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The Fox Wife

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The Fox Wife

By: Yangsze Choo
Narrated by: Yangsze Choo
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About this listen

An enchanting and unforgettable historical mystery from the acclaimed author of The Night Tiger

Some people think foxes go around collecting qi, or life force, but nothing could be further than the truth. We are living creatures, just like you, only usually better looking...

Manchuria, 1908: A young woman is found frozen in the snow.

Her death is clouded by rumours of foxes, believed to lure people into peril by transforming into beautiful women and men. Bao, a detective with a reputation for sniffing out the truth, is hired to uncover the dead woman's identity. Since childhood, Bao has been intrigued by the fox gods, yet they've remained tantalizingly out of reach. Until, perhaps, now.

Meanwhile, the family of a famous Chinese medicine shop can cure all ailments - except the curse that afflicts them. All their eldest sons die before their twenty-fourth birthdays. Now the only grandson of the family is twenty-three.

When a mysterious woman enters their household, their luck seems to change. But is their new servant a simple young woman from the north, or a fox spirit bent on her own revenge?

New York Times bestselling author Yangsze Choo brilliantly explores a world of mortals and spirits, humans and beasts, and their dazzling intersection. The Fox Wife is a stunning novel about dead bodies found in the snow, a mother seeking revenge, and old folk tales that may very well be true.

©2024 Yangsze Choo (P)2024 Macmillan Audio
Fantasy Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Literary Fiction Magic Magical Realism Mystery Fox Feel-Good

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Critic reviews

'Masterfully plotted and superbly surprising, The Fox Wife will entice you into a world of magic and heartbreak, a beautiful tapestry woven from love and revenge and forgiveness. But beware: once you start, you may not be able to put it down!' (Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, author of Independence and The Last Queen)

'The Fox Wife is a rich tangle of myth, mystery, and history, delivered with Choo's inimitable grace and precision. It's not a book so much as a beguilement; it enchanted me entirely.' (Alix E. Harrow, New York Times bestselling author of Starling House)

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Quite a long-winded story told in a “one voice” style. It was sometimes difficult to separate which character was telling the story. The narrator/author’s voice was pleasant enough, and spoke precisely, but at the same pace & tone throughout, so any exciting bits were lacking excitement or impact. I feel that the story may be better told by a narrator with more range of emotion, etc.

Nevertheless, I feel I am glad I listened to it.

If you like beautifully descriptive then this is for you.

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loved it, and was a treat it was read by the author. perfect narration for this story.

incredible

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I loved the descriptions, the narration and the escapism. This is a book you can get lost in and meet interesting characters and magic adventures. The characters are superb, each one! I’m going to miss them!

Really enjoyed the book

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Great narration. A different type of story and in order to enjoy you need to believe that some foxes can turn into humans - if you can do that then you will enjoy this book. Has a bit of history of the opening up of China and Japan and various border changes between Mongolia, Russia, China and Korea which adds to the interest. But at the heart is a story of love, loss, greed, superstition and wickedness in both humans and foxes. Loved it and would recommend.

Had me in its grip from page 1

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Wonderful tale with a gallery of irrisistable charachters. Intelligent writing that leads you effortlessly through the twists and turns of the plot. I love audiobooks narrated in the author's own voice, make me feel assured the interpretation is aligned with the author's intention.

let the foxes bewitch you!

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While the characters are not as immediately endearing as those in the Night Tiger, they grow on you and this tale grows into a captivating story of foxes, crime and love. Choo has a beautiful voice and diction, and reads with much nuance, but it can sometimes be difficult to tell the difference between characters when she reads dialogue.

Tip: I heard Janie Chang’s Library of Legends shortly before this book and find they go well together as fox women play a central part in both.

Enchanting story

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The author spoke the story and was wonderful. I liked the alternating chapters. The ending was satisfactory. Looking forward to listening to her earlier books and what she will write next.

Great story.

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