I’ve always thought that the legend of the fox is so fascinating. In Chinese literature and also Japanese and Korean legends, the fox is a shapeshifter, as you mentioned, who can turn itself into a very attractive person. And folklore is full of these stories – many of them odd figments of stories – of foxes who interact with people, often tricking them, sometimes killing them or making off with their property.
The classic fox tale is that there’s a scholar who’s studying for the imperial exams late one evening when there’s a knock at the door, and a beautiful woman appears. Later on, of course, he discovers she’s not human, which raises all sorts of questions about, what is the story really about? But when I was a child, I read lots of these stories, and I was always fascinated by the fox, by this creature. Why do they come at night? Why do they always interrupt people’s exams? (Laughter). And what lies on the other side of the door? You know, the sort of wildness and otherness – that’s really interesting.
― Yangsze Choo, Interview, NPR
What booksellers are saying about The Fox Wife
- Choo delivers a beautiful work of fiction that somehow both detective mystery, Chinese folklore, with the themes of love, loss, revenge, all delivered with poetic prose and incredibly wit. The story alternates between two characters whose paths are working their way toward one another. This built so much tension making it hard to set down! The depth of dimension each character has makes you love, pity, and sometimes hate them. I can’t say enough good things about Choo and this book. I can’t wait to read more of her work, and will surely be leaving out tofu for the fox gods tonight!
― Morgan DePerno, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina | BUY
- The Fox Wife expertly combines folklore with history and a detective’s journey sparked by a murder investigation to explore topics of grief, loss of child, love, revenge, and learning how to move on after tragedy. This was one of the best books I’ve ever read, full of lyrical and beautiful prose, exquisitely complex characters, and an engaging and almost unexpectedly adventurous plot. A great read for a wide range of audiences looking to try more literary fiction. Pick up The Fox Wife for fox spirits, detectives, mystery, revenge, love, loss, heartbreak, healing, and a beautiful cast of tricky and truthful characters set against gorgeous writing.
― Izzy Bell, Birch Tree Bookstore in Leesburg, Virginia | BUY
- The stories of two characters slowly converge in this tale set in early 1900’s China. …Yangsze Choo plays with fox mythology from multiple traditions to create something uniquely hers, the era in Manchuria (and Japan) in which the book is set is fascinating, and the unfolding dual storylines pull readers along at a quick pace. Another great read by the author of The Ghost Bride.
― Ginger Kautz, Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh, North Carolina | BUY
- It’s early 1900s in Manchuria and there are foxes that can change shape and live among humans. One such fox is on the hunt for the man that caused the death of her child. Meanwhile, Bao, and older gentleman is working as a detective and he has a special skill: he can tell when someone is lying. Their paths are on a collision course as their lives intersect. This extremely compelling story is a joy to read!
― Jennifer Jones, Bookmiser, Inc. in Marietta, Georgia | BUY
About Yangsze Choo
Yangsze Choo is the New York Times bestselling author of The Ghost Bride (now a Netflix Original series) and The Night Tiger, a Reese’s Book Club Pick, and a Big Jubilee Read selection for Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee. She lives in California with her family and loves to eat and read (often at the same time). The Fox Wife and all previous novels would not have been possible without large quantities of dark chocolate.
