The Fox Wife is a character driven slow burn following a kitsune (fox) on her journey to find the man she believes is responsible for her daughter’s death. It’s a dual POV so we also get to know Bao, an investigator that has been fascinated by foxes since he was a boy. Eventually their tales become woven together. I loved every moment of this book. It does start a bit slow but I adjusted my pace and soaked in the atmosphere and detail and found it to be perfect. Magical realism at it’s finest.
Thank you to Holt and Co publishing and NetGalley for the ARC!

Simply gorgeous. That’s all I need to say aboht this one, simply. Utterly. Gorgeous. Thanks for the arc

I wanted to love this book from the author of The Night Tiger, which I really enjoyed. This story is fresh and unique with a lot going for it, but I don’t think it had enough to fill 400 pages. I don’t mind a slow paced book, but there was so much repetition through the middle that the story felt stalled. No doubt Choo is a talented writer and I loved learning more about the historical folklore around foxes. Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt and Company for this advance copy.

The Fox Wife is an enchanting, thrilling, intriguing book written in the POV of a fox disguised as a woman. I loved reading this book as it takes the reader to a world of mythology, folklore and fables mixed with historical facts. I loved the books' interesting characters, how they are intertwined with each other and absolutely adored the main character, Snow. I was looking forward to reading this book and was immersed in it from the very beginning!

I didn't want to stop reading and put the book down!!

Thank you to Netgalley and Henry Holt & Co. For the e-arc in exchange for an honest opinion.

I received this from Netgalley.com.

Interesting story, a little magic and romance at the same time. Better knowing Chinese culture could have helped me love this book a little more deeply.

3.75☆

Thank you to Henry Holt & Co, NetGalley, and Yangtze Choo for an advanced copy of The Fox Wife in exchange for my honest review.

I rated this book 3.5/5 stars.

I wanted to love this book but it turned out to be just okay for me. The writing was beautiful, the mystery and intertwined lives of the characters was intriguing, but there were too many meandering asides and the pace was far too slow for me. It made for a difficult read without much payoff. I will certainly recommend it to others and will be looking into other novels by Choo in the future.

"The Fox Wife" is engaging and beautifully written. The point of view of the fox mother is the heart of this story. It drew me in and kept me invested. I don't want to write much more that might give away plot points, but I highly recommend this book for fans of historical fiction and fantasy. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Loved the concept of this book suprised on the path it went down when I'm the type of person that reads a description an sees the plot infront of my eyes before I even read through the first page😂, enjoyed this an hoped others who are interested get a chance to read this

This was a wonderfully aching tale of maternal grief, revenge, and murder mystery set in early 1900’s Manchuria. The story is filled with Chinese fox spirit lore, and the plot that starts it all off is devastating. 😢

The two POV’s in the book are written not only in a different narration style to help distinguish the two, but also to see both sides of the tale. Xue’er (or Snow by her friends, and Ah San by her employers) is a fox spirit that is set on the path of revenge after a devastating event occurs. I loved the diary-like style her narration takes on as she provided great insight into the life and culture of fox spirits. Her tale of grief is heart wrenching as you learn more of the events that lead her to where she is at the beginning of the story. The second POV, Bao, is done through third person narrative, and while he did feel a bit “bland” in comparison to Xue’er’s POV, I find that it fits him. He provides the murder mystery context of the story, and Choo does a wonderful job of leading you along while trying and failing to figure out the “who-done-it” question. 🔍

The side characters were just as evocative as the main POVs. I found Kuro and the old mistress to be the most endearing of the bunch as they treat grieving Xue’er with kindness. Shiro in my opinion, got the ending he deserved, though his motives still elude me . . . But I guess that’s a fox for you. 🦊

I did find the timeline to be a bit muddled for me here and there, and I do feel like Shiro’s relationship with Bektu not really well explained. But in the end, I still thoroughly enjoyed this snowy tale of foxes and the journey of grief, healing and revenge to be engrossing. I honestly couldn’t put it down at times! This is definitely for those who love and are interested in Chinese fox spirits, murder mysteries, and a mystery driven plot found in Carlos Ruiz Zafón’s Cemetery of Forgotten Books series! 📚

Big thank you goes out to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Co. for accepting my request for an eARC in exchange for an honest review, and to Goodreads for hosting a giveaway where I received a physical copy. And to the author, Yangsze Choo, for creating such an endearing tale of loss, revenge, and murder mystery!

Overall: 4.5/5 ⭐️

Publication date: February 13! ❤️

This book is slow and atmospheric, but in a really wonderful way. Simultaneously not a lot happens, but a lot happens. It's odd. But I loved it.

This book is a dual POV of a fox spirit and a detective. The fox spirit is on a story of revenge for reasons we don't fully understand, and Bao is trying to solve the mysterious death of a woman found frozen outside of a local shop. These characters are so different from one another, and their voices are very distinct. I enjoyed both of their stories equally, as they intertwined and went their own direction.

Choo does a great job of teaching the reader about fox spirits through the novel. I was so intrigued by these creatures, and I wanted to keep learning more. The writing wasn't particularly flowery, but I was very impressed with the author's ability to write the character's voices. I really enjoyed this one and will likely be checking out more of Choo's work.

Thank you to Henry Holt & Co. and NetGalley for an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I loved Yangaze Choo's 'The Night Tiger' a lot so this was an obvious read for me. However, this book fell flat for me. It didn't entice me from the beginning like it did in The Night Tiger. I had no reason to keep reading. I DNFed around the 30% mark.

Having been captivated by Yangsze Choios previous works like 'The Night Tiger', I approached 'The Fox Wife' with high expectations. Landing an advanced copy from NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company was a big win! I definitely did a quick happy dance when that approval came through.

Set in 1908 Manchuria, "The Fox Wife" weaves a tale around the mysterious death of a young woman, rumored to involve enchanting shape shifting foxes known for stealing life force. Detective Bao, intrigued by the myth of fox spirits, takes on the case to unearth her identity of the young woman. Simultaneously, a family cursed to lose their sons before their 24th birthday faces impending doom as their last heir approaches this age. The story is interwoven through a new mysterious woman, or fox lady, who arrives in Manchuria.

Some might say this is a slow book, yet the way the writing beautifully captured your attention was amazing! I captured so many quotes from this novel that just hit you right in the soul.

The plot is a masterful of simple unexpected twists and turns. 'The Fox Wife' accomplishes this with a seamless blend of intrigue and revelation. I truly believe the author understands the way grief can take a hold of you and carve unending pain.

The use of dual POVs is executed with such finesse that it elevates the narrative to new heights. The alternating perspectives provide a rich, layered understanding of the story, allowing the reader to immerse deeply in the world without giving away the story too far in advance.

Each character brought a unique essence to the story. One character, in particular, resonated with me due to their complex journey and development throughout the novel. I can honestly say I loved every major character. The characters were well enough developed and had complete story arcs.

Lastly, the ending was perfect! I was adequately satiated with the story. It was not rushed and it made total sense for each character.

'The Fox Wife' is a story that resonates with profound themes and exquisite storytelling. Yangsze Choo has solidified her place on my list of must-read authors. I wholeheartedly recommend this book .

Foxes speak! Imagine a group of fox spirits who can live one thousand years, transmorph into human forms, live among us and bewitch us. One such fox is Snow aka Ah San. She is grieving the loss of her child and is out for revenge for all who have had a hand in the murder. Through her narration, we follow her path during 1908, in China and Japan. She eventually becomes the servant of an elderly woman who was saved by one of these foxes as a child.

Snow is reunited with two other foxes in their human form. Shiro is a mischievous beguiler who has women falling at his feet and providing him with money for a very comfortable lifestyle. He has befriended the grandson of Snow’s employer and his coterie of friends. Kuro is a noted writer who wants to help Snow any way he can.

Concurrently, we meet Bao, who as a sickly child, had a nanny who prayed at a fox shrine for his health. Bao recuperated and discovered he could not lie and could discern when others did. After his wife died, Bao decided to use his talent and become a private investigator. He was charged with finding the missing soon-to-be wife of one of the richest men in the area. He was also asked to find the identity of a beautiful woman who died outside a restaurant in the cold.

The book moves seamlessly between these two characters. Their stories hit on so topics, grief, sorrow, regret, friendship, loyalty, mystery, hope, love and magical realism. The underlying Chinese folktale provides a magical canvas for this wondrous story.

Thank you NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

3.5 stars

Thank you to the publisher and author for the ARC! I love the folklores and East Asian cultures Choo explores in her books, but this one was a bit of a slow start for me. I found myself putting down the book often during the first 60% of the book, but once plot points fell into motion I became more invested. The book makes use of alternating characters/plot lines that eventually converged, which I liked at times but also found occasionally distracting. I think I was just really anticipating this release and maybe hyped my expectations up too much, but I’m still a Yangsze Choo stan and will devour whatever she writes next!

I didn’t want to put this one down! I loved how the story flowed. You will fall in love with the characters. I really enjoyed this book A LOT!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

4.25/5 stars

This story was truly something special - it was slow paced, but unique and captivating in a way that few stories are. The writing was exemplary, and the characters fascinating, and the atmosphere top notch. It's the kind of book that, granted, not a ton happens - but you're so enraptured by the storytelling that you get lost in the pages and just have a genuinely good time navigating the motivations and intersecting stories.

I really struggle to write a longer review because it was just such a unique read - the plot was interesting enough but what you get captured by is the lore, the intrigue, the characters and their stories and grief and (often) conflicting motivations. It spans a lifetime and countries and is just so rich you'll be mesmerized.

I really highly recommend this to anyone that wants a story with some stakes and action but really just something you can sink into, with characters you'll come to feel for (whether that be positive or negative) - beautiful storytelling by an author that truly and obviously has a passion for what they do.

This was a quiet, atmospheric novel that was part mystery, part fable. It was all about foxes, the Chinese folklore that surrounds these animals and their supernatural abilities such as shape shifting. The plot is told from two perspectives = a detective trying to solve a murder mystery and a companion to an elderly wealthy woman. This companion is also a fox living in human form.

I absolutely adored learning about the fox folklore. It was fascinating. It added an element of depth into the plot. The writing was also beautiful and lyrical. The author successfully created a charming yet otherworldly setting that seamlessly blended history and magical realism.

My challenges while reading this book lay in the many characters and challenges of keeping all of the characters straight. I was confused for the first half of the story as to who was who. I also found the pacing off, which detracted from the suspense of the mysteries.

I received an ARC from Henry Holt and Co on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was so charmed by this story. I felt I was in the hands of a master storyteller, one who know how to take her time, how to entrance me, how to make me see the story in my mind's eye, how to delight me and keep me turning the pages. It took its beautiful elegant time to tell me a beautiful, elegant story, one that captivated me. In some places I felt--and this is a good thing--that I knew what was going to happen next--and the anticipation what I knew was coming was such a pleasure, like hearing a wonderful old tale told once more by a master storyteller, or hearing a song you know by heart performed by someone who has been practicing that song her whole life. Wonderful. I read the book while simultaneously listening to Choo's narration which was such a treat.

Patrons liking fantasy, fairy-tale, historical novels will enjoy this interesting tale involving beings that are human and animal spirits.

Thank you to Henry Holt & Company and Net Galley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Fox Wife is Yangsze Choo’s third novel. After I was approved for this ARC, I took the time to read Choo’s other novels, The Ghost Bride and The Night Tiger, before picking up this one, and something I love about Choo is that she evokes the same feelings of beauty and whimsy in all her novels, even if the stories are quite different.

The Ghost Bride and The Night Tiger both follow younger characters than The Fox Wife does. While those are more coming-of-age stories, this one is about real grownups, and I really liked that.

1: The Plot

The story begins in Manchuria, 1908, and the Qing Empire is dying.

In Mukden, Bao, a detective with a great propensity for finding the truth, is investigating the circumstances behind the death of a young woman, found frozen in a doorway. Rumors of foxes surround her death, and Bao was long since been a follower of fox gods.

Meanwhile, Snow, a fox spirit on a quest to avenge her dead child, boards a train from Mukden to Dalian, pursuing a murderer. Her journey takes her from Northern China to Japan. Along the way, Snow enters the household of the proprietors of a famous Chinese medicine shop, whose sons are cursed to die young. But Snow’s entry seems to have changed their luck.

2: Narrative, Prose, and Story

Like with The Night Tiger, Choo switches up her POV style between characters. The story is told from Snow’s first person perspective and Bao’s third person perspective.

Understated worldbuilding is really Choo’s specialty. I never feel overwhelmed while reading her books, despite existing outside the cultures they’re based on. There’s never any infodumping. She does exposition so well.

Choo does an incredible job putting the setting and politics in the background, so the story and characters can exist in the foreground. The times and locations of her books exist in an epicenter of political and social conflicts, but that’s not the focus.

Like Choo’s other works, I’d describe the pacing of this book as slow and steady. She takes her time, but not necessarily in a way that makes the plot feel like it’s lagging.

3: The Audiobook

TBA

4: Characters

Snow was easily my favorite of Choo’s female protagonists thus far. I like that she’s an adult with adult experiences. Though I liked The Ghost Brides’ Li Lan and The Night Tiger’s Ji Lin, they’re both young and naive. I liked the change of tone Snow offered.

Snow is jaded and vengeful, which is to be expected since her child was murdered. But she’s also kind and loyal to those who are kind and loyal to her.

Bao wasn’t as interesting of a character as Snow to me, but I still found his parts enjoyable enough to read. He’s a few steps behind Snow during the story.

5: Conclusion

In terms of a story that gripped me right away, I think I enjoyed The Night Tiger a little bit more. But I still enjoyed The Fox Wife a lot and look forward to Choo’s next work!

★★★★☆ (4/5)