Scan barcode
bookrecsplease's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Sexism
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Sexual harassment, and Classism
Minor: Child death
elizabeth_lepore's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Child death, Violence, Grief, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Animal death, Misogyny, and Xenophobia
jellobean's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
It seemed as though the author put value in consistency of approximate chapter length and switching POV each chapter. As a result, I was not as interested in Bao's story by the end. I enjoyed his character and his arc, but it felt as though our time with him was a little wasted in that we were repeating a lot of the exposition from previous chapters, just in a different setting/triggered by different events. I think I would have more enjoyed fewer Bao chapters spread out a little more, or just more variation in his plot.
I appreciated all of the research that was clearly put in to fox folklore and the historic setting. There are a few loose ends that I felt weren't quite wrapped up, but overall a great read!!
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Chronic illness, Misogyny, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Grief and Sexual harassment
Minor: Xenophobia, Murder, and War
freemakd's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Violence, Xenophobia, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Mental illness, Suicide, and Kidnapping
writingbugtop's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Xenophobia, Grief, Murder, and Sexual harassment
madamenovelist's review
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Violence, Grief, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Sexual content and Sexual harassment
Minor: Xenophobia
oliviamich's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Child death and Sexism
Moderate: Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, and Sexual harassment
booksthatburn's review
- 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
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.
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Bullying, Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, and Forced institutionalization