After loving Empress of Salt and Fortune earlier in the year and just wanting more of the story, I was very excited when I saw the announcement for this sequel and even more happy when I got the ARC. And this one turned out to be even better than I thought.

I think I did the right thing listening to the audiobook of the first book just last week, because it refreshed my memory of this world and it made me feel connected to this story immediately. As storytelling forms the main narrative of this novella, the author uses her poetic and beautiful writing style to weave a story within a story, while also keeping up the tension taut and us readers hooked to every single word. I was lost to the mesmerizing words and didn’t even realize that the book was almost over. The book is quite fast paced, the story that Chih is narrating builds up slowly and I was quite excited to know what was gonna happen next, and all characters had very interesting personalities. The banter between them was also absolutely perfect and I had such a fun time reading the book even when it was intense.

I loved the themes that the author was trying to convey with this narrative. I have found many books in recent times deal with the concept of truth and fact, whose truth gets to be told as history and passed on across generations, and what other narratives are lost. In a similar vein, the author here tries to showcase how the same history of a scholar/Tiger couple can be told in different ways based on who is doing the narrating, and the version which gets archived for posterity depends on who controls the scholarly domain. I think this is very relevant to our current times as well and I enjoyed the way the author imparts us this message through the narration of a love story.

To conclude, this novella is storytelling at its finest, very captivating in tone, and beautiful in the imagery. I’m now more in love with this world and the author than I was before, and I hope we get more books in the Singing Hills series. And if you are someone who loves stories, you just can’t miss this masterpiece.

I really enjoyed this novella as much as the first one. There were just so many things that I loved in this book: the atmospheric, lyrical prose, the enthralling characters, and the silent yet powerful message this novella conveyed. Indeed, When The Tiger Came Down the Mountain is another masterpiece by Nghi Vo.

The story followed Chih who was a cleric of the Singing Hills. Their job was to collect history and stories so nothing was forgotten even when the time passed. While travelling, they and their company was stopped by the three tigers who were starving. In exchange for not being eaten yet and to buy some time for their rescue, Chih told the love story of the tiger and her scholar lover to the three tigers who agreed to listen to them.

Just like in The Empress of Salt and Fortune, the narrative unraveled through storytelling. It emphasized how different versions and interpretations changed "the truth" of the stories. There was no doubt in me that Vo is a great storyteller. For such a short number of pages, she was able to create a complex and layered plot that readers like myself would devour until the very last page. She also did not forget to weave elements such as tradition and culture, queerness, and companionship that more enriched the already intricate world-building.

Overall, When The Tiger Came Down the Mountain is a lyrical prose that tells us how stories take different shapes depending on various perspectives. I highly recommend this novella.

5/5 stars!

I received a copy of this book from Macmillan/Tor-Forge in exchange for an honest review,

I was so entranced by this world that Nghi Vgo first created in The Empress of Salt and Fortune that I knew that I had to read When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain if it was the last thing I did. Just like the first in the Singing Hills Cycle series, Nghi Vgo does not disappoint in this sequel that cleric Chih as they find that their storytelling may prove useful when they and their mammoth guide find themselves at the mercy of three tigers. Told in turns between the tigers and Chih, the story of a tiger and her scholar lover may the the key to survival this night. Truly such a mesmerizing and fantastical story that follow Chih in this mysterious world that Nghi Vgo has created. I am already waiting in high anticipation for the next book in this series.

Thank you to Macmillan Tor-Forge for the copy of the book.

I cannot give an unbiased review of this book, but I can honestly say that every time I read something new by Nghi Vo I'm blown away by how she just keeps getting better and better! Her debut was always going to be a hard act to follow but this new standalone entry in the series is up to her already high standard.

Another engaging and creative work from Nghi Vo! I think I personally liked the first novella better, but both are strong folkloric glimpses into a rich, somewhat-magical world. Though it is a quick read, it requires concentration to keep all the threads of the story together, and to follow along as our protagonist Chih engages in a duel of tales with three ravenous tigresses.

Anyone interested in speculative fiction should check out this series (they are each standalone, though reading them in order gives a better picture of the central POV character and the world as a whole).

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange and honest review.

Enchanting sophomore novella by Nghi Vo! A complex tale within a tale that seamlessly celebrates the tradition of oral history; elements of fantasy, myth, and folklore. The author accomplishes superb world building. Don't let the brevity of the tale fool you, it packs a punch and engages the reader from page one. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to review this ARC; all opinions are my own and unbiased.

When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain is a successful, brilliant companion to The Empress of Salt and Fortune. We once again follow monk Chih who is traveling up a mountain and is set upon by tigers. In order to delay being eating, Chih offers up a folktale of a tiger and and a scholar who fell in love. Vo expertly plays with truth in story, and how different perspectives of the same event can lead to wildly different interpretations. Readers who love fairytales and folktales will deeply appreciate what Vo has achieved with this story.

This is an impressive sophomore novella that breathes new life into campire stories and oral history. In a mystical world of tiger shifters and deadly mammoths, one cleric must bargin for their life with a folk tale. WHEN THE TIGER CAME DOWN THE MOUNTAIN is a story of cultural exchange and a question of who pens history. It's powerful, compelling, and downright enchanting.

I'm sorry to say, but this was a bit of a letdown compared to The Empress of Salt and Fortune. The world-building I so loved in that book was here, but the story being told was nowhere near as compelling. I find it very difficult to connect with a love story, personally, if the characters involved are little more than archetypes (even if there's a dueling narrative thing going on like there was here) and the way things were tied up in the end was definitely disappointing (again, especially compared to the first book in this series). It also didn't help that there were so many asides and subplots that I thought more worthy of interest than Scholar Dieu and her tiger. It's still interesting to be sure (and, again, the world-building is amazing enough that I'd return to this series) but I can't recommend it as strongly as Vo's other book.

Collector of stories and historian Chih returns in this second Singing Hills novella. This time, Chih is in the far north to collect stories from the mammoth riders. When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain, by Nghi Vo, recounts what happened one night when Chih hitched a ride only to find themselves in mortal peril at the hands (paws?) of a trio of shapeshifting tigers.

Chih’s job is to roam the former Anh empire to learn everything they can about the culture, customs, histories, and—best of all—the stories of everyone they can find. (Chih is non-binary.) In their first outing, in The Empress of Salt and Fortune, they got the real story about what happened to an Empress who overturned the empire that disrespected and discarded her. Chih didn’t expect that this outing in the frozen north would also become an opportunity to set the record straight; they were just getting a ride to their next destination. When three massive tigers appear, just about to kill and eat another mammoth rider, Chih’s guide springs into action…which lands them in a situation where Chih has to spin stories long enough for them to be rescued.

The largest tiger introduces herself as the queen of the entire territory and announces that she and her sisters will eat everyone. (The mammoth can go free.) Some quick talking leads to Chih telling their version of the story of the Scholar Dieu and the tiger Ho Thi Thiao. This version almost immediately displeases the tigers. Chih is not telling it right! Chih can only apologize; this is the version they were told. The tigers then take turns with Chih, telling their versions of the story. This is what made me When the Tiger Comes Down the Mountain even more than I did The Empress of Salt and Fortune. It’s probably the English major in me, but I loved how the stories had similar beats that—depending on which version you got—had completely different significance.

I look forward to more rich stories from the Singing Hills.

I've now read two novellas by Nghi Vo, and they're both like tiny, perfect, very different jewels. Like The Empress of Salt and Fortune, When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain is also a story in a story. A storyteller is ambushed by shape changing tigers. To avoid being eaten, they tell a story. The tigers have their own version of the same story though…

This is a beautiful and nuanced exploration of the concept of story and truth. I opened it without any preconceived notions about what I was going to get other than the pleasure I had for The Empress of Salt and Fortune, so I don't want to share too many details here and inadvertently spoil it for anyone else. Highly recommended.

I really enjoyed The Empress of Salt and Fortune, so I was incredibly excited to see the next story that Chih chases. And man, [Phoebe Waller-Bridge voice] this is a love story. When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain reveals the truth of a potent love story that’s become lost to time.

Again, Chih is travelling, this time in search of more perspectives on the story of the scholar Trung Dieu and the tiger Ho Thi Thao. While they and their guide are making their way through the mountains, they are suddenly held hostage by a group of tiger sisters. To appease them, Chih tells them the story as they have written down, but the tigers provide more details that were lost to time and differences between cultures.

Throughout this story, we learn how a tale can become polished and watered down over time. It was very interesting to see how certain details have been skewed simply because people forgot them or didn’t understand the true facts. This was a bit different from the first book, as this time Chih is constantly interrupted by one of the tigers who are irritated by the inaccuracies of the story.

I loved the writing, of course. The switching between the story of the two lovers and the present with Chih, their guide, and the tigers was done so well. Vo packs so much into a short story, and you particularly feel the potency of Dieu and Ho Thi Thao’s love throughout the words. We also get a lot more of the worldbuilding as Chih travels through a new landscape.

After reading this second novella of Vo’s, I’m even more excited for her full length novels! Hopefully we also get some more stories in this series as well because I’d love to explore more stories from Chih’s perspective. When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain told the tale of two lovers, one a scholar and one a tiger, and how their story has withstood the test of time. I definitely recommend this if you want to read a lush f/f love story!

Nghi Vo's When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain follows The Empress of Salt and Fortune as the second in her excellent Singing Hills Cycle, set in the empire of Ahn.

As before, Cleric Chih tells the story. Indeed, they tell many stories in a context reminiscent of One Thousand and One Nights. - to delay being eaten by shapeshifting lions.

This Singing Hills Cycle is extraordinary fantasy and I very much look forward to what comes next for Chih in their travels through Ahn.

Review currently posted to Goodreads
Review will be posted to bookofthegay.com on December 1st
Review will be posted on Instagram around the same date, review to be updated with link at that time.

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When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain by Nghi Vo is the second novella is the second book in The Singing Hills Cycle. Thank you to Tor and Netgalley for the e-arc! When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain releases on December 8th!

I loved The Empress of Salt and Fortune and felt myself completely drawn into that world and its story. So of course, I was elated to see the upcoming release of another book set within the same world with the same main character. The Tiger Came Down the Mountain did not disappoint! While taking place in the same world and starring the same main character, The Empress of Salt and Fortune, and When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain are each a fully standalone story that can be read separately from each other.

In the novella, the cleric Chih ends up in a more dangerous situation than before. In their effort to find out more about the Northern villages and the Mammoth Army, the cleric finds themself stranded with a mammoth soldier and an injured man at the mercy of tigers and the bitter cold of winter.

But, a story might be just the thing to save them and hold the tigers at bay. It had better be a good one, as help is hours away.

Like last time, this is a story within a story. Vo once again writes two lush and intertwining stories that fit together perfectly. This time, the stakes are higher, because the tigers know a different version of the story, the correct version. If Chih gets it wrong too many times they’ll make a tasty snack.

I loved both stories. It was great to see Chih have a larger part in the story than in The Empress of Salt and Fortune where they were more of a vessel than a character. You can their skill at weaving a story and holding an audience. A skill that is very useful in this circumstance. The story of the scholar and the tiger queen was intricate and I loved seeing multiple sides of the story. It was an interesting look into how we record history.

I would highly recommend When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain. It is a lushly written novella which packs a punch despite how short it is.

Rep: non-binary MC, sapphic romance

I wasn't sure it was possible to love a book about Chih even more, but then Vo added woolly mammoths! We love scenes with gigantic, sweet, and soft mammoths! Add the fact that Chih frame narrative involves talking to a series of shapeshifter tigers. When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain is a lyrical and gorgeous story about truth. Storytelling is the central focus of this novella. Not only in the story Chih must tell, but also the ways stories have two sides. What is the role of the bard, the collector of stories, in questions of the truth?

When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain by Nghi Vo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

New silkpunk! While I really enjoyed the first of the Singing Hills Cycle books, I liked this one better.

Why? I just did, okay! lol

Seriously, it's all about the Tiger and the Scholar. The novella was written as a story within a story, but it focuses on the true kick of the core story. Beautifully written, evocative, and emotional, it first appears to be the "dangerous man tamed by the meek woman" trope, but it retains that real subtlety that tells a very different story for those willing to listen. :)

Very enjoyable.

This was everything I hoped for and more after loving the first book in the series. Nghi Vo is just a matter story teller- the characters are surprisingly rich for such a spare story. The story is exactly as long as it needs to be. The subtle yet commanding way she is able shifts your perspective is perfection. How she explores deeper themes in ways that feel completely natural to the story! It's all just *chef kiss*

The adventures of non-binary, humble but inquisitive cleric Chih continue to amaze and enthrall with perfectly crafted prose and beautiful characterization in this standalone sequel to the equally excellent The Empress of Salt and Fortune.

When last we met Chih, the travelling storytelling cleric, they happened upon a lonely old woman who really needed to have her story heard and understood, if for nothing else than at least for closure, and what a story she had to tell - one of imperial politics, exile, friendship, love and loyalty. It was a beautiful little novella, quite quiet, poetic and contemplative. The Singing Hills Cycle's second installment, When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain, puts Chih in a far more volatile position, when they are forced to tell another person's story - essentially a love story between a scholar and her tiger mistress - if they are to have any hope of staying alive... but perhaps it is not their story to tell. Maybe they, as a human, can't fully grasp the nature of a narrative that seems very much a tiger's tale. Or maybe the truth lies somewhere in between the human perspective and the tiger's. Truth is subjective from culture to culture, after all. It's not necessarily about right and wrong, it's about perspective (and, more often than not, about privilege in interpretation).

This is a theme that truly spoke to me - the importance of having own voices in storytelling as well as in the recording of history. A tiger, for example, won't necessarily agree with how a human describes a tiger's motivations. And vice versa. This is also why it's so important that we all learn to listen to each other. Why we need to uplift the voices that aren't always heard and give them a platform. Why we can't necessarily take over other cultures' narratives and let our voices, tinted by a different experience of life entirely, speak on history that is not our own - history that we can never fully grasp, as we haven't lived it.

Here is where I want to take the opportunity to give the publisher some extra love. Tor clearly makes an effort to platform traditionally marginalised voices, thereby giving opportunities to some of the most interesting authors currently in fiction, for which they have earned my undying love and respect. Thank you, Tor.

My favourite parts of this novella were the ones told from the tiger's point of view, because that perspective was obviously more foreign to me, and therefore inherently more intriguing. But the concept as a whole, of two individuals telling the same story but from slightly different angles, is brilliant and works so incredibly well with the tone of the story... everything about this novella was fascinating to me. There are many, many layers here for anyone who likes to analyse what they read.

The love story between the scholar Dieu and the tigress - sometimes in human form - Ho Thi Thao was gorgeously written. Their story is touching, very romantic and yet grim, frequently unsettling and perhaps a bit dubious with its power dynamic (after all, one partner has fangs and claws and could swallow a human whole, while the other has merely her wits to depend upon). It's both poetic and spicy. I was swept away by it. I would honestly love to read a full-length novel of these two individuals on the road together, trying to reconcile their differences, learning how to live with and love each other with no holds barred.

As with its predecessor, this novella feels like it could easily be part of some ancient Asian fable, only recently unearthed and edited to fit more modern sensibilities. By which I mean to say, all of the queer? Yes. Indeed, all of the queer.

The concept of having a wandering storyteller as a main character is brilliant, because there is no telling where they might go next, what people or creatures they will meet, if their adventures will somehow end up being connected in some way, or where their journey will ultimately end.

Now, seriously... when can I read the next part? More, please, Nghi Vo. Give me more.

Nghi Vo continues to amaze in this stunning sequl/companion novel to Empress of Salt and Fortune. In this novella we follow Chih again (who is my favourite non-binary cleric ever - i love them so much uwu) who is travelling in the north and a scout from the mammoth clan called Si-Yu is guiding them with her mammoth Piluk (who is so cute!!!) and as they are travelling up a mountain to a way station when they are waylaid by 3 tigers.

The tigers are persuaded to hold off on killing Chih and Si-Yu by listening to Chih tell the story of the scholar Dieu and the tiger Ho Thi Thao - which is told in a similar way to the first book (two timelines). Their story was such a beautiful story and had such an interesting dynamic, I always love a good angsty sapphic romance. Plus the focus on sharing food as a way of showing love was one of my favourite bits and I felt that in my soul.

I cannot get over how stunning Nghi Vo's writing is. It is lush and evocative, but also so comforting and feels like a warm hug while you are reading. Honestly even though this book was about tigers and featured some slightly gory scenes it was so anxiety reliveing and comforting and I think that is a testament to the writing style.

The elements of folklore and mytholgy woven in were so well crafted and you felt like you were there in the mountains with Chih listening to them telling the story.

I cannot praise this novella enough, I think I might even have enjoyed it a little bit more than Empress of Salt and Fortune - I loved the setting as well as the romance and the tension of whether chih and si-yu would be eaten by the tigers, this installment just felt slightly higher stakes.

I loved this book. It built beautifully on the world established in book one but also delivered something entirely new and unique. It read like a magical fable and I enjoyed every minute of it.