barnstormingbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC
Choo creates an engaging tale of revenge and magic. Following two interconnected storylines with flashbacks that connect generations this is a tale of love, loss, and culture. Choo makes a bold choice to explore the experience of being a woman during the Qing Empire through an almost immortal being, a fox in woman form. The history and mythology seamlessly create a vivid world. The pace is a steady if somewhat slow march toward an ending that I found satisfying if a little heartbreaking. The character development is well crafted and allows for truly human exchanges. Sometimes funny, sometimes sad, always real.
The author’s choice to read her book for the audio keeps the narrative running and adds depth to the dialog that may have not translated from the text directly, adding a dry wit and dark humor that may or may not be obvious on the page. I really enjoyed this creative and unique experience.
booksthatburn's review
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
*I received a free review copy in exchange for an honest review of this book.
THE FOX WIFE is a story of grief and reconnection, telling a small section in the life of a fox named Snow whose child was killed for the sake of a photographer's art.
Snow is a thoughtful narrator, relaying her contemporaneous thoughts as best as she can, but sometimes hinting at the trajectory of events that haven't quite transpired in the narrative. She is grieving her child, and leaves the grasslands to track down the photographer who desired a fox pelt as a prop for his photos. Snow's perspective is alternated with that of an amateur investigator, Bao, who has been able to sense lies ever since his nanny prayed to a fox spirit during a childhood illness of his. Contrasting with Snow's chronological telling of events, the sections following Bao connect pieces of the narrative on a thematic level. Some deal with his childhood, particularly his friendship with a courtesan's daughter. Others follow him in his twilight years, contemporaneous to Snow's telling, with a whole life and marriage behind him, using his lie-sensing abilities to solve mysteries for people. What begins as an attempt to identify a dead woman turns into a meandering quest into rumors of foxes, and one particular woman who disappeared from a walled garden.
The worldbuilding is relayed through conversation and Snow's observations, as well as Bao's thoughts. Snow tends to explain a fox's perspective on human things a contemporaneous reader could be expected to know, which works neatly to give insights into both Snow and the historical setting. There's an attention to the ways that women and girls are restricted for the sake of men's whims. The narrative is filled with wives, concubines, courtesans, and even girl-children who are treated according to their future matrimonial prospects (or lack thereof). Even Snow is most often called a nickname based on being the third servant to work for her eventual mistress. She is wary of male foxes, as human sexism translates into easier lives for them and more danger for her if she's caught up in their schemes.
The three narrative strands weave together to tell a complete story. I was able to figure out many connections and identities by having access to all three perspectives. Bao, the detective was usually the last one to figure out exactly what fox-related thing was happening, but that's because he doesn't know if transforming foxes (like Snow) are real. Snow, for her part, isn't ready to talk about the more painful aspects of her recent history, so the reader must piece together what happened before the book started by combining what Bao finds with what Snow tells of foxes. It had a mystery feel without being an outright whodunnit for the reader.
I know a book is great when it heavily features a theme I dislike or personally don't relate to but I love it anyway. Anyone who can make me love a book about being a grieving mother has done something very special. It handles this topic with care, gradually saying more of what happened to her child as Snow is able to process her grief. I was drawn back to it, finishing it in less than a week as I needed to know what would happen next. A third of the way in there was a plot point that in other books would have been wrapping things up, but instead the narrative blossomed in unexpected and very welcome ways. I would happily read more with Snow (or any other foxes) if the opportunity presented itself, but this story feels complete and is very satisfying.
THE FOX WIFE is a story of grief and reconnection, telling a small section in the life of a fox named Snow whose child was killed for the sake of a photographer's art.
Snow is a thoughtful narrator, relaying her contemporaneous thoughts as best as she can, but sometimes hinting at the trajectory of events that haven't quite transpired in the narrative. She is grieving her child, and leaves the grasslands to track down the photographer who desired a fox pelt as a prop for his photos. Snow's perspective is alternated with that of an amateur investigator, Bao, who has been able to sense lies ever since his nanny prayed to a fox spirit during a childhood illness of his. Contrasting with Snow's chronological telling of events, the sections following Bao connect pieces of the narrative on a thematic level. Some deal with his childhood, particularly his friendship with a courtesan's daughter. Others follow him in his twilight years, contemporaneous to Snow's telling, with a whole life and marriage behind him, using his lie-sensing abilities to solve mysteries for people. What begins as an attempt to identify a dead woman turns into a meandering quest into rumors of foxes, and one particular woman who disappeared from a walled garden.
The worldbuilding is relayed through conversation and Snow's observations, as well as Bao's thoughts. Snow tends to explain a fox's perspective on human things a contemporaneous reader could be expected to know, which works neatly to give insights into both Snow and the historical setting. There's an attention to the ways that women and girls are restricted for the sake of men's whims. The narrative is filled with wives, concubines, courtesans, and even girl-children who are treated according to their future matrimonial prospects (or lack thereof). Even Snow is most often called a nickname based on being the third servant to work for her eventual mistress. She is wary of male foxes, as human sexism translates into easier lives for them and more danger for her if she's caught up in their schemes.
The three narrative strands weave together to tell a complete story. I was able to figure out many connections and identities by having access to all three perspectives. Bao, the detective was usually the last one to figure out exactly what fox-related thing was happening, but that's because he doesn't know if transforming foxes (like Snow) are real. Snow, for her part, isn't ready to talk about the more painful aspects of her recent history, so the reader must piece together what happened before the book started by combining what Bao finds with what Snow tells of foxes. It had a mystery feel without being an outright whodunnit for the reader.
I know a book is great when it heavily features a theme I dislike or personally don't relate to but I love it anyway. Anyone who can make me love a book about being a grieving mother has done something very special. It handles this topic with care, gradually saying more of what happened to her child as Snow is able to process her grief. I was drawn back to it, finishing it in less than a week as I needed to know what would happen next. A third of the way in there was a plot point that in other books would have been wrapping things up, but instead the narrative blossomed in unexpected and very welcome ways. I would happily read more with Snow (or any other foxes) if the opportunity presented itself, but this story feels complete and is very satisfying.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Mental illness, Violence, Murder, Sexual content, Trafficking, Misogyny, Blood, Sexism, Xenophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Confinement, Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Animal cruelty, and Animal death
Minor: Torture, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, and Child abuse
crossbun's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I was provided an advanced listening copy from Libro.fm.
This was such a lovely listen. The author does her characters and lyrical writing with a touch of humor complete justice.
If you love foxes and animal stories or historical fi tion, this is a perfect read. It's well paced and satisfying, and the characters are well realized and loveable. Some readers may struggle with the split POV, one is first person past, the other a tight third person present. I personally thought it was a bold choice that helped separate the characters' worldviews and agency- the former an immortal fox, the latter a luckless and mortal private investigator.
For fans of history, animals, myth, and magic realism.
This was such a lovely listen. The author does her characters and lyrical writing with a touch of humor complete justice.
If you love foxes and animal stories or historical fi tion, this is a perfect read. It's well paced and satisfying, and the characters are well realized and loveable. Some readers may struggle with the split POV, one is first person past, the other a tight third person present. I personally thought it was a bold choice that helped separate the characters' worldviews and agency- the former an immortal fox, the latter a luckless and mortal private investigator.
For fans of history, animals, myth, and magic realism.
mustard_goat's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in return for an honest and unbiased review.
Summary
The Fox Wife was a beautifully written adult fantasy that had me enraptured throughout the tale. This book portrays two people throughout the story: rotating their viewpoints with the changing of each chapter. One point of view is of a female fox who can turn into a human; the other, a man in his sixties, working as a private investigator. As it is expected, their story intertwines throughout the book; but Choo does a beautiful job of doing that even before the characters know of this. During this story, there are magical tales, historical viewpoints (done in a very tasteful way I might add), and moments that tug at your heart, all woven together skillfully.
My Take
I originally was drawn to this book, as I am sure others were as well, because I have a love of the fox; so I dove in with great hope! I find that YA fantasies are usually what I steer towards. However, this book was a delightful play on the line between what is real and what is not, and the elements of Chinese/Manchurian culture gave way for a beautiful depiction. The magic was so close to real, that I began noticing different aspects of my own life and experiencing a child-like wonder, as if these tales could be true. I loved the ride that Choo took me on, and I would do it again gladly.
Would I Recommend
Yes, I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys adult fiction and fantasy.
CONTENT WARNING: Animal death, death of child, mentions of sexual slavery, death of adults, physical assault.
4.5 stars
The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 37-38 | Added on Saturday, June 3, 2023 5:24:26 PM
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 Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 148-149 | Added on Saturday, June 3, 2023 5:34:14 PM
There was a dusting of snow on her face and open eyes, so she looked like a bride on her wedding day, gazing through a veil—like she’d seen something wonderful.”
==========
The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 208-210 | Added on Saturday, June 3, 2023 5:40:00 PM
I stifled a snort. Sixty isn’t old to me. At sixty, humans are just beginning to understand that the weather will never obey them; that true love strikes at most twice in a lifetime; and that by saying yes in your youth, you may bind yourself unwisely to another’s cause. But that was beside the point.
==========
The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 218-218 | Added on Saturday, June 3, 2023 5:40:45 PM
I could almost sniff out an aroma of mystery that curled through the winding passageways. Or perhaps it was just stewed pork belly.
==========
The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 536-539 | Added on Saturday, June 3, 2023 10:18:25 PM
She gave vague excuses, but I suspected she meant to keep the young ladies in the house from spying. They were at a dangerously marriageable age; it wouldn’t do to have them involved in some unsuitable love affair. It has always amazed me how people lock up their daughters but not their sons. If they locked up the young men as well, there would be a lot less trouble. But who was I to interfere? I was simply there on my own quiet path of revenge.
==========
The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 937-938 | Added on Sunday, June 4, 2023 12:01:44 AM
Whenever humans encounter something strange and novel, their first instinct is to kill it.
==========
The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 953-954 | Added on Sunday, June 4, 2023 12:03:10 AM
It can be very lonely, living among people and always pretending. That’s why I prefer the grasslands.
==========
The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 1315-1316 | Added on Sunday, June 4, 2023 1:28:27 PM
Yes, I thought. Giving birth is an appointment you can’t walk away from.
==========
The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 1796-1797 | Added on Sunday, June 4, 2023 3:23:23 PM
The books that Bao has read about love use literary allusions and courtly language. They dwell on the size of a woman’s feet, her fainting, seductively tottering gait. None of them refer to freckles or the ability to listen solemnly.
==========
The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 2294-2296 | Added on Sunday, June 4, 2023 4:21:14 PM
The men glanced at one another and chuckled indulgently. Look at this poor little woman, the thought danced between them, admitting them to a club I’d never belong to.
==========
The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 2520-2521 | Added on Sunday, June 4, 2023 4:39:19 PM
They jealously guard their women, who are apt to run or commit suicide.
==========
The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 2730-2731 | Added on Sunday, June 4, 2023 4:58:00 PM
“When she saw me, she said, ‘I’ve come to return the clothes.’ She didn’t want me to get into trouble. Nobody has ever kept a promise like that for me, for free.”
==========
The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 3155-3156 | Added on Sunday, June 4, 2023 6:45:35 PM
It makes you wonder whether every living creature has its allotted span of years. Either that, or fate is a capricious master.
==========
The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 3577-3577 | Added on Sunday, June 4, 2023 7:58:30 PM
Rolled up in my cotton futon like a pill bug,
==========
The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 4764-4765 | Added on Monday, June 5, 2023 7:09:32 PM
Yet I feel happier the older I’ve become. I don’t wish to be young again.”
==========
The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 5071-5072 | Added on Monday, June 5, 2023 7:45:50 PM
I should have known better. What you bury eventually comes to light in some form or other. That’s just the way the world works.
==========
The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 5111-5111 | Added on Monday, June 5, 2023 7:49:08 PM
Fear snakes round his shoulder and bites him in the chest.
==========
Summary
The Fox Wife was a beautifully written adult fantasy that had me enraptured throughout the tale. This book portrays two people throughout the story: rotating their viewpoints with the changing of each chapter. One point of view is of a female fox who can turn into a human; the other, a man in his sixties, working as a private investigator. As it is expected, their story intertwines throughout the book; but Choo does a beautiful job of doing that even before the characters know of this. During this story, there are magical tales, historical viewpoints (done in a very tasteful way I might add), and moments that tug at your heart, all woven together skillfully.
My Take
I originally was drawn to this book, as I am sure others were as well, because I have a love of the fox; so I dove in with great hope! I find that YA fantasies are usually what I steer towards. However, this book was a delightful play on the line between what is real and what is not, and the elements of Chinese/Manchurian culture gave way for a beautiful depiction. The magic was so close to real, that I began noticing different aspects of my own life and experiencing a child-like wonder, as if these tales could be true. I loved the ride that Choo took me on, and I would do it again gladly.
Would I Recommend
Yes, I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys adult fiction and fantasy.
CONTENT WARNING: Animal death, death of child, mentions of sexual slavery, death of adults, physical assault.
4.5 stars
The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 37-38 | Added on Saturday, June 3, 2023 5:24:26 PM
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 Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 148-149 | Added on Saturday, June 3, 2023 5:34:14 PM
There was a dusting of snow on her face and open eyes, so she looked like a bride on her wedding day, gazing through a veil—like she’d seen something wonderful.”
==========
The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 208-210 | Added on Saturday, June 3, 2023 5:40:00 PM
I stifled a snort. Sixty isn’t old to me. At sixty, humans are just beginning to understand that the weather will never obey them; that true love strikes at most twice in a lifetime; and that by saying yes in your youth, you may bind yourself unwisely to another’s cause. But that was beside the point.
==========
The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 218-218 | Added on Saturday, June 3, 2023 5:40:45 PM
I could almost sniff out an aroma of mystery that curled through the winding passageways. Or perhaps it was just stewed pork belly.
==========
The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 536-539 | Added on Saturday, June 3, 2023 10:18:25 PM
She gave vague excuses, but I suspected she meant to keep the young ladies in the house from spying. They were at a dangerously marriageable age; it wouldn’t do to have them involved in some unsuitable love affair. It has always amazed me how people lock up their daughters but not their sons. If they locked up the young men as well, there would be a lot less trouble. But who was I to interfere? I was simply there on my own quiet path of revenge.
==========
The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 937-938 | Added on Sunday, June 4, 2023 12:01:44 AM
Whenever humans encounter something strange and novel, their first instinct is to kill it.
==========
The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 953-954 | Added on Sunday, June 4, 2023 12:03:10 AM
It can be very lonely, living among people and always pretending. That’s why I prefer the grasslands.
==========
The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 1315-1316 | Added on Sunday, June 4, 2023 1:28:27 PM
Yes, I thought. Giving birth is an appointment you can’t walk away from.
==========
The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 1796-1797 | Added on Sunday, June 4, 2023 3:23:23 PM
The books that Bao has read about love use literary allusions and courtly language. They dwell on the size of a woman’s feet, her fainting, seductively tottering gait. None of them refer to freckles or the ability to listen solemnly.
==========
The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 2294-2296 | Added on Sunday, June 4, 2023 4:21:14 PM
The men glanced at one another and chuckled indulgently. Look at this poor little woman, the thought danced between them, admitting them to a club I’d never belong to.
==========
The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 2520-2521 | Added on Sunday, June 4, 2023 4:39:19 PM
They jealously guard their women, who are apt to run or commit suicide.
==========
The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 2730-2731 | Added on Sunday, June 4, 2023 4:58:00 PM
“When she saw me, she said, ‘I’ve come to return the clothes.’ She didn’t want me to get into trouble. Nobody has ever kept a promise like that for me, for free.”
==========
The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 3155-3156 | Added on Sunday, June 4, 2023 6:45:35 PM
It makes you wonder whether every living creature has its allotted span of years. Either that, or fate is a capricious master.
==========
The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 3577-3577 | Added on Sunday, June 4, 2023 7:58:30 PM
Rolled up in my cotton futon like a pill bug,
==========
The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 4764-4765 | Added on Monday, June 5, 2023 7:09:32 PM
Yet I feel happier the older I’ve become. I don’t wish to be young again.”
==========
The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 5071-5072 | Added on Monday, June 5, 2023 7:45:50 PM
I should have known better. What you bury eventually comes to light in some form or other. That’s just the way the world works.
==========
The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 5111-5111 | Added on Monday, June 5, 2023 7:49:08 PM
Fear snakes round his shoulder and bites him in the chest.
==========
the_bookish_musings_of_mari's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
mctmama's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Really enjoyed this! The folklore of foxes in China - a story with multiple characters that weaves together for a very satisfying conclusion. The story is set in China in the early 1900's, and told through the perspective of "Snow" (also known as Ah San) - a mysterious young women on a vengeful quest and Bao, an older gentleman detective who pines for his lost love, and is fascinated by the folklore of Fox spirits. Ah San is seeking a famous photographer, whom she blames for the death of her only child. She finds herself serving an older matron who is also hiding some secrets, and hoping to help her young grandson. I was interested in the story as soon as it started, but I love a good fairy tale or myth retelling. It did lag a bit in the middle, but the ending is worth the wait.
Thank you to Netgalley for an Advanced Reader copy.
Thank you to Netgalley for an Advanced Reader copy.
marisatn's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This was a satisfying read and the ending came together nicely, but it was also a bit predictable. Even so, I enjoyed the read and would definitely recommend it to folks who want something that will make them feel good, but that isn’t fluffy.
xandrarama's review
3.0
3.5 stars. A delightful blend of folklore, historical fiction, and very low-key (but still satisfying) romance. There’s also a detective story element to this book but for me, that was the weakest component.
The book employs dual-POV narration, with the titular fox wife’s chapters in the first person and the human detective Bao’s chapters in the third person. Bao was a sympathetic character and his interior life interesting enough, but the fox’s perspective on life and the human world made the Snow-narrated chapters stand out.
The mystery plot integrating Bao’s and Snow’s stories did not capture my attention. Because so much of the book was centred on this detective story, it felt like a very long read to me even though it’s not an overly long book. I was not captivated by either the mystery or its resolution; I was left with a feeling of, That’s it? Snow’s and Bao’s personal journeys were much more compelling.
The first 20% of the book kept me turning the pages, and I found the last 40% increasingly gripping, but that big chunk in the middle just dragged for me and looking back, I’m not convinced much of it needed to be there. However, I really enjoyed learning more about Chinese fox mythology and early 20th century life in northern China and Japan, and I liked the author’s writing style - straightforward, incisive, and often dryly humorous. I’m glad I read this book and I will seek out other books by this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
The book employs dual-POV narration, with the titular fox wife’s chapters in the first person and the human detective Bao’s chapters in the third person. Bao was a sympathetic character and his interior life interesting enough, but the fox’s perspective on life and the human world made the Snow-narrated chapters stand out.
The mystery plot integrating Bao’s and Snow’s stories did not capture my attention. Because so much of the book was centred on this detective story, it felt like a very long read to me even though it’s not an overly long book. I was not captivated by either the mystery or its resolution; I was left with a feeling of, That’s it? Snow’s and Bao’s personal journeys were much more compelling.
The first 20% of the book kept me turning the pages, and I found the last 40% increasingly gripping, but that big chunk in the middle just dragged for me and looking back, I’m not convinced much of it needed to be there. However, I really enjoyed learning more about Chinese fox mythology and early 20th century life in northern China and Japan, and I liked the author’s writing style - straightforward, incisive, and often dryly humorous. I’m glad I read this book and I will seek out other books by this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
cloudedreads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
It will probably come as no surprise (or at least will be a common enough story) that I picked up this book after having read - and quite enjoyed - “The Ghost Bride”, another well know book by Yangsze Choo. While the latter was an introduction to both the author an the cultural concept the book was about, “The Fox Wife” felt more like a return to a familiar voice and mythology that I have already read some about. Having said all that, this story surpassed all of my expectations and has easily become the best read of the year.
The story is told in two distinct perspectives - 1st person POV of Snow, a fox lady, who has set out on the road of revenge after losing her daughter, and 3rd person POV of Bao, an old man, who works as an investigator while using an indispensable skill - being able to tell apart lies. As these two make their own distinct journeys, we get to see their paths intertwine, past and present, wowing an immersive story that keeps the reader turning page after page.
There was so much to like in this book, it’s hard to pick only a few things. For someone with a short attention span and a busy schedule outside of reading, the short chapters made it easy to follow the story and with the ending of each chapter leaving me wanting for more, it quickly became a book I always had with me (easily done with and e-book) for filling in breaks at work. The characters felt so human (even if not all of them actually were, haha) and it made me root for them the whole way. And the story behind the story - the foxes and their mythology, their appeal, their (un)balanced realities - this is definitely a book worth reading if this topic interests you, even a little.
This year was filled with plenty of okay reads, but “The Fox Wife” was a breath of fresh air, and I cannot recommend it enough.
I received an advance review copy from Netgalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
karaklos's review against another edition
4.0
The Fox Wife took me by surprise. I’m not a folklore/fantasy reader and was very surprised to find myself being enchanted by the foxes in this story. Choo portrays the three foxes in such a human way that I bought into their characters right away. The story is also a mystery and the chapters alternate between Snow the fox and Bao, a detective who is trying to solve a mystery. I enjoyed the two different perspectives and the lore behind foxes.
Taking place in Manchuria in the early 1900s, the setting and historical elements were written well. I was captivated by the Huang family curse and the idea of the thousand year journey. I also enjoyed the descriptions of the characters and the margin notes.
Snow kept referring to her past with the foxes Shiro and Kuro without laying out the backstory. I thought this might be the second book in a series and I was missing key details. By the end, I realized Choo was doing this purposely but I wanted to know their story.
This was a slower read for me. While I enjoyed it, it wasn’t a book that I could propel through. Also, after the search for Bektu Nikan throughout the whole book, his conclusion was anticlimactic.
Thank you to Goodreads for this ARC. I was a Goodreads giveaway winner.
Taking place in Manchuria in the early 1900s, the setting and historical elements were written well. I was captivated by the Huang family curse and the idea of the thousand year journey. I also enjoyed the descriptions of the characters and the margin notes.
Snow kept referring to her past with the foxes Shiro and Kuro without laying out the backstory. I thought this might be the second book in a series and I was missing key details. By the end, I realized Choo was doing this purposely but I wanted to know their story.
This was a slower read for me. While I enjoyed it, it wasn’t a book that I could propel through. Also, after the search for Bektu Nikan throughout the whole book, his conclusion was anticlimactic.
Thank you to Goodreads for this ARC. I was a Goodreads giveaway winner.