Can we please have a hundred more Singing Hills novellas? Because I would read, recommend, and sell all of them. Nghi Vo is a master at creating such a strong world in such a small book, and this is no exception. In this volume we get to see Cleric Chih in a slightly different setting and completely out of their element. This story is a bit more gothic than any of the previous novellas, and also more mysterious. I'll admit to re-reading it immediately after finishing, in order to see what clues I had missed the first time around. I will read anything Nghi Vo writes, but especially these lovely little snapshots into life in the Singing Hills.

a haunting ghost story this time.
I’ve been reading this set of stand alone novellas featuring Cleric Chi since the beginning. I tend not to read deep into series; but this one is different. Whenever I discover a new release, I’m instantly ready for another story from this collection. Maybe it’s the bite size novellas; maybe it’s the quality storytelling; maybe it’s because I don’t have to remember much of anything from previous stories to enjoy the new installment; maybe it’s the cinematic quality; or the fact that each story reads like a fairy tale. Regardless, I’m always ready for a new adventure. This one might be one of my favorites. A curse, a labyrinth, monsters, hidden evil. Read this one for yourself, regardless of how many others you’ve tried. The hidden surprises are delightful.


Thanks to Netgalley and tordotcompub for the opportunity to preview this book. Look for it 5.7.24

An abbreviated version of this review is up on Goodreads as of today. The full review will be posted on my blog on May 7th.

Thank you to Tor Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of the book in return for an honest review! The Brides of High Hill comes out today, May 7th, 2024. I found this novella through NetGalley, and since I've had a growing interest in mythological fantasy stories told by people from their own culture, I picked it up.

The Bridges of High Hill fell perfectly into my interests: a thrilling gothic mystery based on Asian myth and folklore. On top of that, the main character and narrator is non-binary - awesome! I enjoyed it as I read it to the point of reading the whole novella in one sitting. For the most part, the unfolding mystery was fun and the Asian folklore quite intriguing, but towards the end, the plot suddenly shifted far too quickly for me to make sense of. Although things were explained afterwards, the plot never fully made sense to me until the end, which was a shame since it'd been great until then.


Cleric Chih accompanies Nhung Pham, a beautiful young bride, to her husband-to-be to bless their wedding. But as they arrive at the dilapidated Doi Cao estate with the Pham family, things quickly seem off. The servants are terrified, the mad son of Lord Guo gives cryptic warnings and messages, and Lord Guo himself has had a worrying number of young brides before Nhung.

Chih and Nhung wander the grounds of Doi Cao, exploring abandoned buildings and digging into the history of Lord Guo and Doi Cao itself. Yet the closer they get, the graver the danger.

The novella is the fifth in a series of standalone novels called the Singing Hills Cycle. I went into it completely blind to avoid spoiling myself, and I can confirm that it can indeed be read mostly fine without having read the others in the series. I have heard that the others are quite enjoyable, however.


Although the novella is quite short compared to my usual reads (coming up at 88 pages on my e-reader), The Brides of High Hill manages to set out a detailed and intricate world within that timeframe. Although the characters are mainly reduced to one or two traits, that is to be expected of a novella with so many characters getting screen time, and the story's pacing made it easy to forgive. The hooks are set out at a steady pace, drawing you further and further into the mystery as you go.

The story is also unapologetically queer. Cleric Chic is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns. This is regarded as something completely normal in the world; everyone uses gender-neutral terms for them and their identity isn't questioned or even mentioned once. The story also features queer romance and a strong female character, which I can certainly appreciate.

The Brides of High Hill isn't the type of story I'd usually read. It's closer to literary in its writing style, with advanced prose and more unusual words that focus on conveying the beautiful atmosphere that turns into horror as the book progresses. As someone who generally prefers to read young adult and middle-grade stories, it took a little while to get used to, but I eventually found my rhythm.

However, that rhythm only lasted to the great reveal of the story and the following climax. To me, the reveal came as a complete surprise that didn't make sense. I re-read the passage a few times to ensure I hadn't read over something, but I couldn't find anything. I continued confusedly going along with this new plot, hoping the pieces would fall together, but they never did until it was spelt out at the end, and even then I couldn't see where the change had come from.

I think this may be a combination of my not being used to this writing style and being new to mystery stories (I get too distracted by enjoying the story to piece together the puzzle), as well as that some of the hints hinged on knowledge of Chih's character, which you'd only have if you read some of the other novellas in the series. If they're sharper, other readers might not have the same difficulties I had.

Something I did greatly enjoy was the atmosphere and the setting. It took me to another world with different customs, rituals, architecture, and food. One where the creatures of myth - myth I'm not familiar with yet but would love to be - are alive and lurking in the shadows. The story conveys this in a great way for the limited amount of words it has, and the worldbuilding has me impressed.


Overall, while the writing and worldbuilding were great, the story didn't end up being for me due to the twist it took and my difficulty in seeing it coming and understanding it. However, for those who are more experienced with (gothic) mystery or have a sharper mind and who want to read a queer novella in an Asian-inspired setting that reads well and conveys the atmosphere excellently, I highly recommend The Brides of High Hill.

-=-=-=-

Content warnings:
Domestic abuse and implied sexual assault
Nhung is beaten by Lord Gao, and it's implied she's sexually assaulted. She is also publicly humiliated by him.

Death and gore
Multiple characters die, both on- and off-screen. It can get a little gorey, including dismembered body parts such as heads.

Drugging and confinement
One of the characters, the mad son of Lord Gao, is drugged against his will and kept in a cage.


Brownie points:
LGBTQ+ inclusion
The main character is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, as is the second character mentioned in the novella. This is treated as completely natural and isn't addressed even once in the story.

BIPOC+ inclusion
The characters are likely all people of colour since the story is set in an Asia-inspired world.

#OwnVoices
This story is about Asian folklore, written by a person of Asian descent. Vo is queer as well.

"A mysterious new entry in the Singing Hills Cycle.

Cleric Chih joins a beautiful young bride as she arrives at a crumbling estate to have marriage negotiations and get married. In the middle of extravagant events, Chih also sees frightened servants and cryptic warnings from the lord's mad son. The cleric and the bride-to-be explore the mostly-empty estate and get drawn into the mystery of what became of Lord Guo's previous wives and the history of the estate. But as monsters are revealed, Chih realizes it's more dangerous than they thought.

I've enjoyed every book in this series, and this is another great installment. I liked that this one takes the form of a gothic mystery, giving it a bit of a different feel from the other books that chronicle Cleric Chih's travels. The writing, as with all of Nghi Vo's books, is lyrical and really makes you feel immersed in a fairytale.

For whatever reason, this more mysterious book didn't hit quite the same for me as most of the others in the series. I think this is perhaps because this story does not lend itself quite so well to a fairytale-like writing quality. The mystery element meant that I felt like I had to predict what would come next rather than just being along for the ride. However, it was still very good.

Overall, if you've enjoyed the other tales in this series, this one is also excellent and I would recommend it. I don't think this is the best place to start the series, but it is a perfect spooky read to enjoy with a cup of tea."

I have been an avid lover of the Singing Hills Cycle, and I have always loved each new entry more than the last! Unfortunately that wasn't the case this time, but that doesn't mean I was disappointed either! The story this time has a bit of a shift compared to most of the previous entries; while it wasn't my favorite, it was still interesting. I like that Vo explores different stories and styles in these novellas and look forward to the next one as always!

Admittedly, though I have read and enjoyed some of their other work, I have never picked up one of Nghi Vo’s novellas. So, when given the chance to read an ARC of The Brides of High Hill, the latest in their Singing Hills Cycle series, I was beyond excited.
Having previously only read Siren Queen and The Chosen and the Beautiful I was fully unprepared for how fantasy orientated this was. While the novels I have read play with aspects of the jazz age and magical surrealism, The Brides of High Hill is completely high fantasy with roots in eastern mythology. Despite being such a departure from what I expected, I adored this immensely. The truest testament is that I went into this book completely blind, and was still able to comprehend, enjoy, and engage with this story in a way that left my body and mind haunted by its fable-like quality—and believe me when I say haunted, I mean HAUNTED!
The imagery of the crumbling estate juxtaposed against the beauty and curiosity of the characters. The slow descent into mystery and building tension as the story slowly unravels—I read this in one sitting and believe me that wasn’t because it’s only 128 pages. I literally could not put The Brides of High Hill down.
Overall, I would say I definitely recommend this. It’s a great read if you’re craving that fantasy hit but also want something a little more sinister.

On their never-ending quest for stories, cleric Chih has found themself in the company of a bride-to-be and her parents on the way meet the groom at his estate. When they arrive, however, something seems off, with fortified walls surrounding the compound, odd sculptures spread throughout, and, perhaps most unnerving, the groom-to-be's insane son locked in a labyrinth. Soon Chih learns that stories are even more powerful than they thought, and that monsters are not always hidden in the shadows.

This is the fifth entry in Vo's Singing Hills Cycle of novellas, and just like all the others, it's excellent. Not really much more to say than that, and also, read these books (in any order, though I wouldn't necessarily start with this one).

What an atmospheric book! This had beautiful writing, interesting characters and a genuinely surprising twist!
This is my introduction to the singing Hills cycle and I am intrigued how it compares to the other books in the series.

I would have liked to spend a bit more time after the twist, but overall the story is enjoyable as it is. It definitely felt like a mysterious fairy tale for adults.

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC.

The Brides of High Hill is another stunning installment of the Singing Hills Cycle which I have been avidly following since I think around book two. In this book we lose a small amount of the 'being told a story' element that has been prevalent in the books so far and instead see our travelling monk caught up in the periphery of a story. I was surprised by this but it ended up being a welcome surprise and I thought it meant that the book felt very distinct and memorable. I won't spoil elements of the story but I thought that the various twists and turns were masterfully handled and I was genuinely surprised by the direction the book went in on a number of occasions.
I don't know how many novellas are planned for this series but if they continue in this trajectory we are sure to see something marvellous next!
I received a free digital review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

4 stars

This series is an absolute blast, and I enjoy the variations and inspirations so much. This time, the novella is giving "Bluebeard," and it's a mysterious but gratifying adventure.

I'm really interested in the way these pieces can be read both individually and as a collection, and prospective readers should know that while they can jump in at any point, if they're leaning into their Type A life like I usually am, they will appreciate starting from the top.

This is one of my favorites of the group so far, and I hope there are many more to come.

Thanks to TorDotCom for an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

This was not what I expected in the best way possible! This installment threw me into a loop in finding the monsters lurking in the shadows while Cleric Chih assists Pham Nhung to Doi Cao to meet her husband-to-be, Lord Guo. A gothic mystery in nearly 130 pages is truly a feat! Nghi Vo weaves themes of colonization, land reclamation, and patriarchy into a well-written and well-paced story. Cannot wait for the next installment in this wonderful series!!

Another excellent installment in The Singing Hill Cycle by Nghi Vo. I'm always amazed by how Vo manages to pack so much content into only 100ish pages. This time around, Cleric Chih is on the road with a wealthy bride and her family, traveling to the house (which has seen better days) of her husband-to-be. But when they get there, things are off, and Chih must figure out what's going on before it's too late.

I admit I missed Almost Brilliant, who is again off mysteriously doing other things. I definitely enjoyed the last novella better than this one, but I would still highly recommend!

This is my first exposure to Nghi Vo and to the Singing Hills Cycle. I was worried about starting with entry #5, but I quickly caught on. Although the main character is recurring, the individual plotlines are separate for each book.

Our main character is Chih, a monk who is traveling with a bride (Pham Nhuang) and her parents to meet the Lord she is intended to marry (Lord Guo.) It becomes apparent fairly quickly that something is off - Lord Guo is far too old to be marrying a young girl, he has a son who acts strangely and is forbidden from socializing, and the servants seem frightened. This is a retelling of the Bluebeard legend, which has always been one of my favorites. Having said that, it definitely goes to some places that the original story does not!

I will not spoil the twists of the story because they were very unexpected for me. The writing has a high gothic quality to it that only increases as the intensity of the story builds. This novella is only 128 pages, but I felt entirely satisfied with where the story led. I definitely want to continue the series. Recommended, particularly for fans of folk lore and fairytales!

Arc provided by Tor in exchange for my honest review. Reviewed on Goodreads 4/24/24, will update with other reviews after release date.

The Brides of High Hill is already the fifth installment to the Singing Hills Cycle and every time Nghi Vo adds something new to this world. For the record, I keep miss typing the title as The Brides of High Hell and after reading it, that seems quite fitting as well.

The book starts off very straightforward. Cleric Chih is accompanying a future bride and her family to her future husband. At first nothing seems off. After the last two books, it doesn't seem weird when their companion isn't along for the ride this time. There is an odd vibe around the family but one can have nerves about an upcoming wedding.

But then things start to not add up. Her parents don't seem to care too much about what happens to them. They meet her future husband's son who is deemed mad. He shares things about his fathers previous brides. I love how the author manages to drop crumbles for us, that don't stand out at first instance but when looking back, make sense.

My biggest complaint is that after having read The Mammoths at the Gates, I miss a little bit of depth. This is still a great book. I just really loved getting more from Cleric Chih personally and that is less in this book.

Nghi Vo’s The Singing Hills novellas from the beginning have centered on the stories as they are remembered and retold and lived out. Their framework at the start has been a story within a story; a traveling cleric Chih being the recipient of a story or a legend, with the readers seeing how the stories are made and shaped and how it turn they shape the events. The previous novella in the series, Mammoths at the Gates, broke out of the pattern by actually having Chih at the center of events, and this one follows suit with one more twist — Chih here is part of the story itself.

“The world starts with a story. So do dynasties and eras and wars. So does love, and so does revenge. Everything starts with a story.”

As it quickly becomes clear to the reader, this is a version of Bluebeard, but with a bit of variation to make it interesting. If something about the way the story unfolds seems a bit off, a bit suspect, it’s because it’s meant to be. It’s still quiet and unfolds gently, but this time with a slight aftertaste of horror and a good helping of unsettling tension.

“Chih finally understood that the monsters were everywhere.”

I loved the first and the third book in this series, but this novella did not hit all the high notes those two had. I think I miss the story within a story framework although I do appreciate seeing more of Chih again, involved in a story itself instead of being part of storytelling. The story “twist” was both interesting as it derailed the expectations and a bit of a whiplash, abruptly changing the narrative flow. And the gothic feel — if this is what you like, you’ll probably adore this one, but I’m usually left a bit cold by that tone.

Still a good one, although not my favorite in the series (that honor goes to The Empress of Salt and Fortune and Into the Riverlands).

3.5 stars. I will definitely continue with this series.


——————

Thanks to NetGalley and Tordotcom for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'll keep reading about Cleric Chih's adventures for as long as @nghivowriting keeps writing them! I adore the Singing Hills Cycle so much. Every story is unique and Chih and Almost Brilliant are two of my favorite characters in fantasy right now. If you haven't read The Empress of Salt and Fortune and its sequels, I'd highly recommend checking out this series!

The Brides of High Hill has a gothic mystery vibe to it, which was fun. Seeing Chih unravel the mystery was entertaining, but once again Almost Brilliant kinda stole the show by the end. Nonetheless, I loved seeing another side of Chih in this story. I adore this series and I can't wait to see what Cleric Chih gets up to next!

Thank you to @tordotcompub for the eARC of The Brides of High Hill!

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for my copy in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

Nghi Vo's "The Brides of High Hill" is the fifth installment in the Singing Hills Cycle, and this time, we follow Cleric Chih into a chilling Gothic mystery that involves missing wives, a doomed marriage, and ghosts. Like the previous Singing Hills novellas, "The Brides of High Hill" packs a lot into a small amount of pages. Vo's writing is lyrical and haunting in this installment and it lends the story a very different tone from previous stories. The absence of Almost Brilliant hit me just as hard as it hit Chih. Without Almost Brilliant there to sort of defuse tense and chilling moments, I felt just as scared and nervous as Chih did. Although, without Almost Brilliant, watching as Chih had to figure things out on their own was really engaging and interesting to see. This installment has to be my favorite from the Cycle purely for how creepy and ghost story-like it was. It reminded me a lot of Vo's novel, "Siren Queens," especially with a certain reveal.

As always, I recommend anything from Vo. Their writing is beautiful, haunting, and lyrical and all of that punches forward pretty strongly in this installment.

Imgur Link goes to Instagram graphic scheduled for April 30th
Blog Post goes live on April 30th
Will be discussed in April Reads Pt 2

**TL;DR:** My favorite of the Singing Hills Cycle so far - this one has a very different tone and it was amazing.
**Source**: Netgalley - so many thanks to the publisher!

**Plot**: Cleric Chih is traveling with a family as they marry off their daughter, and things unfold… poorly for some involved.

**Characters**: Cleric Chih is our main PoV again and we get a few new characters I’m not going to spoil too much, but I enjoyed them all. We also get a little bit of Almost Brilliant, my absolute favorite bird ever.

**Setting**: A closed estate before a wedding, it was well drawn and felt very isolating for the story, which really added to the impact by the end.

**Magic**: Much more magic than I think we’ve seen in a hot minute with Singing Hills, and I love that.

**Thoughts**:

I’ve been a long time fan of this novella series and it’s honestly a crime it’s not talked about more. I’ll also freely admit I didn’t love the last volume in the series. This one completely redeemed that last one for me, this was amazing. Cleric Chih is traveling with a family as they take their daughter to an arranged marriage but small things don’t seem quite right. Chih can’t remember things they should remember and something is lurking in this isolated estate.

I can’t give too much of the plot of this one away, it is a novella after all. The tone of this one has a much more horror leaning feel than anything else, and if you have a problem with gore this might challenge you. The strength of this one is the setting and the idea of history coming back, especially in the worst way possible. Nghi Vo does this wonderfully while making it very disturbing and low key horrifying.

If you haven’t tried the Singing Hills Cycle and you love a good bite sized fantasy story, I will always recommend this series. They’re magical, and transportive and draw a fun and rich world with each installment. Each also feels very different from the last and this one really shows how Nghi Vo is growing as an author.

5 out of 5 Creeping Foxes

Another excellent addition to the series!

I found the tone here to be very different from the previous ones? The atmosphere was heavier in a way and it took me a little while to fully get into the story. I still very much loved how Nghi Vo developed the story and the little bits and pieces of the puzzle we got along the way.

Almost Brilliant's absence was very much felt, however, which added to the shift in tone. There were some pretty tense and mysterious things happening in the background which tied to that and it was entertaining when it all came crashing down.

The ending did feel a bit rushed, though. I expected a little more from it than what I got. Still loving this fantastic world <3

I thought I knew what to expect from this series by this point, but this installment felt totally unique! Instead of the story-ception thing the other recent books have done, I liked that Chih didn’t know they were in the story since before the book started.

I can see how some readers might feel like the twist was too obvious, but to me, it was what propelled me through the story. I knew Chih was in danger even if they didn’t, and their trusting attitude gave me goosebumps and made me want to keep reading to see how things resolved.

The foxes on the cover and the foreshadowing every time they were mentioned, were a fun motif. And of course Nhung would be horrified to find the fox pelt. To me, the biggest twist was Almost Brilliant being the teapot, although I should have seen it coming with the calico pattern mentioned so often!

Overall, I found this a fun take on the Bluebeard story, and a fun, skin-prickling read.