There are foxes that live among mortals - at least they did in Manchuria back in 1908. Set in China and partly in Japan, the book is a mix of mystery, fantasy, and historical fiction. The book traces the life of a mysterious young woman who seeks work in the household of a well-known family. Her new employer names her Ah San. But who is she and what is her agenda? A young woman is found dead in the snow and Detective Bao is called upon to investigate the death and identify her. He is no ordinary detective. As a young boy stories of foxes and fox spirits have swirled around him. The story is told through the voices of Ah San and Bao. I liked this approach. It gave the story dimension and depth. The personalities and styles of Ah San and Bao were in sharp contrast to each other and played out well. There’s intrigue, revenge, murders, humor, folklore, and an interesting cast of characters that made this book an enjoyable and fun read. Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

3.7/4.0

-----------------------------------
*Received an eARC from netgalley for an honest review. Thank you!

I quite liked this book. It's rather slow paced, but for me, I was forgiving since the premise and setting attracted my attention. For one thing, I'm easily sold by the promise of folklore. I haven't had much of a chance to read East Asian folklore in awhile, so this really satiated my desire for it. The author's writing is very alluring, but also very straightforward. I think when writing the protagonist, Snow, the author put a lot of care and thought in how she would represent the life of a fox-human shifter. She considered the nuances of being one compared to a human or even just a normal fox. I love historical fiction with this touch of fantasy because it gives reason to inexplicable happenings that almost seem fantastically plausible. If I were living in the early 1900's, I also would probably be beguiled into thinking foxes cured my illnesses, or stole my money when it was locked away from the hands of people.

While the actual mystery didn't grab my attention much, I still felt compelled to dig deeper into these characters' stories. Admittedly, I was mostly interested in the trio of fox-human characters and I was more excited by their chapters. I admired Snow's journey to grapple with the aftermath of her losses and to live anew. I think most of the mystery, for me, was unraveling her life story, her journey to seek revenge, and her connection to the other fox-human characters.

Now, I think this book could have been shortened because some events felt repetitive and drawn out. As mentioned previously, the pacing is slow in general and there really isn't that much suspense.

I would consider this a cozy read and for those interested in folklore about foxes and their affairs in the lives of humans.

Thank you to Netgalley for the arc. This was a wonderfully crafted book with a cozy mystery anchored in chinese mythology. I loved reading about foxes, and the way the author structures and writes the story keeps the reader engaged and pulled into the world. A solid read.

What I liked: the author paints a beautiful picture with her descriptive writing style, I felt like I could picture all the places throughout the book.


What I didn’t like: This book is folktales, and mystery? I feel like the mystery/investigation aspect was lost on me because I already could guess what was happening for the most part. This also felt very drawn out and a lot of unnecessary information. Almost like two books were being mashed together. I feel like the book was missing a plot twist like I was waiting for it and maybe I ruined it by being able to discern something’s myself.

This was a very slow build, and it was hard to stay in the story, but once is picked up - I was able to enjoy it much more. I loved all of the magical realism in the story, and while at times it was tough to keep track of who was talking due to the constant point of view shifts, it was fun to chime in on everyone's thoughts.

This is a beautifully cozy mystery wrapped up in Chinese folklore. Beautifully written scenes pull you in and have you standing there in the snow with the character as you try to figure out what's going to happen next. A story of motherhood and revenge that warms your heart. It's not the fast paced fantasy adventure I'm used to reading but it's so beautifully written I found it hard to put down. You just have to know what's going to happen next.

A riveting combination of literary fiction, mystery, and mythology. This had a slow start but became as irresistible as the foxes themselves about halfway through. I loved the structure and while I guessed at several aspects of the mystery, my suspicions made the process of reading it more enjoyable. I will be reading more from Choo.

Whimsical and totally charming. I was sad when I finished this book, and I then went and immediately read Choo's earlier works. This is her strongest book, though you can see the evolution of her style and strength as a writer in "The Ghost Bride" and "The Night Tiger." This is not a straightforward historical fiction book. I'd categorize it as pretty heavy magical realism, bordering on fantasy (though not quite). There is a lot of exploration of mythology and folklore, plus some mystery. I did like the alternating point-of-view chapters (which is sometimes irritating in the hands of a less skilled writer). Here, it was a lot of fun to uncover the slowly intertwining narratives-- and addictive. I did stay up late several times just because I wanted to read what happened next.

Overall, I requested an ARC of this book on a whim, and I'm so glad I did. I'm excited to see what Choo does next.

The Fox Wife is a wonderful weaving of fantasy and folk lore. Set in China, the story builds on ancient lore that foxes can change form into humans. When a young woman is found dead in the snow, Bao, a thoughtful investigator, is hired to find out the explanation of her death. Rumored that foxes might be involved, Bao is intrigued, and follows clues shrouded in mystery, rumors, and ancient lore, to find the story of her death- and more! I highly recommend this read for fans of fantasy and of who-done-its. Choo paints vivid characters and settings. Very enjoyable read!

Thank you Henry Holt & Co & Netgalley for a digital arc of this book. I loved the magical elements that were intertwined beautifully with folklore of this story.

The were some moments, especially near the beginning, that I thought were dragged on a bit too much, but overall I loved the mystery in itself and the richness of it. Choo is a brilliant writer and I loved how she tied in cultural insights of society with the story - just added more depth and intrigue.

There was so much of this book that I loved, but the pacing was off. Repetitive information throughout that felt as if an editor had stopped in to tell the writer that the reader must really have these things explained to understand, while, in truth, a reasonably intelligent reader doesn’t. Drags on in too many places. Even still, I was charmed.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

There's a special kind of magic to this book, both vicious and wonderful. I need time to process this, to re-read, to enjoy. Like someone else said, I can't wait to listen to this on audiobook!

I’ve been waiting and waiting for a new book by this author. Criminally underrated, she writes some of the most beautiful books full of culture and mythology and history. I love reading her work.

This was no exception, I very much enjoyed it. My only complaint was that it took me a little bit to get in to it, and that was because some of the dialogue was very modern and it would take me out of the moment. But once I got over that, it was a really delightful story. I hope her next one takes less time, because she is such a joy to read.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

If you enjoyed The Night Tiger or The Ghost Bride, there is an enchanting new book coming out from Yangsze Choo that completely captivated me. The Fox Wife is a literary fiction/fantasy novel set in 1908 Manchuria; the story is woven around Chinese folklore of fox spirits who have the ability to transform into beautiful, charismatic humans.

The tale is narrated from two points of view. This first is a mysterious woman named Snow who is a grief-stricken mother on a mission of revenge for the death of her child. The second is an elderly detective named Bao who is investigating the death of a woman found outside a restaurant on a cold winter night. Bao possesses an extremely useful skill for his profession: he has the ability to hear if someone is lying.

This book is so beautifully written; it's mysterious, emotional, and such a well-crafted overall story. There is no slow start to the narrative; I was completely caught up in the story from the first few pages, and I was full-on river of tears by the last page.

(Video review is posted on my tiktok, @mlunav)

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.

This is the fox novel I've always wanted to read. Choo's structuring and execution of this book is extraordinary, elegant, and a joy to read. Here, humans and foxes are thrown together in unpredictable ways, and most of the characters are in mourning for something, complicating their emotions and actions. Snow's narrative voice is sublime, and the development of Bao and Tagtaa--and the slow uncovering of other characters' identities--is an enormous pleasure to see unfold. Choo's mix of myth and her own additions to lore are delightful. I love this book.

I enjoyed reading this book, especially switching between the characters across chapters. Once you get a little way in, the story is a bit predictable, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. There were a few really lovely lines and some interesting ideas about love and grief. Side note: seeing a fox in my mom’s yard a few weeks ago definitely upped my enjoyment. Thanks to NetGalley for the free copy.

I love how Yangsze Choo helps me see historical Chinese culture through well told stories, and this offering is no different. In fact, it felt a bit like a blend of her other two books, but in its own unique way.

Without giving too much away, I'll say that there is a "fox" thread, and a "detective" thread, with many layers and expertly woven together by the end. Somewhat of a journey book, as we learn about foxes and their special relationship to many, we also see different places and happenings and we begin to wonder how everything is related. There are strong characters, all with surprising stories. Not a romance, The Fox Wife is certainly romantic in a dreaming, historical, fable way.

I enjoyed this, and would give it 3.5 stars. I especially liked the mythical/folktale part of the story, based on legends of foxes from Chinese folk stories. The story is told from two perspectives, that of a fox, and an detective investigating a crime. In a way, this is part folk tale, part mystery/crime investigation, which makes for an interesting combination. The reason I didn't give it a higher score is that is just felt too long for what it was. The story is a bit meandering and repetitive at times. I liked the characters and the concept, but the plot just felt a bit drawn out. I would still definitely recommend it, especially if you like fairy/folk tale retellings, just be aware it's a little long for what it is.

I've read this author's two other books as well and enjoyed all three. I would say The Night Tiger is my favorite but this one is similar. It felt like this one required more concentration as it hopped back and forth between two story lines but you do get the sense of the two colliding as the story progresses which is interesting and adds tension.

I love how this author uses myths and legends from Eastern cultures in her stories. If you enjoy an interesting story with a little myth and magic thrown in, this one is worth picking up.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for this advance copy!