“A sumptuous garden maze of a novel that immerses readers in a complex, vanished world.” —Kirkus (starred review)
An utterly transporting novel set in 1930s colonial Malaysia, perfect for fans of Isabel Allende and Min Jin Lee
Quick-witted, ambitious Ji Lin is stuck as an apprentice dressmaker, moonlighting as a dancehall girl to help pay off her mother’s Mahjong debts. But when one of her dance partners accidentally leaves behind a gruesome souvenir, Ji Lin may finally get the adventure she has been longing for.
Eleven-year-old houseboy Ren is also on a mission, racing to fulfill his former master’s dying wish: that Ren find the man’s finger, lost years ago in an accident, and bury it with his body. Ren has 49 days to do so, or his master’s soul will wander the earth forever.
As the days tick relentlessly by, a series of unexplained deaths racks the district, along with whispers of men who turn into tigers. Ji Lin and Ren’s increasingly dangerous paths crisscross through lush plantations, hospital storage rooms, and ghostly dreamscapes.
Yangsze Choo's The Night Tiger pulls us into a world of servants and masters, age-old superstition and modern idealism, sibling rivalry and forbidden love. But anchoring this dazzling, propulsive novel is the intimate coming-of-age of a child and a young woman, each searching for their place in a society that would rather they stay invisible.
"A work of incredible beauty... Astoundingly captivating and striking... A transcendent story of courage and connection." —Booklist (starred review)
**
Amazon.com Review
An Amazon Best Book of February 2019: Some readers will be intrigued by apprentice dressmaker Ji Lin and her strongminded pursuit to achieve more with her life than her old-fashioned family will condone. Others will be hooked on the premise of a young houseboy named Ren trying to find the severed finger of his former master, who might or might not also be a weretiger. Still others will gravitate toward the mythologies, food, traditions, and culture of 1930s colonial Malaysia under British rule. Once Ji Lin comes in possession of the mummified finger that Ren seeks, they are destined to collide, even as a deadly tiger roams the edges of town. Whatever your entry point to The Night Tiger, Yangsze Choo will win you over with her newest historical novel, and you'll find yourself embracing everything she hurls onto the page, including a number of curveballs that contain the perfect amount of surprise. Too often historical novels can feel overstuffed or simply stuffy. The Night Tiger is supple and powerful, like the predator that stalks the shadows of Choo's ensnaring tale. --Adrian Liang, Amazon Book Review
Review
Praise for *The Night Tiger*
A Most Anticipated Book (Glamour, Real Simple, Parade, Bustle, BookPage, Goodreads, PopSugar, BookRiot, Refinery29, Tor.com, HelloGiggles)
“This is the kind of book that when you read it, you really are transported back to that time and place… [Choo has] captured, in a very atmospheric way, the time period and the superstitions [of colonial Malaysia in the 1930s]. It’s a pretty wonderful book.” ―Nancy Pearl, NPR’s Morning Edition
“A mesmerizing tale of murder, romance, and superstition….So vividly told, you can practically smell the oleander blossoms outside Acton’s house. This Night Tiger is worth a prowl.” ―USA Today
“A book for fans of Isabel Allende and for those who love a murder mystery with a beautiful backdrop.” ―Glamour
“Fans of Isabel Allende will likely soar through Yangsze Choo’s The Night Tiger at a breakneck pace, so you might want to clear your schedule before sitting down to read it.” ―PopSugar
"So engrossing you could spend a day reading this lush historical novel without staring at your phone once... A sweeping novel with something for everyone ― and incredible writing." ―Refinery29
“A sumptuous garden maze of a novel that immerses readers in a complex, vanished world…Choo weaves her research in with a feather-light touch, and readers will be so caught up in the natural and supernatural intrigue that the serious themes here about colonialism and power dynamics, about gender and class, are absorbed with equal delicacy.” ―Kirkus (starred review)
"A work of incredible beauty...Astoundingly captivating and striking in its portrayal of love, betrayal, and death, The Night Tiger is a transcendent story of courage and connection." ―Booklist (starred review)
“Mythical creatures, conversations with the dead, lucky numbers, Confucian virtues, and forbidden love provide the backdrop to Choo’s superb murder mystery. Mining the rich setting of colonial Malaysia, Choo wonderfully combines a Holmes-esque plot with Chinese lore.” ―Publishers Weekly (starred and boxed review)
“[Choo] presents complex characters and multilayered stories in a vivid setting that coalesce into a richly evocative and mesmerizing tale in which myths and folklore intertwine in daily life. For fans of Kate Mosse or Isabel Allende.” ―Library Journal
“Complex, ambitious...a little bit magical.” ―Shelf Awareness
“Yangsze Choo’s lush writing will appeal to all kinds of readers.” ―HelloGiggles
Praise for *The Ghost Bride*
*"Sumptuous...Unexpected...So full of longing, the pages practically sigh as you turn each one." *--Oprah.com (Book of the Week) *
"From whodunit to ghost story to coming-of-age to romance, there is enough plot to fill several more novels. But the beguiling tale...makes you hope Choo is the author who writes all of them.” --USA Today **
"A captivating love triangle with echoes of traditional Asian myths." --Good Housekeeping (August Book Pick) *
"Impressive...Takes readers on one of the wildest rides since Alice fell down the rabbit hole." --San Jose Mercury News
Description:
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
“A sumptuous garden maze of a novel that immerses readers in a complex, vanished world.” —Kirkus (starred review)
An utterly transporting novel set in 1930s colonial Malaysia, perfect for fans of Isabel Allende and Min Jin Lee
Quick-witted, ambitious Ji Lin is stuck as an apprentice dressmaker, moonlighting as a dancehall girl to help pay off her mother’s Mahjong debts. But when one of her dance partners accidentally leaves behind a gruesome souvenir, Ji Lin may finally get the adventure she has been longing for.
Eleven-year-old houseboy Ren is also on a mission, racing to fulfill his former master’s dying wish: that Ren find the man’s finger, lost years ago in an accident, and bury it with his body. Ren has 49 days to do so, or his master’s soul will wander the earth forever.
As the days tick relentlessly by, a series of unexplained deaths racks the district, along with whispers of men who turn into tigers. Ji Lin and Ren’s increasingly dangerous paths crisscross through lush plantations, hospital storage rooms, and ghostly dreamscapes.
Yangsze Choo's The Night Tiger pulls us into a world of servants and masters, age-old superstition and modern idealism, sibling rivalry and forbidden love. But anchoring this dazzling, propulsive novel is the intimate coming-of-age of a child and a young woman, each searching for their place in a society that would rather they stay invisible.
"A work of incredible beauty... Astoundingly captivating and striking... A transcendent story of courage and connection." —Booklist (starred review)
**
Amazon.com Review
An Amazon Best Book of February 2019: Some readers will be intrigued by apprentice dressmaker Ji Lin and her strongminded pursuit to achieve more with her life than her old-fashioned family will condone. Others will be hooked on the premise of a young houseboy named Ren trying to find the severed finger of his former master, who might or might not also be a weretiger. Still others will gravitate toward the mythologies, food, traditions, and culture of 1930s colonial Malaysia under British rule. Once Ji Lin comes in possession of the mummified finger that Ren seeks, they are destined to collide, even as a deadly tiger roams the edges of town. Whatever your entry point to The Night Tiger, Yangsze Choo will win you over with her newest historical novel, and you'll find yourself embracing everything she hurls onto the page, including a number of curveballs that contain the perfect amount of surprise. Too often historical novels can feel overstuffed or simply stuffy. The Night Tiger is supple and powerful, like the predator that stalks the shadows of Choo's ensnaring tale. --Adrian Liang, Amazon Book Review
Review
Praise for *The Night Tiger*
A Most Anticipated Book (Glamour, Real Simple, Parade, Bustle, BookPage, Goodreads, PopSugar, BookRiot, Refinery29, Tor.com, HelloGiggles)
“This is the kind of book that when you read it, you really are transported back to that time and place… [Choo has] captured, in a very atmospheric way, the time period and the superstitions [of colonial Malaysia in the 1930s]. It’s a pretty wonderful book.” ―Nancy Pearl, NPR’s Morning Edition
“A mesmerizing tale of murder, romance, and superstition….So vividly told, you can practically smell the oleander blossoms outside Acton’s house. This Night Tiger is worth a prowl.” ―USA Today
“A book for fans of Isabel Allende and for those who love a murder mystery with a beautiful backdrop.” ―Glamour
“Fans of Isabel Allende will likely soar through Yangsze Choo’s The Night Tiger at a breakneck pace, so you might want to clear your schedule before sitting down to read it.” ―PopSugar
"So engrossing you could spend a day reading this lush historical novel without staring at your phone once... A sweeping novel with something for everyone ― and incredible writing." ―Refinery29
“A sumptuous garden maze of a novel that immerses readers in a complex, vanished world…Choo weaves her research in with a feather-light touch, and readers will be so caught up in the natural and supernatural intrigue that the serious themes here about colonialism and power dynamics, about gender and class, are absorbed with equal delicacy.” ―Kirkus (starred review)
"A work of incredible beauty...Astoundingly captivating and striking in its portrayal of love, betrayal, and death, The Night Tiger is a transcendent story of courage and connection." ―Booklist (starred review)
“Mythical creatures, conversations with the dead, lucky numbers, Confucian virtues, and forbidden love provide the backdrop to Choo’s superb murder mystery. Mining the rich setting of colonial Malaysia, Choo wonderfully combines a Holmes-esque plot with Chinese lore.” ―Publishers Weekly (starred and boxed review)
“[Choo] presents complex characters and multilayered stories in a vivid setting that coalesce into a richly evocative and mesmerizing tale in which myths and folklore intertwine in daily life. For fans of Kate Mosse or Isabel Allende.” ―Library Journal
“Complex, ambitious...a little bit magical.” ―Shelf Awareness
“Yangsze Choo’s lush writing will appeal to all kinds of readers.” ―HelloGiggles
Praise for *The Ghost Bride*
*"Sumptuous...Unexpected...So full of longing, the pages practically sigh as you turn each one." *--Oprah.com (Book of the Week)
*
"From whodunit to ghost story to coming-of-age to romance, there is enough plot to fill several more novels. But the beguiling tale...makes you hope Choo is the author who writes all of them.” --USA Today
**
"A captivating love triangle with echoes of traditional Asian myths." --Good Housekeeping (August Book Pick)
*
"Impressive...Takes readers on one of the wildest rides since Alice fell down the rabbit hole." --San Jose Mercury News