A review by ablaine
The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

How do you a tell a political history from personal objects left behind? How do you read between the lines of official records to see their unofficial purpose? I found this beautiful, folkloric novel difficult to pin down, but I realized there’s something to learn here about how stories are shaped by both what is recorded and what is omitted. 

I first listened to this as an audiobook and was immediately lost. A mystical creature, a gender non-binary cleric and a funeral for an empress were too much for my auditory processing to grasp all in the first few seconds. I’m grateful to my friend for encouraging me to pick it up in written form. 

Each chapter begins with an inventory of significant objects and reading reveals the historical meaning of each within this imagined political landscape. Reading this while grieving a parent and taking stock of objects and memories made this a sad and reflective experience, but I’m grateful for it. 

Thanks for the recommendation, Hannah ❤️
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