It’s early 1900s Qing Dynasty China, and fox spirits are roaming the land. The modern world is developing across Asia and customs are changing, but the mystical still weaves into everyday life. On a quest for revenge, Snow has left the grasslands she called home and is tracking a photographer responsible for tearing her life apart. Meanwhile, a body is left dead in an alleyway, and a man named Bao is hired to investigate. With an uncanny ability to tell truths from lies, he slowly begins to thread himself deeper into a mystery he could never have anticipated. Yet the further he goes on, the more his mind drifts back to his unusual past.

This book combines my favorite elements in Asian fiction, real cultural insights into society as well as folklore. Though you see an era in Asia when some aspects of modernization and cultural shifts are happening, ancient practices are still incorporated and believed to affect the real world. In a time where society seems to shift away from the old world, this story reinforces the validity of historical belief. The dual point of views were written very well, and it wasn’t until near the end where you could see the two perspectives intertwining and following the same route. Additionally, each view was written in a slightly different style. Chapters from Snow’s view were read as diary entries, while’s Bao’s chapters had the air of a detective novel. Snow’s view, in particular, was so engaging for me. Right from the start, you learn that she’s not human and is very long-lived, so she tends to observe human interactions around her and simply play a part when she engages with them in return. This allows the author to comment on human nature and culture through the way Snow views the actions of others around her. She brought an outsider’s perspective on the world. Amidst all this, the book dealt with themes like loss and grief, the difficulty with trying to follow a chosen purpose in life, and the importance of genuine relationships.

The author is an excellent storyteller and the way she works in Chinese myths and folklore is incredible. However, she tried to do too much here. She weaves between two separate plotlines and the shifts aren't very smooth. She also bogs down the story with too many unimportant details, such as dreams and side stories, that interrupt the flow of the story. She's a great writer, but the book could have used better editing.

I loved the images that the writer created in her book. The mystery unfolds with folk beliefs and magical happenings along with complicated relationships.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Co. for the advance readers copy, in exchange for an honest review. The Fox Wife is a story told from two perspectives; the first from Bao, who is investigating the death of a woman found in the snow one cold winter night, who’s murder is wrapped up in whispers of folktales and mystery. The second perspective of our story comes from a mysterious woman on a vengeful mission, willing to do whatever it takes to follow the trail.

This was a beautiful story filled with lots of folklore, rich culture, and cleverly connected plot lines! I very much enjoyed this book and appreciated the craft of the shifting perspectives between the story; the nuggets of connection between the two that were dropped throughout the entire book made it easy and enjoyable (rather than jarring) to switch between them. I also loved how much the author kept the legends or element of the fox at the heart of the story; it was an excellent theme to tie the pieces of this mystery together and added an air of magical wonder to the whole story.

There were some points in the book that I felt dragged on a bit longer than I might have liked but, overall this did not detract significantly from my reading experience. I enjoyed the ending of this story and liked the way that the author was able to marry both realistic elements/emotions with the magical fantasy of the fox folklore; in this way, it was easy to empathize with the characters and remain invested in their story, while also feeling a bit mystified by the magic.

Overall, I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy a healthy incorporation of magical elements or stories. This is a book that has staying power and in my opinion, is the perfect book to curl up with on a cold winters night— not that it wouldn’t be great in any other setting too!

This is one of my few 5-star reviews so far this year. This book gets ALL the adjectives: mysterious, lovely, heartbreaking, satisfying, lyrical, deadly, and so many more.

Ah San (or Snow) and Tagtaa are characters I will remember for a very long time. Both driven by love for family and loyalty to friends and lovers, they drive this story forward as one seeks revenge and one seeks to protect.

The writing here is some of the best I’ve read in a long time and the story grips you from the first page forward. I feel like this would be amazing in audiobook form and will look for that in the future.

Highly, highly recommended.

My life has been nothing but cdramas. So when Yangsze Choo indicates a new book is releasing, of course I request to read it!

I'd like to thank the publisher, NetGalley, and the author for allowing me to read this ahead of time. What we have here is a nice cozy fictional piece about grief, love, and fate. The way Choo writes and blends folklore into her story is one of the things I love about her. I also enjoy her characters.

I will say the reason I am dropping this down to three stars is the plot isn't very meat-y and or dense enough for me to feel the length given. A lot of it is just back and forth, back and forth, when the two stories intersect I felt that everything that came before could have been wrapped up sooner. I also wanted a bit more backstory, but apparently the lack of backstory regarding the fox spoils its final arc. (Though, I guess you can say I called it a mile away.)

I still love her work and if you're new to cdramas or any Chinese folklore, you might be rating this higher. It's not a bad book but you want more than what's given.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in return for an honest and unbiased review.

Summary
The Fox Wife was a beautifully written adult fantasy that had me enraptured throughout the tale. This book portrays two people throughout the story: rotating their viewpoints with the changing of each chapter. One point of view is of a female fox who can turn into a human; the other, a man in his sixties, working as a private investigator. As it is expected, their story intertwines throughout the book; but Choo does a beautiful job of doing that even before the characters know of this. During this story, there are magical tales, historical viewpoints (done in a very tasteful way I might add), and moments that tug at your heart, all woven together skillfully.

My Take
I originally was drawn to this book, as I am sure others were as well, because I have a love of the fox; so I dove in with great hope! I find that YA fantasies are usually what I steer towards. However, this book was a delightful play on the line between what is real and what is not, and the elements of Chinese culture gave way for a beautiful depiction. The magic was so close to real, that I began noticing different aspects of my own life and experiencing a child-like wonder, as if these tales could be true. I loved the ride that Choo took me on, and I would do it again gladly.


Would I Recommend
Yes, I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys adult fiction and fantasy.

4.5 stars










The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 37-38 | Added on Saturday, June 3, 2023 5:24:26 PM

I exist as either a small canid with thick fur, pointed ears, and neat black feet, or a young woman. Neither are safe forms in a world run by men.
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The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 148-149 | Added on Saturday, June 3, 2023 5:34:14 PM

There was a dusting of snow on her face and open eyes, so she looked like a bride on her wedding day, gazing through a veil—like she’d seen something wonderful.”
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The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 208-210 | Added on Saturday, June 3, 2023 5:40:00 PM

I stifled a snort. Sixty isn’t old to me. At sixty, humans are just beginning to understand that the weather will never obey them; that true love strikes at most twice in a lifetime; and that by saying yes in your youth, you may bind yourself unwisely to another’s cause. But that was beside the point.
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The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 218-218 | Added on Saturday, June 3, 2023 5:40:45 PM

I could almost sniff out an aroma of mystery that curled through the winding passageways. Or perhaps it was just stewed pork belly.
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The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 536-539 | Added on Saturday, June 3, 2023 10:18:25 PM

She gave vague excuses, but I suspected she meant to keep the young ladies in the house from spying. They were at a dangerously marriageable age; it wouldn’t do to have them involved in some unsuitable love affair. It has always amazed me how people lock up their daughters but not their sons. If they locked up the young men as well, there would be a lot less trouble. But who was I to interfere? I was simply there on my own quiet path of revenge.
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The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 937-938 | Added on Sunday, June 4, 2023 12:01:44 AM

Whenever humans encounter something strange and novel, their first instinct is to kill it.
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The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 953-954 | Added on Sunday, June 4, 2023 12:03:10 AM

It can be very lonely, living among people and always pretending. That’s why I prefer the grasslands.
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The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 1315-1316 | Added on Sunday, June 4, 2023 1:28:27 PM

Yes, I thought. Giving birth is an appointment you can’t walk away from.
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The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 1796-1797 | Added on Sunday, June 4, 2023 3:23:23 PM

The books that Bao has read about love use literary allusions and courtly language. They dwell on the size of a woman’s feet, her fainting, seductively tottering gait. None of them refer to freckles or the ability to listen solemnly.
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The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 2294-2296 | Added on Sunday, June 4, 2023 4:21:14 PM

The men glanced at one another and chuckled indulgently. Look at this poor little woman, the thought danced between them, admitting them to a club I’d never belong to.
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The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 2520-2521 | Added on Sunday, June 4, 2023 4:39:19 PM

They jealously guard their women, who are apt to run or commit suicide.
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The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 2730-2731 | Added on Sunday, June 4, 2023 4:58:00 PM

“When she saw me, she said, ‘I’ve come to return the clothes.’ She didn’t want me to get into trouble. Nobody has ever kept a promise like that for me, for free.”
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The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 3155-3156 | Added on Sunday, June 4, 2023 6:45:35 PM

It makes you wonder whether every living creature has its allotted span of years. Either that, or fate is a capricious master.
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The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 3577-3577 | Added on Sunday, June 4, 2023 7:58:30 PM

Rolled up in my cotton futon like a pill bug,
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The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 4764-4765 | Added on Monday, June 5, 2023 7:09:32 PM

Yet I feel happier the older I’ve become. I don’t wish to be young again.”
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The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 5071-5072 | Added on Monday, June 5, 2023 7:45:50 PM

I should have known better. What you bury eventually comes to light in some form or other. That’s just the way the world works.
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The Fox Wife (Yangsze Choo)
- Your Highlight on Location 5111-5111 | Added on Monday, June 5, 2023 7:49:08 PM

Fear snakes round his shoulder and bites him in the chest.
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