The Empress of Salt and Fortune is a subtle, gripping, atmospheric tale about the resilience and power of women. The structure alternates between past and present as cleric Chih, tasked with documenting history of the old empress, listens to an old woman named Rabbit who served the empress recount their days together in exile. The story of the empress is pieced together via anecdotes relating to various objects Chih uncovers from the empress's past. The prose is poetic and evocative, giving color and life to the characters. It took some time for everything to coalesce, but it was worth the wait. Queerness was normalized, which was a breath of fresh air, and the relationships between and agency of women drove the narrative, imbuing it with feminist themes. I would love to see more stories set in this world and follow Chih on more journeys.

A story told through objects and memories. With wandering clerics, queer characters, and empires. I would love to re-visit this world in another story.

I've discovered a few interesting novellas recently and the first was an arc from Netgalley - I love the Tor.com novellas! I mentioned in last months wrap-up that I was a little obsessed with South East Asia, especially Japan, China and South Korea and that has carried on into March. I've read a few books that are set in a South East Asian country or inspired by those countries including this novella by Nghi Vo.

We follow the life of an empress, through the stories of one of her now elderly handmaidens. The novella confused me a little initially as the story is being told to a traveller who is non-binary (which I wasn't expecting) and the magical realism/fantasy elements were also a little confusing as I thought it was a historical fiction - that's my fault for not fully reading reviews beforehand. After the initial confusion, it was an interesting mix of an Asian period drama or historical fiction with fantasy elements and female friendships. I didn't connect or love it as I hoped I would but I will definitely be looking out for more from this author.

The Empress of Salt and Fortune is described as an “Asian period drama”, which sounds about right to me. It opens with a cleric, Chih, whose job is to document events and stories, in order that they might be remembered and understood in the future. They travel with a hoopoe, Almost Brilliant, who is a neixin. The neixin work alongside clerics, learning stories and passing them on. Chih is eager to catalogue the stories of the place where the recently deceased Empress was originally exiled from the court, prior to her rise to power. They’re lucky enough to meet Rabbit, an old woman who served the Empress before and during her exile.

The story is parcelled out in little snatches: Rabbit curates the story, presenting what she wants Chih to understand and slowly bringing them to the understanding of it. I found myself not very surprised by the reveal by the time we got to the ending, but the slow spinning out of the story worked for me. It feels very fairytale-like, with most of the characters very opaque, but the little glimpses we see are enough to flesh it out — at least enough to keep me interested through the course of the novella.

Just to note, I’m unclear whether Chih is actually non-binary rep. As far as I remember the early part of the book, Rabbit assumes they are female until she realises they’re a cleric. So it sounds more to me like a cultural thing, rather than an identity thing per se, and it isn’t really explored. It’s just a fact. There is also a brief reference to a lesbian relationship, but it’s very brief and not really very important to the story. There’s queerness woven into the story, but I didn’t feel it was particularly intended to be the centrepiece.

It feels like there’s so much potential for more stories in this world — stories about the clerics themselves, as well as the stories they discover and record. I’d be interested to read more if there ever is more, but it does also work as a self-contained story.

For a small book, this one has left an impact on me. I loved the setting and the characters and still feel intrigued about the world. I won't say much about the plot because it's only about 120 pages long, but I thoroughly enjoyed it

I love how this story was told. We get Chih's perspective, as they enter a town for a special event, and Rabbit's perspective, an elderly lady who offers Chih a place to stay. Rabbit reveals that, when she was young, she worked in the women's court for the then empress. She tells Chih stories of her time spent in the court, asking after each story if Chih understands

This book read like a folklore, with different elements of royalty, history, and religion. The world was built so well in 120 pages, and I'd love to return to this world for longer

I'd highly recommend this if you're looking for a short, easy-read fantasy with great lgbtq rep, including a non-binary protagonist

Thank you netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

This is a story of a cleric who meets an old woman, on their way to meet the new Empress. The old woman, Rabbit, used to know the previous Empress and tells the cleric about her. This novella is only 112 pages, so I won’t spoil you.

This novella is written in beautiful poetic prose. I found myself stopping to reread many of the images evoked in the text. I was so absorbed in the story and vivid descriptions that I forgot it was so short.

The non-binary rep in this novella was excellent. I love that more voices are being represented in literature. This novella is simply beautiful, and I highly recommend everyone read it. Nghi Vo is a talent!

The Empress of Salt and Fortune is what it’s like to read fables and lessons of greatness but highlighted and improved upon with magic that turns rocks to peonies, mammoths roam the world, girls kissing and moaning, and nonbinary students listening to queer grandmothers. Vo writes a poetic and beautifully drawn epic novella inspired by Chinese culture, history, and storytelling.

It starts with Chih, a cleric learning of the great Empress of Salt and Fortune. Separated by a lesson, every part of this story is something Rabbit wants Chih to know about the Empress. The first moments she met the Empress from the north, wife of the Emperor of Pine and Steel. The seclusion and politics finding the Empress wherever she went. Her very existence a threat to men. All those juicy tales.

Vo gives us flavor when she says queer empresses get to exist in fantasy without having to center homophobia. This is chocolate, 3 big scoops, syrup with a cherry on top mood. Yes, empresses can walk into a shop and turn up the horny. We see you, love. We appreciate your art.

The prose is one of my favorite things about Vo’s writing. Her writing is like watching flowers on your desk open, slowly changing from newness to lovely death; all beautiful. Pay attention because you may miss something underneath, some message she tells through all the complex politics, relationships and dialogue. Written with Chinese inspirations and epic fantastical tales, she tells us something through the complex characters you meet along the way. We spend time in Rabbit’s house, going through things belonging to the Empress. With each item or thought, Rabbit stops and tells poetic tales of the woman she once knew.

One qualm I have is there are parts of this novella that drag, making me feel like I couldn’t quite get into it as much. I felt distanced from characters which tells me the novella don’t have nearly as much character development as it should. I barely felt like I knew Chih and yet they show up in every chapter. Rabbit felt very far away. Still, I knew her life story. I need the details of what makes someone who they are. The messy. The good. The weird. The little details of where we’re from and what we love and what drives the actions we take. I wanted more of what is already here but the author missed me by a little bit.

The Empress of Salt and Fortune is kisses, tears, and all the magical book gifts you could desire in a swanky little novella. Go to the bookstore and order some Empress of Salt and Fortune with a cherry for clear skin. This is the type of feminism I want to eat. Always consume your feminism in book form.

Thank you to Tor for an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

I usually gravitate towards Tor.com titles because, let’s be honest, it’s where you can find some of the best science fiction out there today. While I enjoy fantasy, my genre sweet spot is almost always “speculative” and light science fiction. Well, The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo, changed my mind about fantasy novellas for good. This little novella packs such a punch, and is simultaneously heart-wrenching and heart-warming; it’s feminist as heck, and doesn’t hold back or apologize for it’s presence.

Set in a fantasy empire evocative of imperial China, our characters are wrapped in an atmosphere that’s equal parts lush and rustic. A story within the story unravels itself as a cleric and elderly stranger talk and reminisce. From their conversations, a beautiful story of friendship between two young women, a lonely empress and her poor handmaiden, is born. The heights and complexities of female friendships are thoroughly explored, and the ending left me so contentedly pleased.

A short read perfect for lovers of both fantasy and historical fiction, I recommend this to anyone looking for a world to sink into on a quiet evening. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed by this remarkable little tale.

5/5 stars and my new favorite fantasy novella to date.

Thanks to Netgalley and Tor.com Publishing for the eArc of this title. The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo releases on March 24, 2020.

A gem of a book.
Sweet and sorrowful and sensous.
Unique in its story telling and entirely original in its twists and turns of plot.
The characters are endearing and beautifully written, cast in an asain inspired world where cultures and hirachy clash and women are at once unseen and in control.
This is not a "classic ya fantasy" in any shape or form, if you want something a little different, a little deeper and just the right amount more complex, then get your hands on The Empress of Salt and Fortune.

The Empress of Salt and Fortune is a novella that packs a lot of punch. It tells the story of Empress In-yo, as seen through the eyes of her handmaiden and confidante, Rabbit, told to a cleric after the Empress's death. There's a touch of magic woven through, but the story itself is mostly about ingenuity, love in its many shapes and sizes, exile, and strength. Honestly, I just wish this had been a full-length novel. It's too short to dive into really, and I felt a bit cheated of the rest of the world Vo built.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this novella!

Rating: 3.5 stars
Rep: Non-binary & POC MC, queer & POC side characters.

While I definitely understand why people love this book, I'm not sure how to feel. I did enjoy it but it's left me feeling confused and a bit indifferent. I don't think the writing style was for me, though I can appreciate that this is a beautifully written novella.

The story was very interesting and I liked that it was told in dual perspective timelines. Though, as the book switched between 1st and 3rd person, it was a little jarring at times. I feel like I've been left with more questions than answers and while I adored the themes of friendship and loyalty, unfortunately, I didn't love this like I was expecting.

Overall, there's no denying this novella of under 150 pages packed a punch and I'm excited to read more by this author in the future!

I had been wanting to read this novella since the cover was revealed because it's beauuuuutiful. After finishing, it is almost more beautiful because you know the significance of the different animals that are depicted. This novella tells the tale of the titular Empress of Salt and Fortune, and what her life was like.

This was one of my favorite things about the novella. The story starts out with a cleric running in to an old handmaiden of the (former) Empress. As the cleric is tasked with recording both the history and current events happening in the kingdom. The two stay together for a while at the old Empress' home, and the handmaiden tells the cleric stories of the Empress' life.

Each chapter has a different short story about the Empress, which is often linked to an object that the cleric finds in the house. I really liked that the stories were attached to objects. It's a really interesting way to think about memory. I also really liked the intertwining of the present day interactions of the cleric and handmaiden with the past interactions of the handmaiden and Empress, and other people.

I think this is also a good structure in that you get to know the characters and the backstory of the Empress and kingdom very slowly. It almost felt like reading a mystery. Each little piece is unveiled slowly, and it all fits together at the end.

Of course it's about women, as the novel is told by the handmaiden of the Empress, and is the Empress' story. But it's more than that. It's about female friendships, and how important they are to have. It's also about the Empress herself loving and being with women! We love a good wlw aspect. Most importantly, it's about women and how badly they are treated by the patriarchy (in particular, REALLY SHITTY husbands). I love watching the revenge plot unfold, it's wonderful.

A non-binary narrator who takes down the handmaiden's story! Beautiful writing! Celebration of stories as important to history, no matter how small the story! I could go on but then my review would be longer than the novella hahaha.

This novella was absolutely stunning. Literally, I can’t stop screaming about it. Between the absolutely gorgeous prose, and the way that each scene was set in such a lyrical way, and the unforgettable characters, I can’t think of a single thing that didn’t work.

I loved the way that the story was told, truly. That it was told through the handmaiden's POV and then digested by Chih’s perspective (A non-binary cleric who legit had me screaming!), honestly I think made me a little more thoughtful about the story. And I really really do love the different perspective it gives. I don’t think it would have packed nearly as much of a punch without the necessary distance of the delivery. And it served to highlight how it can be easy to see powerful public figures such as an Empress as less human, when really, they’re just like anyone else.

This is at its core a story about the underdog rising up to take power, and ultimately—revenge on the people who wronged her. There’s so much about this book that had me screaming girl power. I loved the relationship between the empress and her handmaiden, honestly. It was so tender and touching. AND WOW the twists. There were a couple fantastic twists. The kind of twist where you don’t really see it coming, but when you get there it becomes so obvious and how did you not see it, but it was done so well.

Whewww well, I could go on gushing about this novella for hours, but I won’t. I will say this, this novella is a master-class on story-telling, it’s short, to the point, and gorgeously written. I’ll recommend it to anyone who wants to write good fantasy. Or anyone who likes books in general. Also, people who enjoyed the Tensorate series by JY Neon Yang, will probably enjoy this one as well.

This review will go live on my website on March 10, 2020

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher I was able to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
***
The Empress of Salt and Fortune is a wonderful novella that unfolds as Chih, a cleric, and their bird companion, Almost Brilliant, stumble upon the old exiled home of the previous empress and find her once upon a time handmaiden, Rabbit, within.
What unfolds is a beautiful, complex story set in an imperial China like setting. The story tells of how a lonely and mostly reviled woman, In-yo, from the north got her own back from the ones who sought to lay her low and keep her there. It is a puzzle story that each chapter unfolds and lets you know how In-yo arrived, what she arrived to, and how she started her slow rise to power.
Beautiful and amazing, I can’t wait to have more people to talk about this book too.

This book was just as described in the synopsis, in the best way possible. Feminism (in ancient China, no less), a bit of political maneuvering, LGBTQ+ mentions, women circumventing the system to gain power in a world where they usually have none, female imperials actively in power. It certainly read just like an Asian period drama, too – descriptions of costumes, relics, speech – everything felt so immersive, the setting just as rich as watching a drama. Coming off of just having watched The Untamed, this was sheer excellence, a nice companion with the same vibes.

And this is a novella. It took me perhaps an hour to read, yet it contained so very much. Characters had enough time on-page for you to learn what they were made of, things happened rapidly and kept you reading, and there were sidelong glances into the more supernatural aspects of the world. It was simply incredible.
Did I mention I opened the ARC and the first page contained a They/Them pronoun?

The greatest achievement of the book for me was the friendships. The cleric Chih, who meets Rabbit, the former handmaiden, bonds with her profoundly, even in such a short time. Every sentence that their timeline is on the page is meaningful, even as Rabbit recounts the “real action” of the past. Rabbit and In-Yo, handmaiden and empress, form a bond that almost defies belief, given the class divide – but as women wronged and scorned by the society they live within, they are absolute equals. Their revenge on the patriarchal power structure, those last few paragraphs, were amazing. I even got emotional at one scene at the end – I didn’t expect to invest so heavily in a novella-length book!

It’s a short book, so to keep it brief – if feminism within a particularly constrictive society is up your alley, or you like Asian period pieces, or just want to see how some bold women can use a garbage system against its own operators, please read this. It was short, sweet, and I would absolutely have read a longer version.

« Angry mothers raise daughters fierce enough to fight wolves. »
What this book is about : Asian culture, warrior women riding mammoths, political intrigues.
It wasn't easy going into this story at the beginning, mostly because I wasn't really focused on the reading experience. But since it's a short book and the premise was really good, I promised myself that I wouldn't DNF it, and I'm glad I didn't.
Once I understood the characters a bit more and what their place on the story was, I really enjoyed it. The writing was beautiful, and I liked the style in which the story was told : through flashbacks. The plot twist was amazing and took me totally by surprise, and I will read it again just to understand better the parts I missed.
A short and enjoyable book, totally recommend

The Empress of Salt and Fortune is a really tight, well-written novella that sort of comes at its story side-on, building up the past through a series of short scenes (each based around an object or artifact) that come together to present a united whole.

It's a short story, but one with wonderful lines and a huge emotional payout.

“Angry mothers raise daughters fierce enough to fight wolves.”

I loved the way Empress In-yo is presented from a distance. We get to hear Rabbit side of the story, her version of events and her interpretation, but Vo never really lets us into In-yo's head. This keeps the Empress aloof, and slightly other. You can guess at her plans and motivations but Vo doesn't seem to feel the need to make In-yo justify her actions, even when they feel harsh. I liked seeing this unapologetically driven woman making choices that the narrator -- and the readers -- might not agree with, but sticking to it because it's what she feels that she needs to do. Staying out of In-yo head doesn't give you a way out, or a way to sugar coat her decisions. She makes the choices she makes, and sometimes it's nice to read a character like that. As a human being, it might make her a bad person (maybe? depending on your viewpoint?) but it makes for a facilitating character you really want to delve into. Vo gives you just enough.

Overall, I would have like the story to be teased out just a little longer. The short length works but the opening and closing feel just a tad abrupt. I loved the atmosphere and aesthetic of the world, especially how quickly and efficiently it's conveyed.

LOVELOVELOVE.

Sorry. A little incoherent?

I've been on a Tor.com novella surge lately, and I never cease to be outstanded by the power these short volumes hold. EMPRESS is no exception: a vivid, beautiful fantasy inspired by Asian folklore. What I loved most was Vo's ability to balance both vicious revenge & politics with quiet lyricism, never letting one dominate the other. Her characters are unapologetically queer, her worldbuilding is just ... breathtaking, and in only 112 pages, she has created a network of people and places that will stay with me forever. I mean, what else can I say? If the idea of an exiled empress cleverly plotting her vengeance amidst a backdrop of glowing lakes, WAR MAMMOTHS, and queer women/nonbinary folks doesn't sell you immediately, then we can't be friends anymore.

Unreserved recommend to all fantasy lovers. 1000/5 stars.

What an outstanding novella. It took me a while to get into the method of telling, with the outside perspective listening to a story being told, but it really did help to slow down the pacing in a good way, to force the reader to really contemplate the story as it was being revealed. I did make the connections to the plot twists before they happened because I had that time to contemplate, but I don't think that's a bad thing, considering that inevitability and its opposites are important ideas in the story.

Also, nonbinary and general queer rep? So good. Such an excellent and seamless use of they/them pronouns. Would definitely recommend, for the continuing publication to Asian authored and based fantasy in western countries (which I want to read so much more of, all the time), the excellent writing of queer characters, and the sheer contemplation it inspired.

Nonbinary Chih and her trusty companion, a sentient hoopoe named Almost Brilliant, have arrived on the shores of Lake Scarlet to learn more about the formerly restricted location on their way to the coronation of the new Empress. When they arrive at the lake, at the beginning of Nghi Vo’s novella, The Empress of Salt and Fortune, they meet an old woman who offers them a story. Given that Chih’s entire job is to collect stories and histories, they cannot resist the offer—even if there is an outside chance that the old woman is a ghost with an ulterior motive.

The old woman, who calls herself Rabbit and who Chih calls grandmother, turns out to have an extraordinary tale for Chih. Lake Scarlet used to be the site of a palace, Thriving Fortune, where the previous Empress was briefly exiled. Rabbit was the servant of the old Empress. The two first met when the Empress first came to the capital of Anh, to marry the emperor and produce an heir. The custom of the country was that, once that heir was born, the empress would be sterilized and exiled so that she could never give birth to a rival. As we learn by sitting in with Chih and Almost Brilliant, this was a fatal mistake for the old powers that be.

It’s funny that I just listened to an episode of Noble Blood about Wu Zetian; there are some definite parallels between Wu Zetian‘s story and the story of the Empress of Salt and Fortune. As a bonus though, this novel has ghosts, magic, codes in fortunes, and mammoths on top of the political intrigue. The Empress of Salt and Fortune is an entertaining fantasy novel, set in a fresh, vibrant world that I wish I could learn more about. It’s the kind of book that can be inhaled in an afternoon (or a morning, in my case). My only complaint about this book is that I wish it was longer! I want more of the world of Anh.