The Fox Wife

Some people think foxes are similar to ghosts because we go around collecting qi, but nothing could be further than the truth. We are living creatures, just like you, only usually better looking . . .

Manchuria, 1908.
In the last years of the dying Qing Empire, a courtesan is found frozen in a doorway. Her death is clouded by rumors of foxes, which are believed to lure people by transforming themselves into beautiful women and handsome men. Bao, a detective with an uncanny ability to sniff 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, a family who owns a famous Chinese medicine shop can cure ailments but can't escape the curse that afflicts them--their eldest sons die before their twenty-fourth birthdays. When a disruptively winsome servant named Snow enters their household, the family's luck seems to change--or does it?

Snow is a creature of many secrets, but most of all she's a mother seeking vengeance for her lost child. Hunting a murderer, she will follow the trail from northern China to Japan, while Bao follows doggedly behind. Navigating the myths and misconceptions of fox spirits, both Snow and Bao will encounter old friends and new foes, even as more deaths occur.

New York Times bestselling author Yangsze Choo brilliantly explores a world of mortals and spirits, humans and beasts, and their dazzling intersection. Epic in scope and full of singular, unforgettable characters, The Fox Wife is a stunning novel about old loves and second chances, the depths of maternal love, and ancient folktales that may very well be true.

This discussion guide was shared and sponsored in partnership with Henry Holt & Company.

Book club questions for The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo

Use these discussion questions to guide your next book club meeting.

What folklore/myths/stories were you told as a child? Have you ever encountered folklore from other cultures? Would you like these folktales to become reality? Why or why not?

Have you ever heard of fox spirits? Have you ever seen a fox in the wild? Did you have any particular preconceived notions about foxes or fox spirits before reading The Fox Wife?

Consider the following quote: “Whenever humans encounter something strange and novel, their first instinct is to kill it.” (page 64)

Do you agree with this sentiment? Why or why not? Have you seen this instinct play out in real life?

On page 36, after encountering Shiro for the first time in a long while, Snow thinks: “That’s the problem of living a long life. One can’t help running into old acquaintances.” Both Bao and Snow encounter people from their past. How do these interactions shape and change their journeys? Have you personally ever experienced a chance encounter with an old acquaintance which has altered your path?

Throughout the novel, Snow breaks the fourth wall and talks to the reader with the use of ‘you.’ How did Snow’s direct address to the reader enhance or change the telling of the story? Did you like being directly addressed? Did it make you uncomfortable? If so, why?

Consider this passage from Bao’s perspective:

“Truth is a green garden hedged thickly with bamboo that he can’t escape. At times he envies those who seem unfettered by it. Hearing lies is painful and lonely, especially when no one else can.” (page 68)

Would you like to have Bao’s ability to detect lies? Why or why not?

The Fox Wife takes place during a volatile period in Manchuria, a region that is now part of Northeast China. What did you learn about this region of the world? Did you leave the story wanting to know more? If so, what specifically?

Read the following passage from Snow’s perspective about revenge:

“Revenge is a terrible dish to consume. It eats one from the inside out, no matter what they say about it best being served cold. As the Chinese saying goes, ‘When a gentleman takes his vengeance, ten years is not too late.’ But you and I know that chilled food inevitably leads to an upset stomach.” (page 117)

Do you agree with Snow’s assessment of vengeance? If you were in Snow’s position, do you think you’d feel differently or the same?

Were you satisfied with the end of Bektu Nikan? Was this what you were expecting? How did the reality of his death coming at the hands of someone other than Snow change the trajectory of the novel?

Did the death of Chen and the subsequent interrogation of the crew who traveled to Japan together surprise you? Was this how you thought the three storylines would weave together?

Were you rooting for Bao and Tagtaa to end up together? What do you envision the lives of these characters to look like outside of the ending we’re given?

Did Kuro’s identity as Snow’s partner and father of her child surprise you? Did you have the feeling there was more to him than the narrator was letting on?

Author Yangsze Choo visited China and toured many famous historical garden villas of the literati that inspired The Fox Wife and the vivid imagery throughout the book. Is there a particular setting or image from the book you liked the most? Why? If you were writing your own story, what travels would you pull inspiration from?

The Fox Wife Book Club Questions PDF

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