such a great example of whole world snuck into a novella. Nghi Vo's language is lilting and captivating, easy to read and get swept away. I'm really enjoying this tradition of TOR novellas by authors with marginalized identities, and would love to see Vo write a full length novel.

In this short novella, Vo introduces us to a handful of interesting and engaging characters, as one regales another with a story of imperialism and oppression. As the synopsis states, the world depicted is akin to imperial China, and the author has a gift for writing evocative, albeit-brief description. After meeting Rabbit, the emperor’s wife’s handmaid, Cleric Chih learns Empress In-yo’s story. Through this, we glean the larger picture of not only In-yo’s life, but also the world and culture in which all of the characters exists.

Despite its slim length, the author manages to include a lot into the narrative — through allusion, hints, and small details readers attain a very full picture of the world and the predicament of the characters. We learn about palace politics and cultural norms, and how those who run afoul of either are silenced and/or exiled. How one’s position is precarious, and one’s fortunes can turn on a dime at the whims of others.

It was a prison at first, because it always was one, a place where emperors could banish wives who no longer pleased. It was better than the executioners’ silk garrote, at least, though the emperor’s executioners could travel as well as anyone.

Vo’s characters are great. Whether curious or furious, they are brilliantly realized on the page. The author’s prose is evocative and flows very nicely, while never becoming florid or over-done. I think the only niggle I have is that is wasn’t long enough — it would have been great to learn more about the characters and their contexts, to explore the world more. Perhaps there are more stories to come in the future? Regardless, Vo manages to scatter moments of insight, large and small, throughout the text. Yes, I would have liked a longer book, but it is nevertheless a well-realized setting.

If you are looking for a quick read that will both engage and entertain, then The Empress of Salt and Fortune should suit your needs perfectly. Elegantly written, this is a very good read. Recommended.

This book hits one of my favorite tropes - the framing is that of an archivist monk visiting the empress’ former palace, and interviewing the old woman she finds there about all the items she uncovers in the palace, and in parallel, the old woman telling her story. I have a bit of a weakness for “servant to powerful figure tells their side of the story” narratives, and then throw in a side of “archivist finding the real story” and I’m not surprised that I tore through this in a day or so. After a certain point you can tell where the shape of the novella is going to go, but this still managed to pull off a very good twist in the story. There’s also just a hint of a ghost story here too. This is due out in March, and I highly recommend picking it up when it does.

The Empress of Salt and Fortune is a short yet evocative read. The storytelling is spellbinding and I really enjoyed the way the tale unfolded. If anything, I would have liked to have seen it become a longer work, so we could spend more time with the action and the characters. I would definitely be keen to read more by Vo in the future. For now, The Empress of Salt and Fortune is a wonderful book for those looking for a quick fantasy read with a strong female lead and LGBT representation.

(Review will go live on my blog at the link provided on 2 March 2020)

Do you ever finish a novella and simultaneously you’re satisfied because it’s managed to tell a complete story but also you want to be living in that world for so much longer? Well, this is one of those.

The Empress of Salt and Fortune takes place years after a coup. A chronicler arrives at the place where the empress was exiled to and meets her old handmaiden, and from there we find out the events that took place leading up to the start of the coup.

Frankly, the best thing about this novella is the worldbuilding and the writing. You know when a book makes you want to live in a particular world forever and not stop reading? Well, yeah. I so desperately wanted this book to be longer than the 110 pages that it was. It felt like the story the handmaiden told could be a full length novel in itself, and we only got snapshots of everything that was going on.

Then, the characters! It feels cliched to say that it seemed as though the characters came to life off the page, but they were so well-developed in such a short (or so) amount of time, and they really did almost come to life.

I think it would be safe to say that this novella has left me speechless, for lack of another word. I’m struggling to put down just how much I loved it (which in itself should be a reason for you to read it). So really, all I can say is, preorder this one. You won’t regret it.

The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo, a great quick read. A short story destined to capture the hearts and minds of those who read it!

ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

This was utterly spellbinding. A rich, surprisingly intricate tale that seemed woven of thousands of strands of silk as much as written. Aside from the fact that the style is exquisite, this is an amazingly powerful tale about female friendship, love, loss and the power of women's voices when women band together to remove the restraints of silence placed upon them. There are hints of fantasy here too and the story is set in a historical China inspired landscape.

A young cleric and her hoopoe - a sentient, talking bird with edetic memory - are travelling to the capital to see the new Empress form her first dragon court. On the way they chance upon an old woman named Rabbit who turns out to have known the previous Empress very well indeed. As the cleric records Rabbit's story, the reader is treated to a richly detailed story of how the previous empress came to the throne; how women sometimes have to hide in plain site and bide their time, but in forming strong friendships and valuing each other regardless of background, they can become a force to be reckoned with no matter how silenced they are or how marginalised.

This is simply stunning. A beautiful story that was poignant and stirring, never shying from cruelties but somehow finding a way to show the triumph of human and especially women's will and fortitude. Highly recommend this to anyone who wants a female led fantasy that is subtle and kind in the face of great opposition.