Thank you Net Galley, Henry Holt and Co,. and Yangsze Choo for the opportunity to read The Fox Wife. This is a descriptive and beautifully written story of humans, spirits and magical animals. It is filled with intriguing moments of murder, mystery, revenge and the power of love and family relationships. It is interesting to observe the treatment of men and women during this time period and setting. All of this put together produced quite the story.
I did have difficulty with the multiple narrators. I wish each chapter was labeled with who was telling the story at this time. I also had trouble keeping the characters and time periods organized in my mind. I felt I understood bits and pieces of characters, storylines and magical elements. I wasn't sure if I was putting everything together the correct way. This genre is out of my comfort zone. Maybe that is why I had difficulty with comprehending all the details.

Every now and then, I choose a book on Netgalley because the publisher's description speaks to me. I'm always game for a story about a strong (badass is my preferred term) and cultural mythology and history is an added bonus. This is once instance when that gamble paid off. This is a beautiful novel, and I'm so grateful to the publisher for providing me with an ARC.

I particularly loved Snow, a grieving mother fox determined to avenge the death of her daughter. Her story brilliantly weaves in with that of Bao, a laconic police detective who has a lifelong reverence for the fox. The story is magic, and I can't wait to go back to read Yangsze Choo's previous work.

The Fox Wife draws you into turn of the century China, in 1908 and a world of magical realism where the fox spirit really exists. According to Chinese folklore, the fox spirit is a shifter that can appear as a beautiful person who enchants humans. Like folklore in many other cultures, this fox is a trickster who can charm people to give them their desires. The story is written from two opposing points of view. It begins with Bao, a sixty-year-old detective who has the uncanny ability to recognize lies when he hears them. He is brought in to find out the identity of a dead woman. With this beginning, one might expect a mystery novel, but this task is merely an event that evolves into a quest to find two people who he begins to believe are fox spirits. The story than switches to Snow who is a woman searching to avenge the death of her daughter.

Snow is written in the first person and the reader is privy to her anguish, thirst for revenge, and empathy with humans. It is through her character that we learn about fox folklore and how foxes have to carefully behave to avoid being caught. The fox characters, mirror the role of women in that society for they also have to live carefully by the rules and can be so easily mistreated. We sympathize with her for her loss of her child and empathize with her attempt on the 1000-year quest of righteous behavior.

Bao, on the other hand, is written in the third person and his story wanders between the present day, childhood memories and strange dreams. As a child, he prayed to a fox god and believes that his uncanny talent is fox given. I found him a quite interesting character and couldn't wait for him to find all the characters that he was destined to meet up with.

The author does a fantastic job of world building. The turn of the century Asian scenery is easily visualized. The characters are written with depth, and I loved reading about all the major characters. Unfortunately, this book is a slow read. It meanders through several smaller plots and takes a bit too long to reach its conclusion. For that reason, it might not be your cup of tea. However, if you don't mind the slower pace, it is a fantastic book.

I wish to thank the publishers, Henry Holt and Company along with NetGalley for a PDF review copy of the book. I can honestly recommend this book to folklore fans and lovers of historical fiction and magical realism.

Definitely a MASTERPIECE. Stunning lyrical and poignant writing, relatable characters, and a story that grips at the heart. A must-have for ANY collection. Cannot stress this enough.

This stunning, cinematic tale of detectives and fox people in the sunset of Manchurian-ruled China is one of the most thoughtful multi-sleuth mysteries I’ve had the pleasure of reading in a while!

Our titular heroine prefers to go by the name Snow. She is, indeed, a fox wife out of legend, capable of switching between fox and human forms with relative ease:

QUOTE
I exist either as 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. Frankly, I’d prefer to look like someone’s grandmother; that would at least give me some dignity appropriate to my years. Which leads me to note [...] that though most tales focus on the beautiful female foxes who live by devouring <i>qi</i>, or life force, little is said about the males. Women who run around willfully doing whatever they please are bound to be censured. A handsome, cunning man is a different matter. Most male foxes are only forced to retire or fake their deaths when their uncanny, ageless looks start to disturb people. Don’t get me started on the unfairness of this[.]
END QUOTE

Snow had been happy enough to live in the grasslands of the remote provinces of Northern China with her family, until her only child was taken from her. Now she’s on a mission of vengeance, determined to track down and punish the men who irrevocably shattered her life.

Her journey is not, of course, without its obstacles or opponents. But her greatest adversary comes not in the form of yet another licentious, grasping man who wants to trap her for himself, as so many men do. Instead, she must match wits against the honest, unassuming Bao, whose own childhood encounter with fox spirits left him with the uncanny ability to separate the truth from lies. As he’s grown older, he’s parlayed this into a perhaps surprisingly successful career as a detective:

QUOTE
It’s not a profession that officially exists, as far as he knows. But he started finding lost objects, ferreting out the truth, and acting as an intermediary until his services were well-known enough that he felt he could charge for them.

Bao understands his appeal lies partly in his cultured demeanor. A former scholar from a good family who can recite poetry and fathom the secrets of a treacherous heart–this reassures his upper-class clientele. He ponders Mr. Wang’s commission. Finding a missing person isn’t the same as recovering stolen property, let alone a woman who apparently thinks she’s a fox. Some might wonder who is crazed–this woman or Mr. Wang himself?
END QUOTE

As Snow and Bao’s paths converge, bodies begin to turn up in the snow-covered streets, smiling even in the embrace of death. Bao must use every one of his considerable talents to not only help lay the dead’s restless spirits but also to prevent more unnecessary deaths from occurring. When this puts his own life in jeopardy however – right as he’s on the brink of achieving a lifelong dream – will he and Snow be able to set aside their differences in order to finally rectify historic injustices? Or will fate take happiness away from the both of them for good?

This sprawling historical mystery effortlessly incorporates the tumultuous events of 1908 China, as well as the legends and folklore that persist to this day, into a highly entertaining, often thought-provoking account of a mother bent on revenge and the man unwittingly sent to track her down. I loved how sympathetic Snow and Bao are both to each other and to the reader, as Yangsze Choo deftly mirrors their stories just enough to show their underlying kinship, even as it’s clear that they’re very much different individuals with diverging goals and needs. Snow’s story, especially, is a wry modern parable, not only of what it means to be a feminist but also a migrant, forced to rapidly adapt between worlds. I deeply loved this fully inhabited tale of murder and vengeance in a world where it’s taken for granted that spirits are real and that justice, though elusive, can be fought for and attained.

Thank you to the author Yangsze Choo, publishers Henry Holt & Co., and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of THE FOX WIFE. All views are mine.

I enjoyed this wild little book, but I honestly struggled to follow the narrative. The foxes were shapeshifters and also ghosts, and gods, I believe, which I thought was very interesting. The story is extremely detailed, and it was through these I remained engaged from start to finish, not the story itself. This book wasn't all the way "for me," but I recommend it for fans of fantasy, myth, and magical realism.

Rating: 🦊🦊🦊 animal/ghost/gods
Recommend? Sure, for fantasy fans
Finished: Feb 12 '24
Format: Digital arc, Kindle, NetGalley
Read this book if you like:
👻 ghost stories
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 family stories
⚔️ warrior stories
🗿 gods and myths
🪄 magical realism

In The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo, the intricate Asian Folklore backdrop sets an enchanting stage, but the pacing can be sluggish, and the climax feels somewhat underwhelming. Snow's quest for revenge and Bao's investigation into the mysterious death of a courtesan offer intriguing plotlines, yet the resolution lacks the punch expected from such promising setups. While the storytelling possesses moments of beauty and depth, it falls short of fully engaging the reader throughout. An arc copy was given to the reader for an honest review. #netgalley #thefoxwife

“𝘍𝘰𝘹𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘸𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘦. 𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘵. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘰𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘧𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦.”

Thanks Netgalley, Henry Holt Books, and Macmillan Audio for the advanced reader copies! This is my first by Choo (and she narrates the audio) and it was quite interesting. She incorporates myths, magical realism, mystery, with themes of family, motherhood, connection, belief, and forgiveness. We are given the POVs of Snow and Bao and it bounces between a few timelines but they are all connected.

It took me a little while to get into it yet at around 30% I grew more and more interested as it is beautifully written. It’s certainly different and won’t be for everyone as it can be slow, long, and there’s not much action on the plot, but give it a fair chance. I do wish there was more depth to the fox folklore and their lifestyle, and Snow’s sections were my favorites (her interactions with other foxes were entertaining and humorous). She’s sharp, witty, and curious as you’d imagine a fox would be.

Content and trigger warnings include death of loved ones, mythical beliefs, quick mentions of animal cruelty and murder. I may have liked reading the book to better keep names straight but I did really enjoy the narration.

The Fox Wife is a richly woven story, hovering on the line between folk tale and modern prose. I was completely absorbed from the first words to the last, and wanted so much to keep living in this space, these words, after it had come to an end. The writing has a dreamy quality, though there's still plenty of humor, action, and suspense within the quiet, elegant lyricism. The plot unfolds like a flower, delicately revealing its connections and divergences; a beautiful, clever, and lingering book, the work of a masterful storyteller.

Thank you to the publisher for the advance review copy.

This story had a strong mythological and whimsical air with an undercurrent of maternal revenge and grief driving it forward. However, it was also very slow and repetitive. I loved the bones but grew weary of the execution.

Prior to reading The Fox Wife, I knew very little of Chinese mythology and nothing at all about fox spirits. Here, I loved getting to learn about these spirits and see them come to life on the pages. Half of the novel is told from the perspective of Snow, a fox spirit currently in the form of a human woman and on a mission of revenge. Through some ruthless cunning on her part and a convenient twist of luck, she starts working as the servant to an elderly woman. That woman’s family—namely her grandson—will be an important key in Snow’s goal of tracking down the man who killed her young daughter. But Snow isn’t the only fox spirit present, and between her and two other fox men—plus the humans they’re traveling with—things will get increasingly complicated.

In addition to Snow’s first-person narrative of revenge, we also get a third-person account of Bao, an older man who has become a private detective after becoming a widower. He has a magical gift of being able to tell truth from lies (this goes back to an event in his childhood), and it serves him well in tracking down missing persons and solving murders. His first case in The Fox Wife is to find out the identity of a woman who died in the streets, a smile on her face. Bao is following a trail that leads him into new mysteries, but at the back of his mind is the ever-present question of whether fox spirits are involved.

I enjoyed the dual-timeline and narrative, with Bao several steps behind what Snow and the others are doing. This novel is a perfect balance of historical fiction, mystery, and fantasy, and I loved seeing how characters and events started to tangle together for an unexpected and climactic end. How might people from your past reemerge now? How can undisclosed connections lead to surprising outcomes? While Bao’s cases keep evolving, so too does Snow’s narrative. What starts as tracking a man down for revenge turns into something more significant.

One question I had throughout the book was in relation to its title: Who is Snow the wife of? What happened to her husband, if she ever had one? What is the full story about her young daughter’s death? Characters come in and out of the story, some only there for a scene, others meant to play a bigger role. It keeps us readers on our toes as we try to unravel this strange tangled web.

If you love your historical fiction with a healthy dose of mystery, fantasy, and mythology, The Fox Wife is an ideal read. It takes place in 1908 throughout northern China and Japan, weaving in cultural and historical elements to create a rich tapestry. It’s filled with thoughtful quotes and observations, shifting characters, and a story that is not what it might first appear. I’ve loved all three of Yangsze Choo’s books so far, and I already can’t wait to read whatever is next for her.

I loved The Night Tiger so I was really excited to receive this arc - a mystery wrapped in myth. The writing was beautiful but unfortunately the story was too slow for my taste. I think many folks will enjoy this one, it just wasn’t for me. Thank you to NetGalley for a chance to read and review this book.

Definitely an interesting story about fox spirits and gods. Set in a wintry China during the last dynasty, the characters also travel to the steppes of Mongolia and over to Japan. While it might not be my favorite Choo (the writing was a little too simple for me), I did enjoy the folklore and mythical aspects of the story. Definitely a though provoking.

I was not expecting to be fully sobbing at the end of a historical fantasy.

The Fox Wife is an introspection into grief, solitude, and womanhood that takes place in 1908 China. A fox-spirit named Snow is on the hunt for revenge no matter the cost, starting a course of events that irrevocably change her life. Her journey converges with that of Bao, a would-be detective with the ability to hear lies who investigates a series of deaths that are shrouded in mystery. The story is emotional, dramatic, and fully nourishing for the soul.

I went into reading the Fox Wife with open eyes and expectations, being entranced by the low fantasy elements and complex plot developments. It certainly paid off: it gives you a plot that slowly unravels itself so you are glued to every page. The pacing is consistent, all the characters are well-rounded, and the plot is dynamic and interesting. This story is certainly more character development than anything, but the struggles of the characters drive the plot in a really intriguing way.

There was also a romantic subplot in the last third of the story that I just was sucked into and had my heart beating out of my chest ❤️

This is a wonderful read for those who love historical fiction but prefer less complex fantasy worldbuilding.

This book has my heart. I have heard of fox spirits that can transform into humans but never encountered an actual story about them. It was fun, entertaining, and rich with Chinese folklore. This literary fiction also dealt with love, loss, and morality. It broke my heart. Tears were shed. The main characters were lovable and made me laugh quite a lot actually. I’m sad to have to part with them so soon.

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book was beautifully written and read from beginning to end. The mythology and folklore was transporting. So thoughtfully done. (Don’t skip the acknowledgments!!) Each character became dear to me and I miss them terribly.

The murder mystery element was so fun and had me riveted, twisting and turning until the end. And the story of grief, love, & belonging that was woven through it all was so achingly sweet I cried.

So often I pick up a book and hope it’s something like this, what a treat the audio book was!

Posted on Goodreads:

3.25/5 ⭐️

East Asian culture and fox mythology come together in this historical fiction that follows two POVs.

We have Snow, a fox who’s been able to live hundreds of years and on the path of what some foxes think of as enlightenment for following certain ways of living for a thousand years. A path that went awry when her fox cub daughter was cruelly murdered. Thus embarking her on a two year journey of revenge.

We have Bao who was on the brink m of dying as a child until a nanny begged a fox god to save his life. Giving Bao the great ability to detect when someone is lying and also being punished for committing lies himself. He’s now an independent investigator who gets hired to find out the identity of a frozen girl found by a restaurant.

Both timelines merge into one and bring forth a beautifully written story. The downside is this was an incredibly slow read. The story moved at a painfully glacial pace and I struggled to keep interested. Or awake.

I believe this would have been a perfect novella or novel on the shorter end. There was too much repetition and dragging of story.

As a revenge story, I was expecting something a bit darker and more empowering. But alas it ended up being a damsel being saved and that left a sour taste.

Thank you netgalley, Henry holt and co and author for the opportunity to read this arc.

For fans of Chinese superstitions, historical fiction, suspense and magical realism, this new novel is for you!

The Fox Wife is told through two storylines: that of Snow (Ah San) a young woman looking for a photographer that might lead her to avenge the death of her child and Bao, a lonely man turned amateur detective who is trying to find the identity of an unknown murdered woman found outside a local restaurant. Set in Manchuria in the early 20th century, Bao and Snow’s journeys will eventually collide with a satisfying conclusion.

This novel will immerse you in the superstition of foxes who can switch from animal to human form. The characters are well fleshed out and although the story takes some time to get into, the pace does eventually pick up. It’s a stroll through time and some magical realism thrown in.

Thank you to @netgalley and @henryholtbooks for the digital review copy This book is out on 2/13/24.

I was given an ARC by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo is a historical retelling of East Asian folklore stories of foxes, particularly in Japan and China. Told in dual-POV, Snow is a fox woman who is looking for revenge while Bao is an older detective whose life has been intertwined with foxes ever since he and his childhood friend gave an offering to a fox shrine.

Snow’s POV is in the first person while Bao’s is in third and they are given roughly an equal amount of time as they chase down Bektu Nikan, a Manchurian photographer. Snow goes all the way to Japan while Bao is not too far behind, picking up various pieces along the way as he talks to courtesans and reminiscences on his childhood.

I loved how the mystery elements were used in Bao’s POV and the hints we got of Snow’s past that all culminate right towards the end. I’m always a fan of being given the pieces to figure things out for myself but still have it revealed in a way I wasn’t expecting and this really delivered on several points. I also loved the dynamics between Snow, Kuro, and Shiro.
I would recommend this to fans of East Asian folklore, fans of historical fiction following female leads, and readers looking for a hint of mystery in their historical fantasy.

I enjoyed this book (read and listened to the audiobook at the same time). I am with asian mythology of Fox Spirits legends so it was easy of me to grasped the concept and the lore.
Overall this story was enjoyable- there were parts I felt were a little drawn out and slow but the audiobook really helped and I enjoyed having the opportunity to listen to Yangsze Choo.

The Fox Wife follows Snow and Bao. Snow is a fox who seeks to find vengeance for the death of her child. She is seeking her child's murderer while encountering/becoming a servant to a family who owns a famous Chinese medicine shop and helps them ward the family curse.
While Bay- is an investigator uncovering mysterious death that many believe is related to fox spirits. He goes on the an adventure uncovering myths and misconceptions of the fox spirits while eventually intersecting with Snow and her journey.

Note: It would be nice to mark which POV was the start of each chapter and reminder of where they are located. (example Boa- China/ Snow-Japan). Since both stories are within the same timeline.


Thank you netgalley, Henry Holt & Company and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to read/listen to this beautiful story.