The Fox Wife: A Novel

The fox lady is a shapechanger/spirit (Snow) and she is seeking revenge against a photographer that paid someone to catch a fox, which happened to be Snow's daughter, and she died from the injuries inflicted by the hunter. Snow meets the owner of a medicine shop, and befriends the woman. Meanwhile, the detective, Bao, is hired to find out the name of a woman who died on his doorstep, to break a curse/bad luck. Bao's childhood sweetheart is the owner of the medicine shop, and all the characters come together at the end. Snow reunites with her husband, and her husband's best friend (who are also foxes). It's a different type of book from what I normally read, but it was lovely!

"I exist as either a small canid with thick fur, pointed ears, and neat black feet, or a young woman. Neither are safe forms in a world run by men.” Snow, who can shift between her natural fox form and that of a beautiful and ageless young woman, is seeking revenge on the cruel human who she believes is responsible for her daughter's death. Bao is an aging detective with an uncanny ability to discern whether or not someone is telling the truth. Their paths intersect while Bao is investigating the death of a womaon found frozen in a doorway, rumoured to involve foxes. This is beautifully written, an interesting blend of Chinese folklore and mystery, with magic and fantasy that blends seamlessly with the real. There is an almost child-like whimsy to the story, though this by no means a children's story. The history presented was a refreshing change for me from the usual WWII that tends to dominate the Historical Fiction genre. The themes explored range from the simple -- feminity and female identity -- to the more complex -- maternal love and grief driven to vengance. More tales of foxes using their charm and wit to outsmart humans? Yes please!

Really enjoyed the magical realism and cultural elements in this book. I could feel the mother's grief and the complicated relationships between the foxes and humans were really interesting. Added The Night Tiger to my TBR after finishing this one.

I really liked the culture folklore of this book.

A folktale of sorts that stretches the imagination.