This isn’t the sort of book I’d normally choose to read but the Malaysian setting and the Chinese folklore attracted me to it, An orphaned house servant, Ren, has to find his deceased master’s severed finger within 49 days of his death so that his soul can rest in peace. Meanwhile, Ji Lin finds herself in possession of a severed finger which leads to a whodunnit story steeped in Chinese folklore. We drift in and out of a world in between life and death - limbo but with each person choosing whether or not to make the final journey to the afterworld. It’s a very enjoyable story which at times I found difficult to put down.

This book was set in 1930—Ipoh, Malaysia and it was so interesting to read a book set in this particular setting. It felt like something that I would have read in a history book with elements of fantasy and what we would have called it as 'cerita dongeng'.

The story as its own was extremely intriguing which was the main reason I decided to pick up this book. The only downfall regarding this story was that in the first half, it was a bit slow but after that, I just couldn't put this book down.

The romance was like a slow burn romance where they never really confess that they have feelings for one another since they are step siblings (awkward!) and they start to unravel slowly but surely. Yeah, they have a pretty complicated and tangled relationship so if you want to grasp their situation, you'll just have to read it for yourself. Though, I really love this kind of spark that has begun to alight since it sort of reminds me from the movie of the classic Clueless.

They were also the five Confucian Virtues and how that ultimately connects with the story was somewhat very interesting to read. It was something that I wasn't familiar with. They were all blended together and I wasn't expecting that. I just didn't realise that they were connected to the story but all in all it was a great surprise.

I don't really like the italicised Malay words and the constant need to explain what it means. For me, as a Malay, sure I found it unnecessary but for a more western audience, I'm sure they could have kept up with it.

The story was all in all wrapped up really well and a very well written book giving you an idea of what it would be like to read in that era, the commons of their manners and more insightful than any that I would have read before. I really recommend you to read this story.

"The Night Tiger" is light fiction with a YA feel that uses Malaysia in the 1930s as a backdrop - I was expecting to learn more about the country and its history, but I was mistaken: This book is obviously intended to be an entertaining mystery mixed with a love story, and it was way too cutesy for me (also, I'm a book snob :-)). The novel operates with two converging storylines, one of them focusing on 11-yea-old Ren who is on a quest to find his late master's amputated finger which has to be buried with the corpse because common lore has it that otherwise, the incomplete body has to wander the earth forever. The other narrative thread starts with Jin Lin, a dressmaker's apprentice who secretly works at a dance hall. She happens to get a hold of a preserved finger a customer was carrying - which brings us to the first problem of the book: It relies heavily on coincidence and the structuring device that 5 characters whose names represent the Confucian virtues have to meet to solve the mystery never comes to a satisfying conclusion. Oh yes, and there's a weretiger roaming through the decor.

On top of that, there's a lot of repetition, which unfortunately doesn't feel like a narrative device, but like a tool to keep the bar low for readers with short attentions spans: How often do we have to hear about the five virtues and what they signify, how often do we have to hear about Ren's age, how often do we have to hear explanations regarding the weretiger? (Yes, I can repete myself as well, but do you feel like my review is literature?)

Also, the book reminded me of the (admittedly very European) discussion re American YA literature which often perpetrates evangelical and conservative messages (see A Wrinkle in Time or the whole "Twilight" series): Choo obsesses over virginity, and while it is explained that this was a female currency in Malaysia at the time, the way Jin Lin complies and that no-sex-scene gave me the creeps: It shows a man who is promiscuous because of heartbreak (of course), and who is longing for a virgin who absolutely wants to have sex with him but is afraid because she is expected to remain chaste (of course) - and all of this is not portrayed as tragic or the result of an oppressive society, but more than anything as romantic (newsflash: It's not). I can't believe it's 2019 and we are still dealing with this kind of storytelling.

So all in all, I guess this is a decent beach read, but I felt like this could have been a lot more.

Thank you to Quercus and Netgalley for the ARC, but please, people at Quercus: If you set a deadline for reviews to be posted, don't publish the deadline the very same day the deadline ends. It's not a fair way to treat reviewers.

A historical fiction novel that has magical realism set in 1930s Malasia. I enjoyed this book for including myths of Malasia as well, because I enjoy being introduced to different cultures at different times.

I also liked the characters, and the mystery involved. I wish the pace was a bit better. But, overall a solid book and good writing.
Thanks a lot for this ARC, NetGalley and the publisher.

An exquisite, beauty of a novel. The author writes with an apparent ease and draws you fully into this world. The characters are brilliantly depicted and the novel overall pulls you into it's world. A fantastic book by an author I'm glad to have discovered!

A lush blend of historical fiction and magical realism, The Night Tiger by Yansze Choo is truly a beautiful book, Set in Malaysia in the 1930's the book turns on a Malay folktale about Weretigers, people who became tigers at will, supposedly identifiable by their lack of a philtrum. In The NIght Tiger, the author takes this folk tale and uses it to interweave the stories of Ren, an eleven year old houseboy who works for a doctor, and Ji Lin, a young chinese woman who dreamed of becoming a doctor, but is apprenticed to a dressmaker and working in a dance hall to help pay her mother's debts. When Ren is asked by his dying master to find a finger the doctor donated to science so that he can be buried whole, he has no idea where his quest will take him. Meanwhile Ji Lin is shocked to find that the object she picked up from a dance hall client is a preserved human finger. Both Ren and Ji Lin will face challenges and adventure in a quest to reunite the finger with it's owner, and time is against them as legend says if it not returned within 49 days , the doctor's soul will roam the earth unsatisfied.
To reveal any more would spoil the magic and mystery of this truly enthralling tale, one that has been superbly crafted. The writing is lushly evocative, and really brings both people and place to life, so full of atmosphere, and with a healthy helping of tension that keeps the story moving along. I cannot praise enough the skill with which the various threads of the story are woven together, and I know that this book will stay with me long after I have turned the final page.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher,all opinions are my own.

I am giving this 3.5 stars, not 3 as indicated in the rating.

This is an engaging, detailed novel set in Malaya in the thirties. There's plenty to keep you reading, including an interesting plot, likeable characters, plus a mystery involving a missing finger and a man who inhabits the body of a tiger. I enjoyed the descriptions of the area and the historical detail.

The chapters alternate between two characters who are linked by the mystery - an eleven year old boy, Ren (his chapters are told in third person present tense), and a young lady, Ji Lin (her chapters are told in first person past tense). I found the switching of tenses between chapters a little strange.

While I enjoyed this novel from start to finish, I didn't feel particularly emotionally connected to the characters. Too often, their thoughts and feelings were told to us, rather than revealed through their actions. Also, some of the 'twists' towards the end were too clearly signposted.

However, this book was a solid, enjoyable read for me. Thank you NetGalley!

An intriguing book, set in 1930s Malaya, following the lives over a few weeks of dance hall girl Ji Lin and house boy Ren. An intricately woven tale, full of magical realism, Ji Lin and Ren come together over an amputated finger, of all things. It is a beautifully told story, the characters come to life on the page, through their interactions and their dreams. And in the background is always the threat of a man-eating tiger roaming the district, or is it a weretiger...
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When I started this book my mood was something like “I don’t know if I’m going to like”, it then became “It’s a good book”, at the end it was “Why do I have stop reading, one more page please”.
It made me think of a luscious exotic landscape, full of wonders and exciting things.
I loved the mix of genre, from women’s fiction to mystery, as well as I liked the magic realism and the references to Chinese and Malaysian tradition and lore.
The history background is fascinating, it gives you back the atmosphere of 1930s Malaysia and the depiction of the women condition is interesting as well as the one of the relationships between locals and Europeans.
It took me some time to get involved in the plot but once I was hooked there was no way I was going to put the book down.
The cast of characters is well written and fleshed out, I loved them all for different reasons. Each of them was interesting and somehow relatable.
A very good book, one of those book you don’t want to end and, at same time, make you wish to reach the last pages and see how will things will evolve.
I will surely read other books by this author.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Quercus Books and Netgalley for this ARC

Yangsze Choo writes an enthralling and exhilarating piece of well researched historical fiction set in the British colony of Malaya (Malaysia) of the 1930s. The fraught and upset British Dr MacFarlane is dying and worried about what will happen to his soul upon death. He had been gifted a 11 year old Chinese house boy, Ren, by a friend. Ren is a kind, loyal and compassionate boy and when his dying master on his deathbed asks that he finds his severed finger and bury it with his dead body to prevent his soul from roaming the earth forever, he complies. However, he must do this within 49 days, adding a strong sense of urgency to his time sensitive obstacle ridden quest. Ren is to find his path crosses with that of Ji-Lin, a bright and intelligent woman, whose ambitions to be a doctor have been thwarted by her step father. This is a atmospheric story of tradition, culture, masters, servants, love and the dead, incorporating the central role of Chinese mythology and folklore, colonisation, dreams and superstition.

Ji-Lin is a trainee dressmaker, who is secretly working as a dance hall girl, Louise, at the Flower Dance Hall to pay off her mother's mahjong debts. One night, she dances with Chan Yew Cheung, who leaves her with a shrivelled finger in a vial, ensuring her fate is intertwined and indelibly connected with that of young Ren. There are strange and bizarre deaths that occur amidst rampant tales of tigers that can take on human form, magical shapeshifters. Choo's writing is beautiful in this gorgeously immersive read, with rich descriptions that give us a fabulous sense of location and this historical era. There is suspense and intrigue in this multilayered and fascinating depiction of Malaya, the importance of tigers within the culture, and the role of superstition in carving out fate and destiny. I loved the well developed central characters of Ren and Ji-Lin, particularly Ji-Lin, she is a strong woman, although I am not so certain about the romance elements that involved her. This is captivating and imaginative storytelling in which Choo expertly weaves together the disparate threads within a narrative that includes secrets, family, sibling relationships and ghosts. Many thanks to Quercus for an ARC.

Set in Malaya (Malaysia) in the 1930's, this is a dual perspective historical fiction book. This was my first book by this author and after reading this I definitely want to check out her other books. I really enjoyed this book, although it did take me a couple of chapters to become invested in the characters. Speaking of which, the characters were all well written. However I wasn't the biggest fan of the romance that played quite a big role in one of the character perspective. The guy turns out to be quite possessive and controlling. Apart from that, I enjoyed this book and would recommend checking it out, especially if you enjoy magical realism.

I think it’s safe to say The Night Tiger has cemented Yangsze Choo as one of my autoread authors. It’s a gorgeously written, slowburn of a mystery, and you’ll fall in love with the characters.

The plot follows three characters: Ren, a doctor’s houseboy, Ji Lin, a trainee seamstress and dancehall girl, and William Acton, an English doctor. We open the novel with Ren’s master, Doctor MacFarlane, on his deathbed entrusting him with the task of finding his missing finger. Which, you have to admit, is a pretty great start for any novel – it hooks you right in immediately. This finger is of the utmost importance, because if, after 49 days, MacFarlane is lain to rest without it his soul will wander the earth restlessly.

One of the things I loved most about this book was the way Yangsze Choo developed the mystery, slowly weaving together strands and bringing the characters closer to each other. As each little piece of the mystery was revealed, I got more and more excited about it, and more and more involved with the characters. It was the same as in The Ghost Bride. You get slowly drawn into the story until you can’t put it down and you would genuinely die for the characters. And then, right at the end, she pulls things you don’t see coming (I mean, I guessed one thing, but no way did I guess the other).

Another thing that Yangsze Choo does so well is creating and developing the relationships between all her characters. I mean, there was even one that is based on a concept I hate (which I’ll talk more about in a moment), but she had me rooting for it (to an extent). I loved each of the characters we got to see (even if I didn’t always like them), and I loved their interactions with the other characters and the relationships they held. She just has this knack of creating the perfect dynamics that I can’t help but love.

The (maybe-not-so) small issue I did have was with the romance. It was a similar dynamic to Er Lang and Li Lan, so obviously I was going to love it. I mean, kind of snarking/biting/not-entirely-friendly comments hiding something a bit more like love? That’s something I’m guaranteed to adore. But this time, it was between step-siblings. And I know, I know, not real siblings, not related, etc etc. But also, they had been brought up as brother and sister from the age of 10. And they were treated as brother and sister. As twins even. So, I was conflicted. Because I did love the dynamic and if it hadn’t been step-siblings I would have gone for it wholeheartedly. But they were step-siblings, so, while I still liked it (unexpectedly, and not wholly desiredly), I did have that fairly big reservation.

But, on the whole, I loved this book so much. It’s probably one of my favourite reads in January, possibly even the whole year (even after only one month). So, if you pick up a new author any time soon, pick up Yangsze Choo.

I thoroughly loved this story! It satisfies a broad spectrum of genres: mystery, fantasy, historical fiction and romance, to name a few.  The two main characters - Ji Lin and Ren - find their paths connected, over a severed, preserved finger, that will take both characters (and the reader) on a journey filled with mystical folklore, they won't forget. 

The Night Tiger is exquisitely written as Choo’s writing effortlessly immersed me in a world that felt like it was beyond the realm of reality, and I found I didn't want the story to end.  She achieved this by the story's setting in 1930s Malaya, and using paranormal connections and Chinese folklore, which included Confucian virtues and were-tigers! I really enjoyed the mystical mysteries that drove the story on: from the burden of the finger, questions surrounding the afterlife and what part fate plays in everything.
The pace of the story was consistent, and I personally never found any of her writing to be overly descriptive (which I can be a real stickler about!).  Also, fans of Choo's debut, The Ghost Bride, will have a little flash from the past with a little 5 second mention thrown in! I thought that was quite sweet and clever.

The characters in this story - WOW! Choo created and developed a handful of characters really well, and I cared about the majority of them; panicking in case something would happen to them, tension when they were feeling anxious, excitement when something went right. I really liked the two main characters, Ji Lin and Ren, because they thoroughly engaged me as a reader, pretty much from the get-go. They had their own personal stories alongside the overarching story, which were as interesting as the main story.  Also, I admired how Choo captured social issues such as gender roles and social class through her characters, especially as the story is set against the backdrop of a growing melting pot of colonisation in what is modern day Malaysia.

As well, something I really liked about The Night Tiger, was that Choo alternated her writing narrative per character.  Ji Lin was told in a first person narrative, whereas Ren and another character were told from a third person narrative.  I didn’t even realise this was the case until a couple of chapters in, but it worked well.  It somehow made Ji Lin and Ren’s perspectives more personal.

Although, there is one point in this story that concerns me for other readers, as I'm aware from other books that contain a kind of similar relationship, are frowned upon. I really hope any perspective readers who frown upon the relationship that develops, won't let it detract from the amazing story and world Choo has illustrated.  Personally, I really liked the relationship that developed, it seemed right, like it was meant to be.

I really enjoyed Choo's inclusion of further information about Chinese folklore, superstitions, the history of modern day Malaysia and so on, at the end of the book. It was like the cherry on top of a cake, providing me with all the information I may have wanted to research afterwards, about such folklore etc.

Overall, The Night Tiger is an amazing story which is now a personal favourite of mine.  I am certain it will be in my top favourite reads of 2019.  It is a mystical and interesting story, with characters that are easy to like (and love) and is weaved together through a captivating prose that is full of imagery.  If you want to read a fantasy book that gives the reader a little bit more, then it MUST be this one. You won’t regret it!  I rated The Night Tiger 5 stars on goodreads.  A massive, massive congratulations and thanks to Choo, for creating a story that I will inevitably and eagerly return to.  I've already pre-ordered my hardback copy! And a kind thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Filled with superstition, ghosts and the afterlife, the Night Tiger explores colonial Malaysia in 1930s. Five people are brought together through a connection of the five Confucian virtues, while mysterious events with no rational explanation start to happen around them.

Yangsze Choo has created a whimsical imaginary world of ghosts and spirits that was unlike anything I have read before. I was not sure whether I liked the book at first, but it progressively grew on me and eventually I found myself fully immersed in the story. It is hard to describe the plot but I think this atmospheric and magical novel will appeal to many. The book is a must read for fans of magical realism and those intrigued by Chinese/Malaysian culture.

Many thanks to Quercus and NetGalley for my review copy in exchange for an honest review.

The review was posted on Goodreads on 24 January 19 and it will be posted on Amazon on the publication day.

Yangsze Choo is one of my favourite authors, and The Night Tiger was one of my most anticipated releases of 2019. After being thoroughly impressed by The Ghost Bride, I was really looking forward to seeing what Choo had in store for us with this novel. Four days after finishing it, I am still in utter awe with just how good this book was.

The Night Tiger follows the stories of Ji Lin (an apprentice dressmaker trying to pay off her mother’s debts) and Ren (an eleven year old houseboy on a time-set mission). Set in 1930s colonial Malaya, the plot takes us through the rather lucky and unlucky ways in which these two characters’ lives unfold, and how they ultimately mingle with each other.

I have to say, right off the bat, that this book downright terrified me. The tiger is an animal of great importance to Asian folklore and mythologies – and, as such, has always been highly revered. But revered entities are also taught to be feared. I think in regions like South Asia and South-East Asia where tigers are a very commonly found animal (until they were endangered and under wildlife protection, of course), the stories of tigers are always intertwined with local oral tradition. It’s fairly normal to see them as fearsome beings to be respected because, well, they actually exist very close by.

I’m South-Asian, and have always felt a tremendous amount of respect for this animal. I also deeply fear it, as a result. So, Choo’s story spinning the myth of the weretiger and combining it with elements of suspense and horror actually had me sitting on the edge of my seat. In fact, there were scenes that gave me literal goosebumps, and one particular scene that had me trembling with fright. Obviously, I cannot disregard the author’s skill on delivering an adrenaline-fuelled moment so well – in this case, both the content and the craft worked amazingly well together.

If I’m being perfectly honest, the only reason I docked off a star from the final rating is because the romance didn’t do much for me. That is not to say that Ji Lin and Shin’s story was bland. If anything, I definitely could pick up on their very palpable chemistry. I feel like, perhaps, I could’ve enjoyed their story more if not for the glaring fact that their relationship was easily outdone by the relationship of the other main characters with each other (at least, in my eyes).

The thing that appealed to me greatly about the story was how entranced I was by the relationship between every single character with the other. If there had been no romance in the book, it still would’ve held incredibly strong – which is meant purely as a compliment to the author, for writing such powerful characters and executing such a brilliant plot. For me, the shining glory of The Night Tiger was definitely the way everything ultimately came together. This novel is a commentary on fate, human virtues, and what luck means for people. All this wrapped up in a fantasy book? That’s a winning recipe for me.

Overall, this is an excellently written mystery-fantasy set in a very lush historical setting. I have nothing but praise for Yangsze Choo’s work, and strongly urge you to check out this book when it releases on 12 February, 2019. This year is very promising for Asian own-voices fantasy stories, and you can’t miss out on this one. I can’t wait to get my hands on my copy and devour it (pun very much intended).

Trigger Warning: The book discusses domestic abuse (specifically spousal and parental abuse) towards non-POV characters.

I started this book having not read any blurb about it - so had absolutely no clue what it was really going to be about. I was quickly sucked into Malaysia during the 1930's and was suddenly involved in a strange mystery that would involve dance halls, ghosts, tigers and a preserved finger in a jar, mix this all in with some Malaysian folklore and you have yourself a very strange tale indeed.


This was quite a cool twisty book with plenty of amazing descriptions of the smells, taste and feel of both the era and country. I was kept on my toes throughout and found myself whizzing through the book as each chapter ending was so tantalising I just wanted to know how it ended. Sure, it was at times a little far fetched but I was able to accept this and just go with the flow as the book was written so beautifully and I really felt caught up in the whole mystery.


A lovely little mystery with plenty of well built rounded characters, a pleasure to read over a cold rainy weekend in January.

Myth, legend, ghost story, love story, murder mystery - all these descriptions are valid for The Night Tiger.

William Acton is a doctor in 1930s Malaya, a womanizer who finds unfortunate and tragic accidents seem to come to pass around him - is this bad luck or is it a tiger? A real tiger or the mythical were-tiger?

Were-tigers are known to be linked to individuals with maimed hands or feet - cut to the story of Ren, William's new houseboy, on a mission to recover the preserved finger of his recently deceased previous master, and reunite it with his body in order to allow his soul to rest.

Elsewhere in the city, Ji Lin and Sin are step-siblings, who become increasingly drawn together as time progresses, and they become involved with the missing finger.

A clever, clever story. Every character intricately linked to every other; many secrets hidden amongst the narrative, all tied together by the tiger myth. A new and exciting read - highly recommended.

Set in Malaysia during the colonial period, "The Night Tiger" follows a series of characters, the narratives of which are woven together as Choo reveals her story in pieces to the reader; the characters themselves struggle to figure out the mysteries surrounding them. The writing is poetic, lyrical, whilst magical realism prevails, the characters are compelling and the storyline consumes its reader; the events that happen, however, feel too easily given, contrived; people are connected in too obvious of ways, a conversation is overheard, etc.

The Night Tiger was a great mystery read set in 1930s Malaysia with superstitious and folklore elements. We're following two main characters Ren, an 11-year old houseboy, who's looking to reunite his former master's lost finger with his body and young Ji Lin, a dressmaker's apprentice in an intertwined storyline.
I enjoyed the writing style and lush descriptions of this more character-driven story.
I'd recommend this book if you liked The Geisha or Pachinko adding a mystery twist to it.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an eARC. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

This book is set 1930’s in Malaysia. The characters Ren and Ji Lin are written very well- full of magical and life.
It’s beautifully written
Thank you to both NetGalley and Quercus Books for my eARC of this book in exchange for my honest unbiased review