imagine, in heaps of trouble. All the while, she is being pursued by a tenacious detective, Bao, who is hot on the trail of a mysterious murder—and who has long been fascinated by the tales of supernatural foxes. But he’s not the only person following her. Who are those two handsome, mysterious men that Snow is trying to avoid?
Yangsze Choo is a consummate storyteller. When she finally reveals the secret behind Snow’s vengeful quest, I was shocked and deeply touched. I am convinced that readers, even those coming to Choo’s work for the first time, will be fascinated and satisfied by this unusual novel, at once human and magical.
By Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
From the very first pages of this novel, when I met the lovely, enigmatic—and clearly dangerous—Snow, I was entranced by her and her mysterious quest. The setting is fascinating—a winter-gripped Manchuria in the beginning of the twentieth century, being carved up by the Japanese and Russians. It is not a world I had encountered before, and it is portrayed vividly, interweaving history, myth, and magic beautifully.
Snow’s adventures will keep readers glued to the page as she works as a maidservant in the home of a rich Chinese medicine-seller’s family. She exudes a magical attraction that causes the wrong people to fall in love with her, and this lands her, as you might imagine, in heaps of trouble. All the while, she is being pursued by a tenacious detective, Bao, who is hot on the trail of a mysterious murder—and who has long been fascinated by the tales of supernatural foxes. But he’s not the only person following her. Who are those two handsome, mysterious men that Snow is trying to avoid?
Yangsze Choo is a consummate storyteller. When she finally reveals the secret behind Snow’s vengeful quest, I was shocked and deeply touched. I am convinced that readers, even those coming to Choo’s work for the first time, will be fascinated and satisfied by this unusual novel, at once human and magical.
February 7, 2025
The Fox Wife delivered on every level for me. I read a physical copy while listening to the audio narrated by the author. It was a magical experience. I am a huge fan of folklore, so The Fox Wife is exactly the type of book I enjoy. One of my favorite books is The Snow Child, and The Fox Wife gave me a similar vibe. There are three aspects to the story: the childhood friendship between Bao and Tagtaa, a mystery (or two), and a quest for vengeance. All three aspects are linked together by foxes in human form.
I absolutely loved the relationship between Bao and Tagtaa. Both Bao and Tagtaa’s stories involve foxes.I loved Tatgaa’s stories of The Black Fox and her commitment to the Fox God. Bao was filled with stories about the Fox God from his nanny. Together, Tatgaa and Bao leave offerings on an altar of their own making. They maintain their childhood beliefs throughout the story and this adds to the magic of the reading experience.
Bao was my favorite character. He has a special talent and this talent has helped him gain a reputation as a first rate investigator. His investigation took many turns, and he picked up side investigations along the way. As a reader of mysteries, this was a nice bonus. The title character goes by her fox name, Snow, and her assumed name Ah San. She is a complex character fighting her own battles and demons. She is on her own quest and fate has entwined the paths of all of the characters. I absolutely loved the fox lore, how Snow explains it, and then adds on in the moment. The foxes in the novel are true to the lore and their mystical nature.
This novel is equally tragic as it is heartwarming. The Fox Wife is a great escape any time of the year, but especially winter.
I absolutely loved the relationship between Bao and Tagtaa. Both Bao and Tagtaa’s stories involve foxes.I loved Tatgaa’s stories of The Black Fox and her commitment to the Fox God. Bao was filled with stories about the Fox God from his nanny. Together, Tatgaa and Bao leave offerings on an altar of their own making. They maintain their childhood beliefs throughout the story and this adds to the magic of the reading experience.
Bao was my favorite character. He has a special talent and this talent has helped him gain a reputation as a first rate investigator. His investigation took many turns, and he picked up side investigations along the way. As a reader of mysteries, this was a nice bonus. The title character goes by her fox name, Snow, and her assumed name Ah San. She is a complex character fighting her own battles and demons. She is on her own quest and fate has entwined the paths of all of the characters. I absolutely loved the fox lore, how Snow explains it, and then adds on in the moment. The foxes in the novel are true to the lore and their mystical nature.
This novel is equally tragic as it is heartwarming. The Fox Wife is a great escape any time of the year, but especially winter.
February 25, 2024
I exist as either a small canid with thick fur, pointed ears, and neat black feet, or a young woman. Neither are safe forms in a world run by men.
The viewpoints in this book alternate between Bao, an elderly man gifted (or cursed), with the ability to detect when someone is lying, a talent that serves him well in his work as a detective, and Snow, a self-possessed woman with a mysterious past. Both are seeking the same man for different reasons: Bao wants to question him in a murder investigation, while Snow is thirsting for revenge. The story unfolds, and many secrets are revealed as the pair draws nearer to their prey. This is a beautifully written slow burn of a novel, though the magical tale is definitely worth the hours spent simmering.
The viewpoints in this book alternate between Bao, an elderly man gifted (or cursed), with the ability to detect when someone is lying, a talent that serves him well in his work as a detective, and Snow, a self-possessed woman with a mysterious past. Both are seeking the same man for different reasons: Bao wants to question him in a murder investigation, while Snow is thirsting for revenge. The story unfolds, and many secrets are revealed as the pair draws nearer to their prey. This is a beautifully written slow burn of a novel, though the magical tale is definitely worth the hours spent simmering.
February 18, 2024
Perhaps I approached The Fox Wife with the wrong exceptions. I thought it would have a much darker tone, given the book's revenge tale premise. But in The Fox Wife the revenge storyline seems like an afterthought, and it often faded into the background. Much of the novel reads like a series of humorous misadventures, recounted to us in a conversational, ‘confessional’ almost, style (with lots of "anyways" and "i told yous"). Yet, it never fully leans into the satire, and there are several moments that are meant to be dramatic, but these are depicted in a way that doesn’t quite deliver on the pathos, the end result is that the book suffers from a confused identity, neither a fantasy of manners a la Zen Cho, nor a more tantalizing Catherynne M. Valente type of fairytale-esque affair.
The majority of the novel takes place in Manchuria in 1908 with chapters alternating between a female fox, posing as a young human woman by the name of Ah San, and Bao, an old detective who is able to discern truth from falsehood. The fox chapters are heavy with exposition, and she repeatedly goes over the same information or feels the need to explain things to us. While I understand that this was somewhat necessary given the novel’s historical setting, I wish that the world-building could have relied less on the fox’s ‘telling’. She is after Bektu Nikan, the man responsible for her cub’s death, and to learn more about his whereabouts she finds employment as a maid. The grandmother of the family is worried that her grandson, Bohai, the only son of the family, will fall to the family’s curse (the eldest sons die before they reach 24). Bohai and his loser friends have become close to a mysterious and charismatic stranger, Shiro, someone known to our fox. The fox’s quest is seemingly lost in favor of setting up this rather drawn-out storyline involving Bohai&co dealings with Shiro. Eventually, they find themselves in Japan where we encounter with yet another mysterious stranger, who is actually not a stranger to our fox. These two male characters left such non-impressions on me. They have little to no chemistry with our main protagonist, and their few interactions aren’t thrilling (nor do they make you wonder what exactly they mean to one another). This retaining of information does little in terms of creating suspense, maybe because the reveals themselves feel so predictable, maybe because this retention of information goes against our narrator’s conversational confessional style. Surprisingly enough I was more interested in the detective’s chapters. Sadly Bao is so many steps behind that whenever he learns more about these fox rumors it feels like old news. I wish his storyline hadn’t felt so behind the main one. I liked learning more about childhood and his gift and I wish that the story had focused on him and his childhood friend.
The story felt a bit too vanilla, childish even. Which is a pity as there was potential to go for a more ambivalent type of tale, especially when it came to the foxes. They were the perfect candidates for morally ambiguous types of characters. Yet, our central character feels simultaneously naive and like a busybody old maid (she was giving miss marple). Her narration is less clever than trite. She's prone to truism and unnecessary asides ("I’ve told you before that every action has an equal opposite reaction"). Maybe this will work for some readers but I found her to be an inconsistent and not particularly charming nor alluring character. There were so many instances where I wanted her to act differently, especially given how she goes on and on about foxes’ special abilities. Her revenge...was very anticlimactic, and even here Choo plays it safe. Worst still, we learn virtually nothing about her cub or her life before. This made her into a rather surface-character, who is there to give us the dos and don'ts of being a fox and interacting with humans.
The novel's initial set-up is intriguing but the story felt surprisingly directionless and lacking in momentum. Still, this is probably Choo's best (so far).
The majority of the novel takes place in Manchuria in 1908 with chapters alternating between a female fox, posing as a young human woman by the name of Ah San, and Bao, an old detective who is able to discern truth from falsehood. The fox chapters are heavy with exposition, and she repeatedly goes over the same information or feels the need to explain things to us. While I understand that this was somewhat necessary given the novel’s historical setting, I wish that the world-building could have relied less on the fox’s ‘telling’. She is after Bektu Nikan, the man responsible for her cub’s death, and to learn more about his whereabouts she finds employment as a maid. The grandmother of the family is worried that her grandson, Bohai, the only son of the family, will fall to the family’s curse (the eldest sons die before they reach 24). Bohai and his loser friends have become close to a mysterious and charismatic stranger, Shiro, someone known to our fox. The fox’s quest is seemingly lost in favor of setting up this rather drawn-out storyline involving Bohai&co dealings with Shiro. Eventually, they find themselves in Japan where we encounter with yet another mysterious stranger, who is actually not a stranger to our fox. These two male characters left such non-impressions on me. They have little to no chemistry with our main protagonist, and their few interactions aren’t thrilling (nor do they make you wonder what exactly they mean to one another). This retaining of information does little in terms of creating suspense, maybe because the reveals themselves feel so predictable, maybe because this retention of information goes against our narrator’s conversational confessional style. Surprisingly enough I was more interested in the detective’s chapters. Sadly Bao is so many steps behind that whenever he learns more about these fox rumors it feels like old news. I wish his storyline hadn’t felt so behind the main one. I liked learning more about childhood and his gift and I wish that the story had focused on him and his childhood friend.
The story felt a bit too vanilla, childish even. Which is a pity as there was potential to go for a more ambivalent type of tale, especially when it came to the foxes. They were the perfect candidates for morally ambiguous types of characters. Yet, our central character feels simultaneously naive and like a busybody old maid (she was giving miss marple). Her narration is less clever than trite. She's prone to truism and unnecessary asides ("I’ve told you before that every action has an equal opposite reaction"). Maybe this will work for some readers but I found her to be an inconsistent and not particularly charming nor alluring character. There were so many instances where I wanted her to act differently, especially given how she goes on and on about foxes’ special abilities. Her revenge...was very anticlimactic, and even here Choo plays it safe. Worst still, we learn virtually nothing about her cub or her life before. This made her into a rather surface-character, who is there to give us the dos and don'ts of being a fox and interacting with humans.
The novel's initial set-up is intriguing but the story felt surprisingly directionless and lacking in momentum. Still, this is probably Choo's best (so far).
December 10, 2024
RTC - I wanted more from this. Good but not great
August 3, 2025
The last 100-150 pages were fun page turning reading. The first 3/4 of this Chinese fantasy novel was actually pretty boring. It took me almost a week to get through it. The last part of the book with all the subplots converging became pretty interesting reading. There are 62 chapters & an epilogue which I love because of the short chapters. There are two main protagonists, Bao, the investigator, and Snow, the fox lady. The stories are told by alternating the chapters from the perspectives of Bao & Snow. The ending was on a happy note which I like… Overall, a pretty good Chinese theme fantasy novel.
January 28, 2025
3.5
I think I’d be reading this higher if I’d had more continuity while reading the book, but I kept getting interrupted, and it ended up making it a difficult book to get through. The parts I could read for long stretches were clever, and I guess many cultures look at foxes the same way - as sly and sexy. Think I’ll try rereading it someday when there are fewer disruptions.
I think I’d be reading this higher if I’d had more continuity while reading the book, but I kept getting interrupted, and it ended up making it a difficult book to get through. The parts I could read for long stretches were clever, and I guess many cultures look at foxes the same way - as sly and sexy. Think I’ll try rereading it someday when there are fewer disruptions.
April 30, 2024
4.5 stars
The Fox Wife is a historical fantasy about a grieving mother on a quest for vengeance and a detective obsessed with fox spirits. This book balances heavier topics such as grief and morality with the whimsy and playful nature of its fox spirit characters.
Historical events and the tides of revolution whisper in the background of this story. However, much like the long-lived foxes, the book is not interested in these events. The Fox Wife is a slower story motivated by its rich, distinct characters and their emotional pasts. Snow is a really compelling main character. Her behavior and narration were uncannily fox-like which made for a really fun reading experience. I was less interested in Bao’s half of the story. I didn’t find him particularly interesting, however, his investigation into a mysterious death rumored to involve fox spirits leads to intriguing reveals related to the main story. I love how almost every detail of the story eventually becomes relevant as the full picture of Snow’s past is revealed.
There is a tiny romance subplot that I found so satisfying. I found it really appropriate that it didn’t take up much of the story but still captured my heart.
The Fox Wife is a quiet, lovely exploration of the myth of the fox spirit. I would highly recommend the audiobook if you are interested. The author is the narrator and she does an excellent job capturing the distinct personalities of her characters.
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The Fox Wife is a historical fantasy about a grieving mother on a quest for vengeance and a detective obsessed with fox spirits. This book balances heavier topics such as grief and morality with the whimsy and playful nature of its fox spirit characters.
Historical events and the tides of revolution whisper in the background of this story. However, much like the long-lived foxes, the book is not interested in these events. The Fox Wife is a slower story motivated by its rich, distinct characters and their emotional pasts. Snow is a really compelling main character. Her behavior and narration were uncannily fox-like which made for a really fun reading experience. I was less interested in Bao’s half of the story. I didn’t find him particularly interesting, however, his investigation into a mysterious death rumored to involve fox spirits leads to intriguing reveals related to the main story. I love how almost every detail of the story eventually becomes relevant as the full picture of Snow’s past is revealed.
There is a tiny romance subplot that I found so satisfying. I found it really appropriate that it didn’t take up much of the story but still captured my heart.
The Fox Wife is a quiet, lovely exploration of the myth of the fox spirit. I would highly recommend the audiobook if you are interested. The author is the narrator and she does an excellent job capturing the distinct personalities of her characters.
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March 17, 2024
Such a moving story! This was so whimsical and remarkable! I've never heard or read anything like this, but I truly enjoyed it! I'm not sure if this is a true Chinese Myth but now I'm going to have to look more into it after reading this story. The character development for several of the main characters was truly remarkable to watch. The deep backstory and how all of the characters' lives intertwined was a beautiful thing to watch unfold. Yangsze Choo has a truly vivid and brilliant way of writing, I felt like part of the story. It moved me along like leaves floating in the wind. I loved every moment of this and want to read more from this author now! This story had some great twists, and the ending was beautiful. All of it was perfect.
I received this book from NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.
I received this book from NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.
December 14, 2024
Humans and things are different species, and foxes lie between humans and things. Darkness and light take different paths, and foxes lie in between darkness and light.
In the year 1906, a young fox cub is snatched from its den by a hunter, only to die days later. This act sets off a series of events that brings together a detective searching for his young love, an old woman and her grandson, and three foxes who can transform into humans.
Fate puts them in each other's path to fulfill a destiny that will change their lives.
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This story is magic. ✨️ I listened to the audiobook version, which I highly recommend doing. The author narrates all of her books and does a phenomenal job of transporting you through her Chinese fairy tales. I wish they lasted longer! The Fox Wife is one of my favorites. 🤍🤍 🦊
In the year 1906, a young fox cub is snatched from its den by a hunter, only to die days later. This act sets off a series of events that brings together a detective searching for his young love, an old woman and her grandson, and three foxes who can transform into humans.
Fate puts them in each other's path to fulfill a destiny that will change their lives.
______________________________________________
This story is magic. ✨️ I listened to the audiobook version, which I highly recommend doing. The author narrates all of her books and does a phenomenal job of transporting you through her Chinese fairy tales. I wish they lasted longer! The Fox Wife is one of my favorites. 🤍🤍 🦊
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December 2, 2024Yangsze Choo is very variable for me. Loved The Ghost Bride so much, but didn't click with this one at all. I found it very slow moving: we're basically still covering background at 34%, and there's been a lot of repetition/explanation on the way. If you like a leisurely read, the writing is good and the concept interesting, but it wasn't for me. DNF at 34%.
January 3, 2024
The Fox Wife is an intricately woven tale of magic, mythology, and historical fact set in early-1900's Manchuria. Drawing on tales of magical and dangerous shape-shifting foxes, we get a multi-perspective mystery that looks at the treatment of women in China at that time, and the role of folktales and religion in the lives of everyday people. Independent or seductive women were sometimes thought to be foxes or possessed by a fox, but this makes myth a reality and then complicates it. The pacing is on the slow side and I would say it leans literary, blending historical fiction with a bit of magic and mythology and complicated characters. I thought it was a little too long for the pace, but overall it's a beautifully written book and worth checking out if the premise appeals to you. The audio narration is fine, though we didn't get a lot of voice differentiation for the various perspective characters. I received an audio review copy from NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
January 26, 2025
2.5 stars
I value good writing. I also expect more from certain authors and genres than I do others. For instance, I know when I pick up a thriller I’m not reading Sally Rooney or Claire Keegan. Different types of books and different writers mean different quality of writing. And I’m usually okay with it.
But because of the writing, The Fox Wife did nothing for me. Instead of the beautiful, lyrical prose and profound insight I thought I'd find in Yangsze Choo’s latest novel of magical realism set in 1908 Machuria – an expectation garnered from the many rave reviews I’ve read of her earlier works – I found only choppy and simplistic writing that’s almost infantile in character voice and sentence structure. And there’s no depth of character or story; Choo tells all, never shows. She just skims the surface and gives us nothing to chew on.
Though what really bugs me is the fact that we never see the servant, Snow – who we learn is a fox in Chapter 1 – ever being a fox. She tells us she is, and there are plenty of mentions of her wily nature, her magical sway over humans, and her ability to scurry over walls, but we never witness her on the page in fox form. It’s odd to me.
So I’m baffled. Really, truly baffled by all the love for this book. Yet I’m glad most readers connected with it in a way that I did not.
My sincerest appreciation to Yangsze Choo, Henry Holt and Co., and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions included herein are my own.
I value good writing. I also expect more from certain authors and genres than I do others. For instance, I know when I pick up a thriller I’m not reading Sally Rooney or Claire Keegan. Different types of books and different writers mean different quality of writing. And I’m usually okay with it.
But because of the writing, The Fox Wife did nothing for me. Instead of the beautiful, lyrical prose and profound insight I thought I'd find in Yangsze Choo’s latest novel of magical realism set in 1908 Machuria – an expectation garnered from the many rave reviews I’ve read of her earlier works – I found only choppy and simplistic writing that’s almost infantile in character voice and sentence structure. And there’s no depth of character or story; Choo tells all, never shows. She just skims the surface and gives us nothing to chew on.
Though what really bugs me is the fact that we never see the servant, Snow – who we learn is a fox in Chapter 1 – ever being a fox. She tells us she is, and there are plenty of mentions of her wily nature, her magical sway over humans, and her ability to scurry over walls, but we never witness her on the page in fox form. It’s odd to me.
So I’m baffled. Really, truly baffled by all the love for this book. Yet I’m glad most readers connected with it in a way that I did not.
My sincerest appreciation to Yangsze Choo, Henry Holt and Co., and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions included herein are my own.
March 31, 2025
I love this book. The Fox wife was so interesting and fantastical. 🦊
February 5, 2024
Y’all know how much I love my Asian literature and this book did not disappoint!!
I was so excited to get my hands on this beauty! It releases February 13.
Lucky for me I discovered this author through Book Of The month with The Night Tiger- another amazing read if you haven’t read it yet... The Fox Wife has been added to BOTM as a February 2024 selection. I suggest you add it to your box because you will not want to miss out on this beautifully written book not to mention that cover that needs to be displayed on bookshelves.
The story is told from two different POVs-
Bao, who I just want to see in books. I want to watch movies about him. I want to be friends with him.
Then the main queen Snow. This woman is my soulmate. Sassy, vengeful and marches to the beat of her own drum.
The book is based off of an old Chinese tale about Fox Spirits. During the author note she mentions how little information there is and I loved that she made a story about something I never heard of. I suggest if you’re listening to the audiobook you go the very last section after author notes where you get a breakdown of character names/origins.
The author is also the narrator. Yangsze Choo has such a soothing proper voice. I want her to read more books! It’s the perfect tone for this beautiful Chinese mythology.
Thank you to Yangsze Choo, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for a copy of an audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
I was so excited to get my hands on this beauty! It releases February 13.
Lucky for me I discovered this author through Book Of The month with The Night Tiger- another amazing read if you haven’t read it yet... The Fox Wife has been added to BOTM as a February 2024 selection. I suggest you add it to your box because you will not want to miss out on this beautifully written book not to mention that cover that needs to be displayed on bookshelves.
The story is told from two different POVs-
Bao, who I just want to see in books. I want to watch movies about him. I want to be friends with him.
Then the main queen Snow. This woman is my soulmate. Sassy, vengeful and marches to the beat of her own drum.
The book is based off of an old Chinese tale about Fox Spirits. During the author note she mentions how little information there is and I loved that she made a story about something I never heard of. I suggest if you’re listening to the audiobook you go the very last section after author notes where you get a breakdown of character names/origins.
The author is also the narrator. Yangsze Choo has such a soothing proper voice. I want her to read more books! It’s the perfect tone for this beautiful Chinese mythology.
Thank you to Yangsze Choo, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for a copy of an audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
March 9, 2024
yangsze choo: the only author who has ever managed to endear me to novels that fall into two genres i am most apprehensive about, and which rarely work out for me (historical fiction and magical realism/speculative fiction)
June 15, 2023
My life has been nothing but cdramas. So when Yangsze Choo indicates a new book is releasing, of course I request to read it!
I'd like to thank the publisher, NetGalley, and the author for allowing me to read this ahead of time. What we have here is a nice cozy fictional piece about grief, love, and fate. The way Choo writes and blends folklore into her story is one of the things I love about her. I also enjoy her characters.
I will say the reason I am dropping this down to three stars is the plot isn't very meat-y and or dense enough for me to feel the length given. A lot of it is just back and forth, back and forth, when the two stories intersect I felt that everything that came before could have been wrapped up sooner. I also wanted a bit more backstory, but apparently the lack of backstory regarding the fox spoils its final arc. (Though, I guess you can say I called it a mile away.)
I still love her work and if you're new to cdramas or any Chinese folklore, you might be rating this higher. It's not a bad book but you want more than what's given.
I'd like to thank the publisher, NetGalley, and the author for allowing me to read this ahead of time. What we have here is a nice cozy fictional piece about grief, love, and fate. The way Choo writes and blends folklore into her story is one of the things I love about her. I also enjoy her characters.
I will say the reason I am dropping this down to three stars is the plot isn't very meat-y and or dense enough for me to feel the length given. A lot of it is just back and forth, back and forth, when the two stories intersect I felt that everything that came before could have been wrapped up sooner. I also wanted a bit more backstory, but apparently the lack of backstory regarding the fox spoils its final arc. (Though, I guess you can say I called it a mile away.)
I still love her work and if you're new to cdramas or any Chinese folklore, you might be rating this higher. It's not a bad book but you want more than what's given.
March 12, 2025
قرأت للكاتبة "نمر الليل" من قبل، ومن وقتها، وأنا أترقب ترجمة أعمالها، وعندما صدرت الترجمة العربية لـ "الزوجة الثعلب"، لم أتردد في قراءتها على الفور، فالكاتبة لديها خليط من الأساطير والتشويق والغموض، يجعلك مسلوباً بسحر الأحداث وتفاصيلها، والدقة المتناهية في جعل الأحداث تصب في مجرى النهاية بشكل سلس، وهادئ.
ففي هذه الرواية، تُحاول "سنو" -وهي امرأة تتحول إلى ثعلب- أن تعثر على قاتل طفلتها، فتخوض رحلة طويلة سعياً للانتقام، فكيف تفعل ذلك في عالم البشر المحفوف بالمخاطر؟ فحتى وإن كانت تمتلك قدرات خاصة على البشر، كأي ثعلب بالطبع، لكنها لا تزال امرأة وسط عدد هائل من قوانين البشر التي تحكمهم، فعليها التمسك بالهيئة البشرية إلى أقصى درجة ممكنة، بالإضافة بالطبع إلى الحذر من مُقاومي الذئاب، وأولئك عديمو الظلال، ومخاطر أخرى تواجهها، ومن جهة أخرى، يجد "باو" -المحقق الطاعن في السن، الذي يستطيع كشف الكذب- جثة متجمدة عند أحد المطاعم، فيخوض هو الأخر رحلة من البحث عن ظروف قتلها، وسر ابتسامة الرضا المرسومة على وجه الجثة، وبكل تأكيد، بعد التقدم في الأحداث، تعرف أن مصير الطرفين بأن يتشابكا، وهو ما يبدو أنه سمة لدى الكاتبة، فقد حدث ذلك في "نمر الليل" أيضاً.
ومن خلال سرد غني بالأساطير والسحر، مليء بالتفاصيل الممتعة، والكثير من الأكلات المُبهرة، نخوض رحلة مشوقة مكونة من 408 صفحة، ولكني لم أشعر بطول الرواية، وليس فقط بسبب قصر الفصول، ولكن السبب الأساسي كان طريقة الكاتبة في جمع الأحداث بالأساطير، خيال وفانتازيا طازجة، أساطير مُستقاة من خرافات شعبية، بطريقة مشوقة وممتعة، تجعل عقلك وكأنه يدخل إليه ألوان مختلفة من الخيال، وتتعاطف مع شخصيات تقف على الحافة بين الخير والشر، فبكل تأكيد هذه الحكاية الهائلة تحوي أطرافاً شريرة، من كل الجوانب، تسعى لتحقيق أهدافها بأي طريقة مُمكنة، فحتى لو كنت ذئباً أو بدون ظل أو مُقاوماً للذئاب، تظل لديك أهدافك الخاصة.
هناك جدال سيزيفي لا يتوقف عن جدوى الفانتازيا وروايات الخيال، يخمد لوهلة، ثم يشتعل لفترة أطول، وأنا أرى بلا شك أن روايات الفانتازيا والخيال مهمة، وأدعي أنها تفتح أفاقاً وتدعونا لنعيش حيوات غير مُمكنة على الإطلاق، بل وتجعلنا نفكر بشكل عميق عن فحوى الرمزيات والدلالات بها، وتلك الدفعة من الخيال التي نحصل عليها تساعدنا على التفكير بلا سقف ولا عوائق، تجعلنا نرى الحياة أوسع مما هي عليه، بالطبع مع لمحة معقولة من الواقعية، كما وجدته في هذه الرواية، وغيرها من روايات الفانتازيا والخيال الجيدة.
ختاماً..
ثاني قراءة للكاتبة وقد وقعت في غرام كتاباتها، ولن أتردد في قراءة أي عمل يحمل اسمها، رواية ممتعة ومشوقة، مليئة بالأساطير والثعالب والمأكولات الغريبة، وبكل تأكيد يُنصح بها.
November 21, 2025
Toxic feminism undertones feels incorrect, because it’s in your face; this book has redundant and repetitive negative perspective and digs on men in every chapter from the woman’s perspective that makes you want to refund your copy. The one I got in Arabic, thinking this book was originally Chinese… so my disappointment was doubled.
The core story premise is interesting with a lot of potential that was ruined by the bad writing, and I’m not referring to the exhausting repetition. The over explanation took me out of the story and made me feel like the author couldn’t trust her reader will understand what she just explained, so she had to repeat. Here:
“I see. You always did like the number three.”
“Should I have chosen four instead?” The number “four” is the Chinese homophone for “death,” while “three” sounds like “life.”
Kuro smiled faintly. “I’m glad you are ‘three’ and not ‘four.’”
Meaning, presumably, that he was glad I was alive.
In short, you can’t get into a world its narrator makes you think “this character is pretending to be living in a time she doesn’t belong to, she is not ancient, she is not from Manchuria and she is not a fox. She just heard about it somewhere.” I don’t know how this was nominated for more than zero awards.
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9. Genre 4: Set In Winter
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