Reviews tagging 'Kidnapping'

The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo

9 reviews

jellobean's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

This book was a very pleasant read! I got to the end and smiled and said "that was just a good, fun book." I would love to read more in a series surrounding Snow and her companions. Her first-person POV was a delight, and I would have loved for the author to include even more footnotes from Snow! I think strong personalities such as hers is what makes first-person narration shine. 

It seemed as though the author put value in consistency of approximate chapter length and switching POV each chapter. As a result, I was not as interested in Bao's story by the end. I enjoyed his character and his arc, but it felt as though our time with him was a little wasted in that we were repeating a lot of the exposition from previous chapters, just in a different setting/triggered by different events. I think I would have more enjoyed fewer Bao chapters spread out a little more, or just more variation in his plot. 

I appreciated all of the research that was clearly put in to fox folklore and the historic setting. There are a few loose ends that I felt weren't quite wrapped up, but overall a great read!! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Animal death, Child death, Chronic illness, and Misogyny

Moderate: Grief and Sexual harassment

Minor: War, Xenophobia, and Murder

freemakd's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Animal death, Xenophobia, Kidnapping, Infidelity, Grief, Death, Child death, Violence, and Mental illness

Minor: Suicide, Mental illness, and Kidnapping

naluminum's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I loved how even though the two point of views of the fox, Snow, and the detective,  were unrelated for the majority of the plot, it was curious and intriguing to watch the threads connect between their narratives. I love stories about spirits and to have this story told from the point or view of one, a spirit who sees the good in people despite her experience with some of the worst of people and her grief that drives her for most of story is beautiful. I loved the way the foxes cultivated the mystery around themselves and the variety of ways that people were affected by the fox spirits. I do wish that the author had specified  the magical skills that foxes can use more than that they can exert their will onto humans and turn into foxes and take away people yin and yang (but only if they study that particular skill). I found the ending of this story very fulfilling even though not every mystery was solved. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism and Violence

Moderate: Murder, Toxic friendship, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Kidnapping and Confinement

uranaishi's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Violence, Death of parent, Child death, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Classism, Death, Mental illness, Medical content, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Fire/Fire injury, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Infidelity, and Murder

Minor: Body shaming, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Trafficking, Abandonment, Drug abuse, Kidnapping, Bullying, Cancer, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infertility, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Adult/minor relationship, Vomit, Pedophilia, War, and Alcohol

lexcellent's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I love this book so much.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Child death

Moderate: Violence, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Fire/Fire injury, Trafficking, Suicide, Toxic friendship, War, Suicide attempt, Sexism, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, and Death

kingsteph's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Child death, and Death

Moderate: Pregnancy, Murder, Confinement, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, and Violence

Minor: Suicide

jessreadseverything's review against another edition

adventurous slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Kidnapping and Child death

nukie19's review against another edition

adventurous emotional informative mysterious sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

Like her other books, Choo weaves Chinese fantasy and historical events for a beautifully written story about a Fox who is out to avenge the death of her daughter. This is a very slow burn novel that alternates viewpoints between Snow, the fox who spends most the story as a beautiful woman, and Bao, a detective investigating a murder but who has a long history of interest in foxes.

There are a lot of high points but overall I felt this novel falls short of the high expectations that Choo set with her first two novels. The alternating viewpoints take a very long time to come together even though the two big reveals are pretty well choreographed early. She also spends some time explaining the Chinese folklore as events transpire, which is great for context but occasionally is a bit disruptive. Overall, a solid read for those who enjoy magical realism, especially in historical contexts.

Thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Animal death, Confinement, Alcohol, Death, Child death, Blood, and Grief

crystalisreading's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Gaslighting, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Sexual harassment, Child death, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Chronic illness, Classism, Sexism, Blood, and Murder

Minor: Genocide and War