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A review by fadingapple
When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain by Nghi Vo
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
4.5/5 stars
This was unexpected, refreshing, unique, impactful - in very few pages. At roughly 130 pages, this novella packs a powerful punch that will leave you feeling fully satisfied and yet thoughtful. This is a story you have to experience - my words or descriptions would be far insufficient.
I adore the concept of a scholar monk travelling to gather stories to add to the archives, and using that knowledge to survive situations that should not be survivable. Chih bridges the gap between Tigers and Humans, truth and falsehood, with a story - correcting the record for the archive and noting the inherent consequences of 'they who hold the power control the truth'. It's beautiful, elegant, and compelling - both the story itself and the observations of how our history, assumptions, and knowledge is shaped by the lens of our ancestors.
It's just so well done and extremely obvious that Vo knew the story she wanted to tell and had a passion for it; it takes a special kind of skill to write so much in so few words.
This was unexpected, refreshing, unique, impactful - in very few pages. At roughly 130 pages, this novella packs a powerful punch that will leave you feeling fully satisfied and yet thoughtful. This is a story you have to experience - my words or descriptions would be far insufficient.
I adore the concept of a scholar monk travelling to gather stories to add to the archives, and using that knowledge to survive situations that should not be survivable. Chih bridges the gap between Tigers and Humans, truth and falsehood, with a story - correcting the record for the archive and noting the inherent consequences of 'they who hold the power control the truth'. It's beautiful, elegant, and compelling - both the story itself and the observations of how our history, assumptions, and knowledge is shaped by the lens of our ancestors.
It's just so well done and extremely obvious that Vo knew the story she wanted to tell and had a passion for it; it takes a special kind of skill to write so much in so few words.