Review scheduled for 1/31/24.

THE FOX WIFE is a story of grief and reconnection, telling a small section in the life of a fox named Snow whose child was killed for the sake of a photographer's art.

Snow is a thoughtful narrator, relaying her contemporaneous thoughts as best as she can, but sometimes hinting at the trajectory of events that haven't quite transpired in the narrative. She is grieving her child, and leaves the grasslands to track down the photographer who desired a fox pelt as a prop for his photos. Snow's perspective is alternated with that of an amateur investigator, Bao, who has been able to sense lies ever since his nanny prayed to a fox spirit during a childhood illness of his. Contrasting with Snow's chronological telling of events, the sections following Bao connect pieces of the narrative on a thematic level. Some deal with his childhood, particularly his friendship with a courtesan's daughter. Others follow him in his twilight years, contemporaneous to Snow's telling, with a whole life and marriage behind him, using his lie-sensing abilities to solve mysteries for people. What begins as an attempt to identify a dead woman turns into a meandering quest into rumors of foxes, and one particular woman who disappeared from a walled garden.

The worldbuilding is relayed through conversation and Snow's observations, as well as Bao's thoughts. Snow tends to explain a fox's perspective on human things a contemporaneous reader could be expected to know, which works neatly to give insights into both Snow and the historical setting. There's an attention to the ways that women and girls are restricted for the sake of men's whims. The narrative is filled with wives, concubines, courtesans, and even girl-children who are treated according to their future matrimonial prospects (or lack thereof). Even Snow is most often called a nickname based on being the third servant to work for her eventual mistress. She is wary of male foxes, as human sexism translates into easier lives for them and more danger for her if she's caught up in their schemes.

The three narrative strands weave together to tell a complete story. I was able to figure out many connections and identities by having access to all three perspectives. Bao, the detective was usually the last one to figure out exactly what fox-related thing was happening, but that's because he doesn't know if transforming foxes (like Snow) are real. Snow, for her part, isn't ready to talk about the more painful aspects of her recent history, so the reader must piece together what happened before the book started by combining what Bao finds with what Snow tells of foxes. It had a mystery feel without being an outright whodunnit for the reader.

I know a book is great when it heavily features a theme I dislike or personally don't relate to but I love it anyway. Anyone who can make me love a book about being a grieving mother has done something very special. It handles this topic with care, gradually saying more of what happened to her child as Snow is able to process her grief. I was drawn back to it, finishing it in less than a week as I needed to know what would happen next. A third of the way in there was a plot point that in other books would have been wrapping things up, but instead the narrative blossomed in unexpected and very welcome ways. I would happily read more with Snow (or any other foxes) if the opportunity presented itself, but this story feels complete and is very satisfying.

I was intrigued as soon as I saw the synopsis for this novel. I love non-Eurocentric fantasy and Choo definitely delivers, painting a rich world of folklore and magic for the reader. THE FOX WIFE follows a private detective named Bao in the early 20th century. He begins investigating a woman’s mysterious death and stumbled into the world of fox spirits. What follows is a magical mystery with a touch of romance.

I loved the dual POV narration and especially the character of Snow, a fox spirit with plenty of secrets of her own. Choo does an excellent job of weaving the threads of the story together. I highly recommend this book and look forward to seeing what the author does next!

Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for an early copy of this book.

Another great novel by Choo. I have loved her past books, but I believe this is my new favorite. Just the right amount of folklore and magical realism. Loved it.

A beautifully written book incorporating Chinese mythology and history all in one, as well as themes about family. I'll definitely be looking for more from this talented author!

This was excellent. There was only one area early in the book that needed separation of the paragraphs to avoid confusion in the character voice switch. The other switches were clearly separated. I also wanted to say that the footnotes were greatly enjoyed and I loved the break in the "fourth wall" feeling it provided.

Thank you for allowing me to read an advance copy and provide a review.
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The following review is posted to Goodreads and Librarything.
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Stellar. Yangtze Choo has once again produced a novel that should climb on top of your TBR and impel you to read it. I lingered over this novel savoring its lyrical resonance - a rare experience for me.

That’s my short review.

The longer review contains spoilers - open at your own risk. The review can be read with out and not miss anything vital.

While the story is a slow build, the overall payoff is worth it. The story is told mostly from the main characters POV <spoiler> the main character it a female fox, a culturally mythological creature</spoiler> and develops over the duration of the novel. The story line shifts between the main character, and another who is a detective who is investigating several things, including a death, a missing person, and the possibility of fox spirits existing, while recollecting their own past. The ending is satisfying and in many ways happy.

The inclusion of regional folklore, historical perspectives of these fox spirits, along with examples of what different mundane things mean within the culture the story is set in (example in spoiler) <spoiler> the explanation of what certain plants along a walking path in one of the compounds subtlety illuminates the story, and provides insight into the culture and time period </spoiler>, along with the occasional footnote makes this a joy to read — and learn.

This is Historical Fantasy done superbly. The writing style is fluid and engaging. The addition of other genres only enhances the story. Add this to your list and get ready to have an amazing read.

Thank you to Henry Holt and Co, and Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest and unpaid review.

Genres: Historical Fantasy, Mystery, Folklore

It’s 1908 in Manchuria, China and Snow is a beautiful woman who is grieving her infant girl. She vows revenge on the hunter that killed her. In another part of China, a young boy is sad that his nanny was fired and he has no-one to talk to. Then his mother finds a smart young girl his age to befriend him. This starts the beautiful story of foxes that take human form and how far they will go for the ones they love. Thank you to net galley for the opportunity to read this book before it hits the bookstores. The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo is a 5 star read!

The Fox Wife, Yangsze Choo’s third book, is a charming story about a fox seeking vengeance for the death of her child, intertwined with that of an investigator who is destined to cross paths with her. The story beautifully explores the mythology of foxes in Asian culture while bringing a poignancy to the protagonist as a mother devastated by the loss of her child. Two other foxes are a part of the story, showing that just like people these creatures defy standards, having personalities all their own. Not realizing the impact of foxes on his life as a child, Bao is looking for Ah San in an investigation of his own, following her tracks in her own search for closure. But doing so might end up providing Bao with closure of his own and a chance to reconnect with the person he can never forget. By focusing on a particularly tragic event in a fox’s life, Choo manages to perfectly bring together the immortal and mortal in a way that’s believable and fulfilling-a difficult challenge.

I knew I would like this book - I've enjoyed all of Yangsze Choo's previous books, and I have a very soft spot in my heart for fox spirit stories - but I loved this from start to finish.

It has all the hallmarks of Choo's other stories - a headstrong female heroine who straddles various identities finding her place in her world, set against the idea of a mystery that is deeply shaped by the changing political landscape of the city it takes place in. The sense of time and place is so rich - the snowy streets of Mukden and Dalian, the grass of the steppes, the forested hills of Kyushu - and while Snow, White, and Black exist outside of human politics, the feeling of a society at a tipping point is one threaded through the story, from the young revolutionaries to the multicultural characters and locales. Much like the world had become much more interconnected, it's also clearly harder for the three foxes to keep the delineation between their existence and human lives. And that's what gives the story so much charm. For all the stories and tales tend to be about foxes tricking or taking advantage of humans, we see that foxes are just as drawn to us as we are to them.

I loved the balancing of Snow's hunt for revenge and a lancing of her grief with Bao's calmer unraveling of the mystery set before him and the way it reveals just as much about human nature when left to our own devices (even if the switch from first person past to third person present was always a little jarring).

My only complaint would be that there wasn't a great explanation for why it was just the three foxes (and then from that, since they're a group of three, between the longevity and the depth of feeling, why it wasn't a poly relationship, but that's just me), but it hardly detracts from the enjoyment of watching all of these lives trace their paths.

Really enjoyed this! The folklore of foxes in China - a story with multiple characters that weaves together for a very satisfying conclusion. The story is set in China in the early 1900's, and told through the perspective of "Snow" (also known as Ah San) - a mysterious young women on a vengeful quest and Bao, an older gentleman detective who pines for his lost love, and is fascinated by the folklore of Fox spirits. Ah San is seeking a famous photographer, whom she blames for the death of her only child. She finds herself serving an older matron who is also hiding some secrets, and hoping to help her young grandson. I was interested in the story as soon as it started, but I love a good fairy tale or myth retelling. It did lag a bit in the middle, but the ending is worth the wait.
Thank you to Netgalley for an Advanced Reader copy.

I received a copy of "The Fox Wife" by Yangsze Choo. The Fox wife takes place in Manchuria 1908. It is written through the eyes of two characters. and goes back and forth between the characters "Snow also known as Ah San" in the first narrative. And Bao, an elderly man.
Through Snow's eyes she wants revenge on Betku and gets a job as a domestic for an elderly woman. to try and get to Betku. In the second story an elderly man named Bao is a detective trying to solve a case where a teenaged girl who was a prostitute, was found dead in a doorway. She was found frozen. the book describes Bao as looking back on his childhood when he was a teenager and loved a young girl who was already spoken for in an arranged marriage. Decades later, he still pines for her.
The book goes back and forth to the two different stories. It is not a surprise that eventually the two characters will come together. The book also focuses on the "Fox" where there is mythology of how foxes can turn into human girls and live among people. Depending on the color of the Fox depicts if it is good or bad. Different characters claim they can see the foxes that are hiding in human form.
This book takes awhile to get started. The author takes her time with her book. As already mentioned the two characters stories mesh together. A good story. Found the mythology part with Foxes interesting.

A mysterious vixen seeks revenge in this mystical tale of love, forgiveness, and second chances, where things aren’t what they seem and contentment is found in the most unexpected places.

Bao, a lonely, aging private detective, is hired to investigate the death of a young courtesan, believed to have been lured to her end by a cunning fox. Bao has always been curious about foxes and the lore surrounding them so is immediately intrigued by the case. His investigation leads him on a path towards a mysterious and beguiling woman who always seems one step ahead of him. As he closes in on her, he seems to have more questions than answers about her involvement in his case.

Devastated by a recent loss and seeking revenge, Snow, a sly and ancient fox, finds herself traveling around Manchuria on the hunt for a murderer. As she attempts to track him down, Snow becomes caught up in a bizarre scheme where she poses as the servant of an elderly woman whose family is plagued by a curse of their own. When she is unwittingly reunited with friends from her past, Snow fears they will thwart her efforts to track down her prey. As she comes closer to confronting the murderer, Snow learns there are other more personal obstacles that she must overcome first.

As Snow and Bao’s paths merge, a series of the most unexpected events help both of them to find the resolution and contentment they’ve been searching for all along. Stunning, vivid, and magical, this book is a heartfelt, enthralling adventure that is simpler to experience than it is to describe. Choo captivates the reader in the intricate way she merges folklore and an unusual love story that is utterly unforgettable and shouldn’t be missed! 🌟🌟🌟🌟 (4/5)

Thanks @yangszechoo @netgalley and @henryholtbooks for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The story starts in Manchuria in 1908, a few years before the Xinhai Revolution topples the ruling Qing dynasty currently headed by the about-to-die Empress Dowager Cixi. But it isn't about royals or nobles in the least, and the looming Revolution plays out more like background music than an important plot. Instead, it's about Snow, domestically known as Ah San at the household she's a maid to an iron-willed elderly lady, a mysterious woman who arrives to the Manchu city of Dalian from the countryside in pursuit, we are told, of a photographer by the name of Bektu Nikan who has done her a grievous wrong she wants revenge for.

What the wrong she means to avenge is will slowly unravel as the plot advances, keyword being slowly. We first get a glimpse into what might've happened through the eyes of Bao, a detective past his prime that is investigating the murder of a courtesan. The photographer is the first connection of many that'll eventually lead him to link up with Snow and through her an old friend he thought lost. Is it an original mystery? No, it's simple, and those that read mysteries regularly will likely guess what happened even earlier than I did and the resolution to the wrongdoing is rather anticlimactic for my tastes. But that's not what's going to sell readers on this story.

Part mythology, part mystery, part magical realism, completely engrossing and gorgeous. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this one in advance.

I’ve loved Yangsze Choo’s previous novels so I was really excited to hear about her next one! The summary sounded intriguing and atmospheric, and I was dying to read more of her gorgeous writing. Mysterious and mischievous, The Fox Wife unfolds a story of a mother seeking revenge in a world where fox spirits run amok.

In 1908 Manchuria, a private detective named Bao is hired to investigate a woman’s mysterious death that his instincts can’t help but point him in the direction of the fox spirits he’s been obsessed with ever since he was a child. Unbeknownst to him, one of these fox spirits, Snow, is looking into her own mystery, tracking down a photographer in revenge of her child’s death. Soon she crosses paths with an old friend-slash-enemy Shiro, who puts her in the path of Kuro, someone she had never wanted to see again.

As usual, I adored Choo’s prose! She has this way of writing that fully immerses you in a world and the character’s mind. The Fox Wife, in particular, reminded me of both of her previous works, with the mystery of The Night Tiger and the heart and levity of The Ghost Bride. I definitely want to reread the latter now after reading this book.

The dual point-of-view does leave a little to be desired, simply because Snow’s chapters are definitely the focus of the story. Bao is always two steps behind what we’ve learned from her character already, but his chapters do serve to show us other parts of Snow’s backstory that she either glosses over or doesn’t touch on initially. I don’t think his point-of-view weighed the story down too much though because I was interested in his backstory.

Bao’s story intertwines with hers even aside from the mystery he’s investigating, which ended up being really sweet. The juxtaposition between their two points-of-view, with Bao’s leaning toward a mystery while Snow’s was, for the most part, more lighthearted and fun, also kept me on my toes. She also gives us the firsthand insight on what it’s like being a fox spirit and living so long, compared to Bao’s veiled knowledge of the mythology.

However, again, to me, Snow is the heart of the story. She’s a mother bent on revenge, searching for a Manchurian photographer who is obsessed with white fox stoles, after he murdered her child while she slept. Her point-of-view read as very mischievous and mercurial, exactly the tone that you would think a fox spirit would have. I mourned with her character and yet I also had fun with her view on the world.

The other characters were also great additions to the story. I particularly loved Snow’s interactions with the other fox spirits, Shiro and Kuro. Shiro often drives her crazy due to his trickster nature and lack of concern for getting caught. Meanwhile, Kuro is someone she never wanted to see again, for reasons that soon become apparent. The three of them bumping up against each other with their own agendas was incredibly amusing to follow.

There also was a bit of romance that I really loved. Choo’s works include only a hint of romance, but that small amount is enough to make you obsessive over it. The ending was so sweet for all of the characters.

The Fox Wife was a thoroughly engaging novel that I couldn’t put down. I loved the gorgeous writing and the characters, as well as the fox spirits and the worldbuilding. If you’re a fan of Yangsze Choo’s previous novels or of thrilling historical fantasy mysteries, I definitely recommend The Fox Wife!

An interesting book, sort of. I enjoyed learning about China from this perspective, classes, money, poverty, food, dynasties, etc., and the mythology of foxes there, but the mystery was under-baked and overdone and not enough to hang 400 pages on. Indeed, there was a great deal of repetition as the book moves between the first person narrator, Snow, the fox woman seeking revenge, and Bao, the 60-something detective, whose life story is told in third person, as he tries to learn the name of a woman who has died. I would have much preferred to learn why some foxes are these supernatural beings and others, I assume, are simply actual foxes.

Thanks to Henry Holt & Company and Netgalley for the ARC.

I really liked both The Ghost Bride and The Night Tiger, so I was thrilled to receive a copy of Yangsze Choo's newest. I also really enjoyed The Fox Wife! It's a bit of a slow starter, but I actually didn't mind that, as it gave the characters time to develop. I was very invested in the two main characters' storylines. I loved the characterization of the foxes, from their shared "curious to a fault" character to the different ways they choose to act during their long lifespans.

The Fox Wife is one of the best books I have read this year. I was unfamiliar with the author. The description of the story and the title of the book pulled me in. I don't know what category it falls under. It is mythology, a mystery story, a beautifully written fable of being a mother, second chances, love, and revenge. I stayed awake one night until I finished it, it is that good. I will now look for more books by this author who writes as if she is Chinese but turns out to be born and bred American. Bravo to her.

I’ve kind of slowed down in my reading this year as I’m trying to take my time more and challenge myself with different genres and writing styles (120 books has already exceeded my expectations). I picked this ARC up because I liked the idea of Chinese folk tales in a literary, historical style.

I also saw lots of foreshadowing to the present, with the current Chinese Communist government’s fears of superstition and old faiths and mysticism. This book is set at the time of the last days of the Qing dynasty, with restless socioeconomic inequities and anxious young men fomenting revolution.

It probably also took me awhile to get through because of the author’s slow-paced, languid writing style. I actually appreciated it, but it won’t appeal to everyone. There was lots of telling in a non-Western-narrative style, but that suited the character of the book, told from the point of view of a fox lady shifter relating her misadventures in revenge.

I thought it was fascinating how the story changed POVs from first-person in the perspective of Snow, the fox lady estranged from her fox shifter husband who abandoned their child to an untimely murder. She’s now set on exacting revenge on the murderer, a photographer with mysterious revolutionary side hustles.

It also alternates between the third person POV of Bao, a detective with an uncanny ability to discern lies from truth, an old man who still nurses a childhood crush on a companion who could never be his, and a human whose shadow is disappearing after being touched by foxes in his youth to save him from a terminal illness.

Bao is hunting down the fox lady for a client who’s become obsessed with her, but even he is confounded by the chaos of bodies left frozen in doorsteps, revolution and betrayal left in the wake of a band of fox spirits hiding from humans.

Snow becomes wrapped up in the family of Bao’s childhood crush, posing as the old lady’s servant, as the family goes to Japan in pursuit of the photographer and an ill-fated revolutionary plot.

Chaos, regret and drama follow these sad characters with depth who somehow find peace in the end.

I loved these characters, especially Snow. She had a little of the reckless, emotional damsel in distress vibe around her husband, Kuro, that I usually find annoying in hetero romantic arcs, but overall I found her a strong, complicated character, a morally grey type with her own code of ethics that I respected. I also loved Bao’s forlorn love story and found his life very sad but also somehow hopeful in the end.

This story definitely has that Eastern tinge to it of life is suffering but we find hope in the end through the strength of our traditions, rituals and our belief that magic might not be entirely gone from a world that tries to modernize any wonder and mystery out of everyday life for the sake of convenience.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is the first book I've read by author Yangsze Choo. This book starts out a bit slowly and the mystery aspect of it is predictable. The beauty in this novel, however, is the marriage of Chinese, Manchurian, and Japanese mythology with the setting and daily life of a place that is exotic and foreign to me.

This is one reason I love to read. I get to live in a different world, experience different times and places, and learn about other cultures through fantastic and fantastical storytelling. Well-written and fun, I definitely recommend this if you're interested in Asian cultures and mythologies!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced digital reader's copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review!

I loved this story! I was completely immersed and loved the folk tale elements. I thought the characters were well crafted and felt very multidimenstional.