Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Fox Wife.

I really liked the author's first book, The Ghost Bride, so I was eager to dive into The Fox Wife.

This is a well written narrative about Snow, a fox but foremost, a mother seeking revenge for her murdered child.

Her story of vengeance is juxtaposed against Bao's story, a detective with the unusual ability to detect when someone lies, who has been tasked to uncover the identity of a woman found dead in a doorway.

Bao's investigation will eventually collide with Snow's and her employee, a dear friend Bao has never forgotten from his childhood.

I loved the supernatural, mystical and spiritual elements, the themes of love, loyalty, and friendship.

The early 20th century setting added to the old school vibe, how dangerous it was to be a woman, much less a single woman traveling alone during those tumultuous times of civil war and strife.

I won't lie; it took me awhile to finish this because the pacing is slow.

Stuff happens but it's not exciting and thrilling. Events unfold, people are killed, and Snow has to deal with the prejudices and violence that is inflicted upon a woman, much less someone masquerading as a servant.

I really liked Snow; her courage, her wit, determination and brute honesty about her place as a fox and a woman.

I would have liked to know Tagtaa more; she sounded intriguing despite her presence as a minor character.

I enjoyed her childhood recollection of meeting a fox for the first time and how it changed her life. Her openness and willingness to believe in the powers of the fox made her a fascinating character and I wished I knew her better.

Bao was a good man, one of the few human ones in the narrative. Honest, practical, and patient, he pursued his investigation with steadfastness, his own feelings about foxes and his dear friend tangled together.

The ending was surprisingly optimistic and happy, not what I expected, but it left me feeling positive and hopeful.

I like how well the author blends folklore and magic into her stories though the pacing is slow, I also enjoy her writing and characters.

Book Name: The Fox Wife
Author: Yangsze Choo

ARC
Thank you to Henry Holt & Company andNetGalley for an ARC of this book.

Stars: DNF

Wrong Book at the Wrong Time.

First, I apologize to the author and publisher for the lateness of this review.

While the allure of the plot originally hooked me, this book failed to hold my attention. I have tried multiple times to get into this book. Restarting over and over but still not being able to push through. this is a DNF for me.

it was just too slow and lingering. I need a faster paced read.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company, Henry Holt and Co. for the ARC copy they provided.

Unfortunately, I did not finish this book in time to leave a review before the publication date, and though a review after publication is no less welcome or useful, I feel I do not have the time or space to give this book the attention it deserves.

What I did see of this book showed me a beautiful cover, a catching first line, and writing that flowed and pulled a reader in. I hope to have time to sit down and properly enjoy this book in the future.

Historical fiction set in China has been intriguing to me lately. My coworker enjoys Asian folklore and mythology, and I suggested she read this. She enjoyed it as well as her other books.

I appreciate the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a review.

Maybe I'm biased because I'm Chinese Malaysian, but I really enjoyed this fantastical story with a whodunnit type of twist. This is my first Yangsze Choo and it certainly won't be my last.

Set in Manchuria, the story follows a fox spirit, Snow, as she seeks vengeance for the death of her cub. As she enters the household of a cursed family, she teaches the audience about the mythology of foxes and quickly becomes a sympathetic character to root for. On the flip side of Snow is Bao, an aging detective trying to get to the bottom of a mysterious death in the village. The two paths begin to merge, all while we also see peaks of the final years of the Qing dynasty.

With a meandering pace, what thrives here is the atmosphere and descriptions of landscape -- and the food, omg. I loved the bits of humor, as well, and could easily read more of Yangsze Choo's world.

The premise of this book intrigued me as I usually love a good historical fantasy story, especially when rooted in myth and folklore. Unfortunately I felt that this story fell flat; I struggled to identify a plot and really didn't care how it ended. I loved the descriptions of the fox people and the stories passed down generations highlighting the wiliness and danger of foxes. I also found the romance to be problematic at best; the relationship went from being borderline non consensual to just accepted and it kind of gave me whiplash. Overall, though not my favorite read of the year. I do love historical depictions of Asian mythology and I can appreciate the beauty in the imagery presented in this book.

I was utterly charmed by this book. I thought the switching of perspectives was actually well executed, and I was increasingly delighted as the narratives started connecting and catching up. I will say that I enjoyed Snow's perspectives significantly more than Bao's, but nevertheless it was a good time. The mystery elements were engaging enough to hook me, even making me stay up well past my intended bedtime.

The book isn't free from some pacing issues, underdeveloped characters (looking at you, Kuro), and more, but I didn't feel all that bothered about it by the time I finished. I loved the portrayal of the fox spirits, and I imagine I'll think back to this story from time to time.

Received a free copy from Netgalley.

The Fox Wife was a charming tale that had a lot of unexpected elements. I enjoyed the murder mystery, the side plots of long awaited love, the revenge story, and then just the folklore that persisted throughout the book. At times the plot did feel slow, but I do think that there were enough conflicts within the story that it kept the plot moving. I can’t say I’ve read a book like this, and although everything was tied up in a happy ending at the end, it didn’t feel corny or over-the-top. It just felt charmingly pleasant.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for this ARC.

I really enjoyed this story. I thought it was very well written and the story of the Fox Wife was beautiful.

The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo is a historical fantasy set in early 1900s Manchuria featuring shape-changing fox spirits.

I followed along in my physical advanced reader copy while listening to the audiobook which I borrowed from my local library. The author narrates this, and while I really liked her inflection--you can tell she's a born storyteller--we don't really get much differences in the way of character voices, which made things a little confusing for me at times.

The book started out a little on the slow side, but once I was about 25% in I was solidly in for the ride. In fact, I inhaled this book in one day. If you're a fan of literary historical fiction or magical realism, you might really dig this.

We follow two point-of-view characters: the eponymous "Fox Wife" and a private investigator close to retirement. There's a lot of exploration on how women were treated in Manchuria at the time and there are various religious elements sprinkled throughout.

I'm a big fan of folklore in general, and fox spirits are a part of East Asian mythology I don't know much about. This book definitely opened my eyes and I'll definitely be reading more about it.

Alternating between Bao, a private investigator trying to find out what happened to an unidentified dead woman, and Snow, a fox spirit who is trying to get revenge for her daughter, this novel dives into the fox folklore in China and two people's quests for truth.

I loved the Night Tiger by this author so I was really excited for this one. However, I was not drawn in the same way I was there. I'm not sure if it was just the characters or the way the story was told, but I was just missing the magic that I found in the Night Tiger. I think perhaps it took too long for Bao and Snow's storylines to overlap/catch up so it felt like two different stories for a while.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Found the book to be very slow. I was hopeful it would draw me in. I don't need action packed adventure but there was not enough for me to find interesting enough to rate this book higher.

The Fox Wife

I really liked this one! I started with the e-book, but about 3/4s of the way through I purchased the audiobook, started over, and finished it that way. I loved the narrator.

The pacing is a little slow and rambling, in a way that works really well with the themes of grief and revenge. Snow, the main character, lost her daughter and has spent the years afterwards methodically working towards revenge against the man who was responsible for the death. The way that snow has retreated into careful planning and relentless pursuit of revenge as she avoids her own grief, hunting for an actionable way forward after her loss. The ending fizzles out a little bit as her rage softens and her grief starts to really have room to be felt.

The secondary plotline, about a detective named Bao and his lost childhood love, weaves into the main plot in ways both surprising and predicable at turns, serving as a kind of backbone to trellis Snow's story.

A fun read!

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book! I will be posting my review on social media, to include Instagram, Amazon, Goodreads, and Instagram!

Steeped in Asian folklore this book felt like a fairy tale with its beautiful writing but the story was a little to slow for me. This story follows a few different POVs Bao a detective who can sniff out the truth as he investigates a murder of a young girl. We also follow Snow a woman who is trying to avenge the death of her child. The best part of this book were the foxes I really enjoyed the lore of the foxes throughout the book. The writing in this book was really descriptive and beautiful but the plot was so slow. This really made me struggle with this book I would find myself losing interest and having to force myself to go back. I really enjoyed the balance of historical fiction and fantasy in this book it felt real even with the fantastical elements. While this wasn’t a favorite for me I would be interested in reading more from this author as I really enjoyed the writing style. I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for a chance to read this book for an honest review.

I love this book and the way the author approached the nine-tailed fox myth. I'm always intrigued by the variations in this myth and fascinated by the way storytellers weave in their own interpretations and elaborations. I especially loved the historical elements and the theme of vengeance. Incredible book!

What a beautiful surprise. This is the first Yangsze Choo I've picked up so I had little frame of reference going in. I am familiar with Chinese folklore about foxes and thought I knew exactly what to expect, I was wrong to assume. This is an incredibly crafted historical fiction that introduced me to a time period I know little about in China, the early 1900s. It is also a revenge story with several interwoven mysteries and magical realism is mixed into the entire narrative. I am eager to pick up Yangsze Choo's debut after reading this one.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in return for a fair and honest review.

I was thoroughly enthralled by this story, finding myself in the skilled hands of a master storyteller. With deliberate pacing and captivating prose, the author skillfully transported me into the narrative, painting vivid images in my mind's eye. Each turn of the page was a delight, as the elegant tale unfolded with grace and finesse. At times, I found myself anticipating the next plot development, a testament to the author's adept storytelling abilities. It was akin to relishing a beloved folk tale retold by a seasoned raconteur or savoring a cherished melody performed by a musician who has dedicated their life to perfecting it. In fact, I was fortunate enough to experience the added pleasure of simultaneously reading the book while listening to the author's narration, which only enhanced the overall enchanting experience. Simply put, it was truly a wonderful read.

Yangsze Choo’s THE FOX WIFE is a gorgeously written story that reads part mystery, part myth, part memoir…

Bao, an older widower who is known as a fixer is called to investigate a young woman’s mysterious death. His quest for answers leads him north, following witnesses as he attempts to discern truth from tales. At the heart are also the eternal questions of love and loss, life and meaning and purpose.

Definitely a book to savor and to read again and again.

Yangsze Choo caught my attention when I read the Night Tiger and was blown away by it. The Fox Wife has some of the same magic in terms of beautifully written and engaging characters. It suffered a bit from slow pacing. Considering the character of the detective and the mystery elements involved in the story, there wasn't a ton of action or movement to propel the plot. Not a terrible read, may hold appeal for those that enjoy more character driven stories