Princess Thanh was a royal hostage for many years in the northern country of Ephteria before being sent back to her home country of Bình Hải. Two years after her return, she’s a disappointment to her mother, the empress, who hoped that Thanh’s time in Ephteria would give her insights into that country’s government and culture, making her more useful as a diplomat. It’s especially important now that an Ephterian delegation is arriving, certain to make demands and threats that will encroach on Bình Hải’s independence. But Thanh is a quiet, somewhat uncertain person — too thoughtful and discreet, according to her mother — rather than a power player. Thanh is also hiding a secret: since a disastrous fire in the Ephterian palace, small items in her vicinity have a mysterious habit of catching on fire. And the only real relationship she had in Ephteria was a clandestine love affair with Princess Eldris, the heir to the throne.

So Thanh is startled, and not entirely sure whether to be pleased, when Eldris shows up in the throne room as part of the Ephterian delegation. Eldris is confident and proud, the kind of princess who rescues herself rather than needing to be rescued. Her blue eyes still make Thanh’s heart skip a beat, and when Eldris follows Thanh out of the throne room, it’s clear that she still wants a relationship with Thanh. But political pressures, along with a blackmailing third party, threaten this sapphic connection between the princesses as well as Thanh’s position in her mother’s court. When the magical cause of the fires reveals itself to Thanh, it complicates her life even more, but offers Thanh some new choices and options when walls close in around her.

In Fireheart Tiger, Aliette de Bodard spins a lushly-told tale set in an ancient Vietnamese type of kingdom, where a more powerful northern country of white people send their youth on Grand Tours to southern countries and have aims of colonizing those countries, extending their influence and power to other parts of the world. The power of Ephteria is echoed in the character of Princess Eldris, who sees what she wants and pushes to obtain it. Eldris makes a tempting offer to Thanh, but Thanh has some hesitations. While Thanh “knows” her mother won’t approve, the problems with their romance aren’t due to prejudice —homophobia seems to be completely absent from this world, unlike colonialism. So it’s never entirely clear why the Bình Hải empress wouldn’t jump at the chance to have one of her younger daughters married to the future ruler of Ephteria.

Eldris is a potent symbol of a colonizing power, but it struck me that she could have just as easily have been a male character by simply swapping out the pronouns, and the paternalistic aspects of the story and her character would have even made more sense if that had been been the case. I almost wonder if she was a man in an early draft of this novella, because there’s so very little about Eldris’s character that seems innately female. It left me a little dissatisfied with Eldris as a character. The third part of the love triangle was intriguing, but not convincing to me as a love interest for Thanh, because her actual character — equal parts vulnerable child and threatening monster — simply didn’t strike me at all as one to inspire romantic feelings.

So in the end, the political negotiations and conspiring were much more interesting to me than the romance(s) in Fireheart Tiger. If you're excited about the lesbian love triangle, it's pretty tame from a heat point of view. If you're not excited about it, well, it's a pretty minor part of the plot in one sense, but it does echo the larger themes of this novella in a very interesting way. In either case, there’s much to recommend about Fireheart Tiger, between the lovely, evocative writing and the layered description of a more vulnerable country (and person) being simultaneously seduced and threatened by a more powerful one.

3.5 stars

So at this point it seems like de Bodard’s thing is to write stories that are some mix of Southeast Asian-inspired palace intrigue and/or lesbian relationships between a human and a non-human character. I’m quite ok with this. This one is short - I read it in about an hour - but it’s sweet, endearing, and atmospheric. It left me wanting both more de Bodard stories and steamed buns in about equal measure.

Actual rating: 3.5/5

Fireheart Tiger is a short novella that focuses on Thanh, a quiet princess who acts as a diplomat when the nation of Ephteria comes to try and claim more of Thanh’s home country for their own. While I loved the premise and enjoyed some elements of the execution, Fireheart Tiger didn’t quite live up to my (admittedly high) expectations.

I found the prose gorgeous in Fireheart Tiger—there were so many turns of phrase I highlighted for their elegance and beauty. The overall atmosphere and the glimpses we get of the worldbuilding were some of my favourite parts, though I definitely wanted more worldbuilding. Thanh as a main character in particular shines in my opinion, and her personal arc through the novella was engaging and satisfying.

However, I think I went into the novella expecting a more lighthearted sapphic fantasy romance, but that wasn’t what I got. I think the path Fireheart Tiger takes has important messages and this didn’t knock down my rating; it handles more serious topics like colonization, abuse, trauma, and self-discovery quite well. What did knock down my rating was a lack of clear character motivation and rushed character development; there was a bit of whiplash in moving from one situation to the next without sufficient grounds to establish it. Were the novella a little longer to let the characters and world breathe more, I think it would have been a full 4 stars for me.

Overall, I still think this was a solid read that many will enjoy, particularly if you (like me) have been vibing with the non-Eurocentric queer fantasy we’ve been blessed with in the last couple years; I haven’t seen Vietnamese-inspired fantasy much at all and I’m glad it’s in the world!

Thank you to Tor Books and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I was lucky enough to get an eARC of the Fireheart Tiger. This was a really quick read and I really enjoyed it. It was the perfect quick read to try and refresh my mind after reading a lot of darker books of late. Though, this book does have it’s darker moments. We follow Thanh now 24 back home in her home kingdom. She had been sent away as a hostage to another ruling family where a fire broke out at the castle, where she’d been left while everyone else escaped. Until a girl found her and rushed her safety. She never forgot the girl and since fire has been breaking out around her. She’s been able to hide it for a long time, but she knows it only a matter of time before she gets caught. I loved a lot of elements in this book. I would have loved to see this story longer, to get more of a chance to explore its world and characters. We only get a small glimpse of Thanh who is more of a shy type, who gets easily overwhelmed when Eldris reappears in her life, claiming to love her and wanting to start up where they left off the last time they saw each other. It shows how quickly a good relationship can become toxic. Thanh let herself get caught up in emotions because Eldris pushed said emotions onto her. I’ve been there and it’s a red flag every time. I did enjoy Giang’s character. She’s an interesting character in the fact she’s an elemental, a fire one. She’s followed after Thanh since the night of the fire. I would have loved to see more of her character’s growth though. At the end she says she loves Thanh and I do believe that’s possible considering she’s been with her for years, though Thanh herself had no idea. I’m happy that Thanh instead of just going with it again (as she did with Eldris), she stopped and said ‘No, lets see’. Which I found to be a big character development. I’d loved to see more of this world, and to see the characters in more detail, but all in all it was an interesting read.

Aliette de Bodard has made a name for herself in the genre fiction community with fantasy series like Obsidian and Blood, and Dominion of the Fallen. But her newest story is a bit different from the long epic fantasy she is known for. Fireheart Tiger is a standalone novella, rich in subtle worldbuilding that was inspired by pre-colonial Vietnam. It's a gorgeous, bittersweet love story and a rich exploration of character identity. Let's dive into Fireheart Tiger by Aliette de Bodard, but beware of some spoilers ahead.

The focal point of Fireheart Tiger is the relationship between the Thanh and her first lover Eldris. Both princesses from countries of widely disparate power, the two of them formed a connection when Thanh was living in Ephteria as a royal hostage. The events of the story pick up several years after she has left the country and Eldris behind, and returned home to her own court.

Aliette de Bodard puts in some wonderfully nuanced work in laying out the backstory of the two royals in Fireheart Tiger. She explores the historical tensions between the countries of Bình Hải and Ephteria, drawing from real-world history and culture. This information is laid out succinctly and without drawing too much attention away from the characters at the heart of the story. It would be easy to get bogged down in the worldbuilding here. To spend time explaining all of the history and politicking that led to this point. But de Bodard doesn't get lost in those details, instead focusing in on the characters to ensure that they are vividly drawn and complex individuals.

There is a third character that is also vital to the story: a fire elemental who once saved Thanh's life when a fire destroyed the Ephterian palace years earlier. She takes the shape of a young serving girl named Giang, and over the course of the story she becomes more and more human. She feels as humans do, and struggles to name these emotions that are taking hold of her. Giang's relationship with Thanh is a spark that ignites much of the conflict towards the end of the story.

In the beginning of the novella, Thanh is haunted by the memory of the fire that destroyed the Epheterian palace. She clearly suffers from some post-traumatic stress, constantly reliving the night of the fire in her head. Thanh is also fearful of a strange new power that seems to have come home with her from that foreign land. Things around her keep spontaneously bursting into flame, and it is not something that she can control. She soon discovers that the fire elemental responsible for burning down the palace came home with her, after saving her life and being treated with kindness by Thanh.

Despite being a powerful magical being, there is a vulnerability and powerlessness to the character of Giang that is surprising. There are moments when we can see what kind of power she can wield, the intensity of her flame. She is trying to figure out the human world that she has been thrown into. This is a character who should be terrifying, a raw elemental force. But she's not, she is kind and loving and cares deeply for Thanh.

In contrast to Giang, the character of Eldris is a human woman who appears to deeply love Thanh. However, there is ugliness simmering beneath the surface. Eldris is a princess from a far more powerful country. And she wields her authority over others (including Thanh) in questionable ways. At first blush, Thanh only sees the beauty and kindness that Eldris has shown her. Thanh is enraptured by their passion, and blinded by her own love. But when Eldris finds out about Giang, she becomes violently jealous and angry. In a single moment, she transforms from the gentle lover that Thanh has known, into a domestic abuser.

The author handles this situation with delicacy and care. In exploring the power dynamics between the two women, de Bodard also mirrors the complicated relationship between their two countries. There is a powerful underlying message about exploitation. And how easy it is to lose one's identity in an abusive relationship. The moment when Thanh fully comes into her own, and stands up to Eldris is a powerful moment of vindication for anyone who has suffered from this type of situation.

It was not until I sat down to write this review that I realized that there are virtually no male characters in this story. The women of Fireheart Tiger are so well-drawn and nuanced, that I didn't even notice (or miss) a male protagonist. And the women of this world also wield the power. Thanh's formidable mother - the Empress - acts as adversary for much of the story. Thanh believes herself to be powerless and unimportant. But only through this trial by fire can she learn her own self-worth, and stand up to those who would take away her power.

The only critique I have for Fireheart Tiger is that Giang could used more character development. She is clearly fundamental to the story, but we don't know much about her nature outside of her relationship with Thanh. The other critique would be that this story left me wanting so much more. I want to know what happens to Thanh and Giang after the end of the story. I would love to spend more time in the world that Aliette de Bodard created, and see what happens with the two rival kingdom. Perhaps this novella is the start of another larger series from the author. But it still stands completely on its own as a beautifully written novella. Fans of other novels we've previously reviewed like The Once & Future Witches, or Black Sun will find a lot to love about Fireheart Tiger.

As a teenager, Princess Thanh of Bin Hai is sent as a hostage to Ephteria. Now returned home, Thanh is placed in the center of diplomatic negotiations between Ephteria and Bin Hai as Ephteria wants to establish military bases in the country. As the book is inspired by pre-colonial Vietnam, it explores Bin Hai on the cusp of colonization as Thanh tries to do everything in her power to prevent her home from being taken over by Ephteria.

Her former love Eldris (also a princess) comes to partake in the negotiations on behalf of Ephteria, adding an additional complication to the plot. Thanh has traumatic memories from her time in Ephteria but also remembers her relationship with Eldris with fondness, with the knowledge that pursuing that relationship further would mean leaving Bin Hai again.

Most of this book is centralized around these negotiations, Thanh's memories of a fire in Ephteria, and Thanh's and Eldris' complicated relationship. I thought that the discussions on colonization and power dynamics were the standout part of this book. The colonial mindset of Eldris and others from Ephteria not only impacts the negotiations but also the relationships. It packs a punch in a short page count and conveys a very clear message. Thanh was also an incredibly nuanced character as she weighed her duties vs her wants, as well as the impact that being a hostage had on her motivations.

I also thought the worldbuilding was fantastic. This is a novella so the author cannot go too far into things, but even in a short page count there is such a sense of place.

That aside, I think this book almost packed too much in for the size especially when it came to the relationships. There was a lot of telling for the history between Eldris and Thanh - we were essentially dropped in the middle of their relationship. Even a slightly longer book with a few flashback scenes would have really clarified things. I also think the other romance was thrown in so close to the end that it lacked development.

I still really enjoyed this though and thought it was a solid one-sitting novella!

3.5/5 Stars

Fireheart Tiger was one of those novellas that I picked up completely based on the cover (Isn't it absolutely gorgeous!?!) and the fact that it was compared to Howl's Moving Castle. I've slowly making my way through Aliette de Bodard's backlist so I was intrigued by this new story of a princess given to a foreign kingdom as a hostage who has returned home.

This story is unlike anything I've ever read outside of de Bodard's stories. It's a sapphic romance that explores self-worth, colonialism, abusive relationships, and finding your place in the world. The main character Thanh is trying to figure out how she fits into her old home after traumatic experience and a stint as political hostage of nearby kingdom.

She is enlisted by her mother, the empress, as a diplomat to help with political negotiations with the kingdom to whom she was given when she sees a familiar and once (still?) dear face. This whole novella is Thanh's journey to accepting that she is someone of worth and figuring out where she belongs in a landscape of fraught international politics. Thanh's story was both heartbreaking at points and heartwarming in others and all was wrapped in this rich and kind of whimsical world.

There's a sapphic love triangle in this story and it was fantastically well done! I'm not one that usually enjoys a love triangle but I did here. I won't lie that one of the love interests kind of creeped me out from the start and I'm relieved about how the romance played out for Thanh. I also love the pieces of Vietnamese mythology in de Bodard's stories! It's a mythology I'm not as familiar with but what I want to learn more based on what I see in this author's stories.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I do wish it had been a bit longer to flesh a few things out more because I wasn't completely sold on the conflict and the "villain" felt a bit out of place for me and I spent a good part of the novella trying it figure out motivations. I see why it has been compared to Howl's and I was completely entranced by that portion of the story. I hope the author will write more in this world. I feel like the story was left pretty open-ended because there's definitely more to tell in the story. And I totally want to see how Thanh learns to navigate her new place in the world and how her romance plays out in its entirety.

I want to talk about this fascinating novella that came out about a week ago. Fireheart Tiger was actually listed as a full-length novel on netgalley so when I started reading it, I felt like it was going way too fast. I wish I’d realized I was reading a novella at first because this definitely would’ve made the pacing feel more natural. 


I was surprised how much drama and political intrigue the author managed to pack into the story. I actually would’ve loved for it to be a full length novel like I had originally thought--I definitely think that the plot could’ve been stretched out a little more and things like character backstories could’ve been further developed. Despite any gripes I may have about the formatting, though, the story itself was super interesting. It had unique character dynamics and was set in a fascinating fantasy world based on historic Vietnam. If you want to try an intriguing fantasy novella, I would definitely recommend it. It’s also the first novella I’ve read with a f/f romance, so that could be an incentive too!

Content warning: emotional abuse, attempted domestic violence, arson

In a palace, Thanh returns from years abroad to a mother that doesn’t value her presence, a fire elemental which has taken to her, and a lover who won’t quite quit. The personal conflict mirrors the political conflict, a perfect blend of interior and exterior stakes.

The structure of this novel is so effective. It’s brief, with so many layers of world-building that would tickle fans of door-stopper fantasies. But it is the relationships that leap off the page. In particular, the waxing of Giang and Thanh’s connection, and the waning of Eldris and Thanh’s relationship really worked well, especially when taken in parallel with Thanh gaining her own footing politically. The precise characterizations and deliberate scenes infuse deep personal stakes that amplify and influence the political machinations. Thanh’s character journey really works. The mutual respect between Thanh and Giang is swoony and casts a warmth like firelight.

Having spent the last two years digging into the world of novellas, I feel I am starting to get the hang of consistently identifying stories I am going to enjoy. Unfortunately, there are always going to be wild cards that slip through the cracks and ruin your day, much like Fireheart Tiger, by Aliette de Bodard, did to me. I really wanted to like this novella. As the back cover blurb will tell you, it is billed as – The Goblin Emperor meets Howl’s Moving Castle – in a Vietnamese-inspired setting. I have just finished reading an Asian-inspired novella about fire and tigers that I loved (When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain by Nghi Vo), and I thought this was a sure thing. It also has a very alluring and well-illustrated cover that pulled me in, but it was a trap. Fireheart Tiger’s length ultimately is its undoing, as there isn’t enough heat here to light a match, let alone warm a heart.

The entire story of Tiger can be summed up in a few sentences. Princess Thanh has been living a life as a hostage in the Ephteria kingdom for most of her life. When she is young, she is witness to a brutal magical fire that devastated Ephteria’s royal palace. She also falls in love with the Ephterian queen in waiting, which is problematic for an enemy of the state, to say the least. Now she’s returned to her mother’s imperial court and has found herself with a number of issues. First, her mother thinks her useless and tries to box her away from the world. Second, the magical fire that burned down the palace in her youth was caused by a powerful spirit that seems to have followed her home. And third, the magnetic queen in waiting, Eldris of Ephteria, is coming on a diplomatic trip to Thanh’s home that leaves our protagonist in a complicated situation. What will happen?

Fireheart Tiger would have definitely worked better as a larger novel. There is potential here, but it is absolutely not realized. The novella opens with its strongest sections. We find Thanh returning to her mother’s court where she is met with disgust and disapproval. The power dynamics at play feel promising, and though Thanh’s mother is a bit of a shallow character, I bought into their disagreements at first. However, this setup leads to a lot of self-pity and moping that never really goes away. This pity party is interrupted by occasional memories such as the Ephterian palace burning and a burgeoning romance with the Ephterian princess Eldris. The romance is very hard to wrap your head around, as Eldris’ personality is made up of how she looks physically. The romance feels a little sweet in the flashback (relevant for later), but Ephteria is a ruthless nation that is devouring those on its border and Thanh’s country/island/nation is next on the chopping block. I wish I could feel bad about this, but we get zero context or worldbuilding around Thanh’s place of origin, so I had a very hard time feeling bad for it.

Eldris comes to Thanh’s country and their romance picks up almost immediately, which is very jarring and feels unearned. As opposed to feeling sweet like in the flashback, Eldris is now creepy and manipulative for no other reason than to serve the plot. It is very unclear why Thanh even likes Eldris, given neither character has much of a personality. Thanh is purported to be clever and shy, but we see very little of the former. Her motivations supposedly revolve around protecting her country, but the majority of her inner monologue consists of railing against how her mother treats her.

On top of the characters being generally uncompelling, the dialogues were awkward. There was a lot of tonal mismatch and cliché that somehow exhausted me despite the short page length. The romance was utterly unconvincing, and possibly had slightly problematic intentions that I can’t discuss because of spoilers, and didn’t endear me to any of the characters in the slightest. Really the only things I did like were the premise, the inclusivity of the themes, and the ending which has a pretty decent twist. Otherwise, this is definitely a novella that you can skip.

Rating: Fireheart Tiger – 3.0/10
-Andrew

This book is so good! It’s about the main character’s relationship with someone she loves but isn’t entirely sure loves her the same way. We get the idea from the start that their relationship might not be entirely healthy but we haven’t seen enough of them together to really know until it’s pointed out to her, and she ultimately figures out where her heart lies.
Also, of course all of the people who get together in this book are all women. It’s amazing.

I give these two stars with a heavy heart, as I was poised to like everything about this. I just want to first say that don't want to discourage anyone from giving this a try if they really want to; perhaps it will be for you even though it wasn't for me. It definitely was a quick read and had a queer story at the center of it. Unfortunately, I don't think this novella fulfilled the promise of either the romance of Howl's Moving Castle or the political intrigue of The Goblin Emperor. Perhaps because it was too short, but even then, I found a lot of it so frustrating that I had to force myself to get through the last half of the book though it wasn't much.

Both romances were entirely too rushed. I understand the need for brevity in a novella, but never once did I get a sense of why anyone liked one another, especially to the point of potentially giving up their kingdom or incurring the censure of their court. They were also just unfulfilling, and didn't carry the emotional intensity I expected given that much of the arc of this novella involves two princesses from enemy empires who fall in love. It felt like lip service whenever Thanh would say how much Eldris saw her or how Eldris valued her, and given the ending that might be intentional, but then none of this story makes much sense.

The political aspects of this book were also...just plain bad. I'm sorry to say that the politics were thin, and something that could've been solved with a conversation or two. If your high politics can be undone by the threat of exposing an affair, then the stakes were incredibly low.

The writing was wonderful and perhaps I will pick up another book by Aliette de Bodard, but maybe I'll see if they have any longer works since this was not for me.

Thanh is the youngest princess and had been sent to the northern kingdom of Ephteria as a child. She returned home when the Ephterian palace had burned down and is now serving as a diplomat in trade relations with Ephteria. The crown princess wants her and all that they're bargaining for, and won't take no for an answer. The fire that had raged years ago threatens to come again now.

The cover of Fireheart Tiger is gorgeous, highlighting the imperial palaces of Vietnamese history, propped up with the guns Ephteria uses to maintain their supremacy. This is overshadowed by Thanh and the fire cradled in her palm. Ultimately, Thanh has to choose between a volatile, controlling princess and a fire elemental gaining sentience, and the court intrigues between kingdoms hang in the balance. As with Aliette de Bodard's other novels, the language used is carefully chosen. It's generally sparse around Thanh, who is so used to being invisible and catering to others' needs. It's not just filial piety, but the dedication of a subject to her empress, so she's caught up in multiple chains to please her mother.

This is short, probably best called a novella. That's not necessarily a bad thing, because you can easily devour the book quickly. At the same time, you devour the book quickly and I was left wanting to know more in this universe. Eldris of Ephteriais a woman who carries a quiet menace, appearing well mannered in the beginning. Her entire team does as well, so that Thanh is trapped within her own home. When that desperation is broken and she takes ownership over her future and her desires, I cheered. She's clever, and better at political machinations than she thinks. I would love to see more of her future if there are more novels in this universe.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor for an eARC of this title

Fireheart Tiger is a story lyrically written and filled with magic. I really wanted to love this story. I loved the writing and atmosphere that was in this story. Things were complicated and mysterious. I also enjoyed the complicated political situation in this world. I found the main plot incredibly interesting and definitely wanted to know more about it.

The main downside to this story was that it was so short. I wanted to know more. I wanted the worldbuilding to be more in-depth than it was. If this book was about 100 pages longer I think I would have loved it so much more. The mystery felt a bit rushed, but I found it so interesting and enticing. I was confused about what had happened and who was involved, in the best way possible.

If you like political intrigue, mysteries, family dynamics, and sapphic romances, this is the story for you.

Rating: 3/5 stars

While it can be harder to develop well-rounded characters in a short-form narrative, it can be done. I felt wholly disconnected to the main character and lacked a sense of stakes. Having previously loved Aliette's work, I found this rather disappointed. Overall, it felt unpolished

This is a hight fantasy novella about Thanh. After living as an hostage in the in the northern country of Ephteria she is finally in her home. Sadly for her, her mother is constantly disappoint with her and she does not feel like being a princess for her country. When Endris her ex-lover and princess of Ephteria came to negociate a political affair Thanh need to choose about her personnal want and her country.

In 112 pages, Aliette manage to create a great world building you can easily guess other story, past and future ones, the policitical state of the story is a great thing and I like the bit of magic I could see. For Thanh she is a great MC, she start with a low self estime and this book is about her and her worth. The journey and growth she manage to accomplish is so great.

Overall, this is a nice an pleasing novella, and I think you can read it on TOR.

Marketed as The Goblin Emperor meets Howl’s Moving Castle set in pre-colonial Vietnamese world, Fireheart Tiger was already a must-read. In less than a hundred pages, the author conveyed a memorable story of healing amid the threat of colonial invasion. Before I picked up this novella, I had no idea what I was expecting. All I knew was that it featured a sapphic diplomat, a fire elemental and explored a pre-colonial world.

Thanh, a princess of Bình Hải, has returned home after her years of hostage in Ephteria. However, upon her return, Thanh is treated as an outsider. Her mother had expected her to return cold, calculative, and strong, but she finds Thanh too soft and too thoughtful. Bình Hải is backed into a corner when Ephteria’s demands are the stepping stones to colonization. When a party from Ephteria arrives to negotiate, Thanh is given diplomat’s task alongside her mother. But she is caught off guard by the presence of her former lover and princess of Ephtheria, Eldris.

Aliette de Bodard explores the complexity of an emotionally abusive relationship in Fireheart Tiger. To see it represented and given exploration was validating for me. From an outsider’s perspective, Eldris’ is clearly seen to gaslighting, patronize and behave unpredictably towards Thanh. But Thanh, who has lived in isolation and disregard, cannot see this. She falls for Eldris because, with her, Thanh feels wanted. I love that the author took the time to explore this and not treat it as a tiny matter to the novella.

As Thanh’s belief in her self-worth grows stronger, so does the fire elemental. The budding relationship between Thanh and Giang is portrayed with sensitivity and nuance. Giang could have easily found a temple to make a home of. Instead, Thanh’s compassion and Giang’s trust brought them together. I love how the author portrayed the delicate nature of love after trauma. It is not a weakness to want to be loved and to matter to someone.

Fireheart Tiger explored a world on the brink of colonization; it explored imperialism’s aspects and the differing ideals between Western and Eastern nations. The novel parallels the abusive relationship to the impending colonization. It brought to light the illusion of safety one can fall for under a manipulator’s control.

Overall, this novella is a breath-taking story of agency and redemption; the power it takes to stand up to those who demand loyalty when they hurt you. Aliette de Bodard writes with confident and mesmerizing prose. Fireheart Tiger explores the complex relationships between women in power (Thanh and her mother), the corrosive force of abuse and the hope of restoration even during the darkest days.

A complex narrative and strong characters are a big draw for me as a reader. I didn’t think this story had characters I could connect with at first (I was wrong), but the complexity is there from the moment story begins. The novella is about ties made in danger, love, and by blood as well as bonds of loyalty, history, and ancestors.

Initially, I didn’t like the main character Thanh, Binh Hải princess and lead diplomat, for several reasons, her choices being the biggest one. Every time I thought she would regain my faith, she failed. But that’s not the whole story, nor will you hear it from me. I’ll say only she turned out to have more to her than I saw, nor were the circumstances around her actions straightforward.

Eldris, a princess from the dominant country and Thanh’s former lover, is more straightforward in desire at least. She wants Thanh back and joined this diplomatic mission to negotiate trade concessions for that purpose. Thanh desperately wants Eldris’ love, but the complications it brings on every level make her fear losing control of the fire that sometimes creeps from her dreams to reality.

Speaking of characters, I loved how secondary characters formed a critical part of the cast rather than acting as wallpaper. Thanh’s relationship with her mother, the respect due along with a lifetime of dismissal as the spare, inadequate princess, for example, is a factor in almost every decision Thanh makes. Her growth process occurs in opposition to her mother’s will. And yet, the queen doesn’t stand unchanged by events, a simple wall for Thanh to bounce off, but has the opportunity to grow as well.

Nor were the characters the only strength in this story. The description helped bring each scene to life in a way I appreciate. It neither felt overdone nor sat on the side without relevance to the events unfolding before us. I had some difficulty with the choice of a third person present tense narration. It startled me several times, but I adjusted.

The story is set in a world reminiscent of Vietnam split into countries with long histories and large vulnerabilities Eldris’ country seeks to exploit. The fire that burned down Eldris’ palace when Thanh was a diplomatic hostage there provides an element of magic because it has reappeared around Thanh since returning home, first in nightmares and then in unexplainable flames. Diplomacy is also a big part of the story, with Thanh as the tool of her mother’s will. She’s sent away, brought back, and commanded to use what she learned and connections she made to strengthen their negotiating position.

Both the sense of what stretches behind this moment and Thanh’s unhappy position torn between the woman she loves and the mother she must respect bring a depth to this tale. These elements are interwoven so the romance impacts the diplomacy in multiple ways, while the threat of discovery weighs down both magic and relationships.

With all this in the works, is there any question why the story pulled me in and kept me reading through to the end? I had doubts about motivations from the start, some of which proved warranted, and even when not, the story kept me guessing. I often hoped for one outcome but was unsurprised by another. There are many mysteries playing out, some of which add to the depth, while others are critical and therefore resolved by the end.

The story becomes a game of manipulation. Of characters, but of the reader as well. I wasn’t always sure who to support. Every character did some wrong in my eyes, though a few more than others, making committing to anyone difficult. Each moment is a negotiation, whether part of the overt diplomacy or not. This is not a simple, “good vs. evil” type story, and as such, it speaks to the complexity of real life. Every decision has consequences, and the right choices are not always clear. Only this tale wraps that truth in a beautiful robe with magic, passion, and power as the fine embroidery.

P.S. I received this Advanced Reader’s Copy from the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I don't know what I expected from Fireheart Tiger, but this novella was full of surprises from the start. There's Thanh, a princess with imposter syndrome, in love with the enemy yet trying to please her distant mother, who'd trade her away without a second thought if it helped their country. There's a fire elemental with a penchant for burning down palaces yet is the one being who understands the purity of love. There's a willful princess who will fight her own people for the sake of her lover yet is driven by jealousy to abuse and thinks little of it.

I feel my strongest reaction to this book was a sense of anxiety that spread from the MC. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, and when it did, I was surprised at the ways in which it did. For a relatively short book, this one packs in quite a few strong themes - colonialism, abuse, love, companionship, anxiety, and the importance of self-reliance.

Trigger Warnings: abusive relationship, discussions of grooming, gaslighting

Tordotcom sent me an ARC via Netgalley. This does not change my opinion.

If ever I find myself in a slump after a gorgeous and sweeping epic, I can always count on Tordotcom to give me a short yet mind blowing novella. Fireheart Tiger is no different but still does something that I don’t think you could ever imagine a few years ago. It strikes the match on something that readers like me have been waiting to read more of.

If you’re looking for Howl’s Moving Castle and The Goblin Emperor but sapphic or you want a pre-colonial Vietnam all about a gay princess asserting her self worth than Fireheart Tiger hits just the right spot.

Thanh, a princess of Bình Hải, is cornered by others fixing their fantastical colonial imaginations upon her home. A struggle for domination and control forces its princess to negotiate. Eldris, a former lover and sword princess, comes into her life again. She is the outsider, from those that believe Thanh’s people to be less civilized and worthy of commanding their own self determination. Within the palace is another mystery. A fire elemental. Princess Thanh hopes to save her people from colonization.

Beneath that theme of self determination is a personal one for Thanh. The layers in the story start to unravel and someone starts to show their true self. Beyond the glamour, the regality, the sophistication lies the gaslighting, the control, and the abuse. The political realities of colonizers and Thanh’s relationships connect. Abuse is bound to the story that Aliette De Bodard has written.

I am often met with authors putting their two cents in when it comes to abusive relationships and time and time again I am met with the outsiders perspective, which inevitably always ends up insulting. One of the things that I love about this novella is the abuse, something that may surprise most readers. The abuse in this story is an important one and not a conversation I want to see forgotten in reviews for this book.

I love what Aliette De Bodard is doing. Not only is she writing a beautifully told story about a Vietnamese inspired world with a queer princess but she is also dealing with abuse outside the confines of hetersexuality and whiteness. I really am swooning over the way Aliette De Bodard writes about love. The love a person deserves after abuse is the most wonderful thing I could read, especially as someone that has experienced abuse. People experience different types of abuse but one of the common things we experience is fighting for your right to have the relationships you want in your life. Using fantasy to talk about healthy love is refreshing.

I fell hard for Thanh. She’s politically minded, commanding, and she knows what she wants not only for her people but for herself. I do not want to say much more. I want people to discover this one for themselves.

Fireheart Tiger sizzles with magic, subverting tropes of the genre while planting new roots and new walls for perspectives in a clamor for more fantasy like this. Dark and glimmering like a deep and bright fire in the woods, Aliette De Bodard’s writing is all consuming and it’s so very nice by the fire.