Title:

The Fox Wife

Author:

Yangsze Choo

Category:

Literature

Rating:

Date Reviewed:

March 8, 2025

he Fox Wife is set in Manchuria at the beginning of the 20th century. It tells two parallel tales in alternating chapters. One thread is related in first person by Snow, a fox who can transform into human form. The other thread is told in third person about an old man named Bao who has become a private detective in his later years. Bao has an extraordinary talent - he can tell when a person is lying. If Bao listens to someone speak and they tell a lie, in his ears there is buzzing rasping noise. Quite a useful skill for a private detective.

Snow is full of rage and grief. While she was away from her den, a hunter found her daughter, a fox cub, and killed it. The fur was for a photographer named Bektu Nikan. Now, in human form, Snow has taken the name Ah San and sets off to avenge her daughter. Foxes appear quite beautiful as humans, with striking features and persuasive words. They can beguile the human mind (though some humans are more resistant than others) - mesmerizing most humans so that they love to be near the foxes, and go along with their suggestions. Some foxes feed on the humans "qi" - their life essence, draining them of their energy, leaving them bewildered husks. Snow uses her fox powers to question humans about Bektu Nikan, following in his footsteps. Much of her narrative is the tale of her pursuit.

Bao's story begins when a restaurant owner asks him to identify a woman who was found frozen to death outside his restaurant. The woman was not dressed for the winter weather, but she apparently died with a smile on her face, as if she willingly walked out into the cold and died happy. Bao's investigations keep turning up rumors of foxes - but he doesn't really believe in those mythical beings, even though as a child he and a neighborhood girl named Tagtaa built a small altar to the foxes. Tagtaa claimed she had seen a black fox, and longed to learn more about them. Ever since that childhood experience, Bao has been intrigued by the idea of foxes living amongst us, but never has had evidence. Yet now, trying to track down the identity of the frozen woman, rumors and hints of foxes keep popping up. Bao gets hired by a wealthy man to track down a striking woman who escaped from his compound. The man even has a photograph of her - and she is indeed a beautiful woman. The reader watches as Bao follows in Snow's footsteps.

The Fox Wife is a big book, 384 pages in the hardback edition. Choo develops all of her characters, especially the protagonists Snow and Bao. The setting is unusual - turn of the century Manchuria, and then a journey to modernizing Japan. China is in the final throes of the Qing Dynasty, young men are caught up in the ideas of revolution and new form of government. It is a dangerous time. Unfortunately, foxes are curious, always inserting themselves into situations where the prudent move would be to leave town quietly. There are several times when Snow cannot resist eavesdropping on conversations, even at risk of getting caught.

I thought this whole book was excellent. Choo reveals more about foxes (though we never actually see them in their four-footed form) and how they interact with humans, who both worship and fear them. I see that Choo has written a couple of other books, and perhaps I should add them to my extensive To Be Read list.