The Night Tiger
Mar. 9th, 2023 08:56 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
predelectionThe Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo is a GREAT BOOK about Ren, a young house boy (i.e. servant/assistant), who's trying to find his former employer's missing finger in time to save his soul from transforming into a man-eating spirit tiger and Ji Lin, a young dressmaker's apprentice/part-time dance hall girl, who ends up finding the finger and is trying to get rid of it before it ruins her life.
I think one of my favourite things about this book was how it played with the reader's perception of the supernatural. It obviously is set in a world where the supernatural is real, but not all mystery and crime is a result of the supernatural! It's a really refreshing take on the supernatural genre that I don't read a lot. I also really enjoyed the relationships between all the characters, but especially the relationships between Ji Lin and her step-brother Shin. I read a LOT of romance novels so basically I could instantly pick up on the clues that hinted that Shin was secretly in love with Ji Lin. Their relationship was filled with tons of thrilling moments and shocking twists and turns. I actually screamed at some points! I've noticed that many authors seem to have a "type" when it comes to the personalities of their love-interest characters and Choo definitely likes to give her protagonists a boyfriend with a provocative "tease" personality.
Ren had some very sweet interpersonal relationships too with his cringe-fail employer, William Action, and his coworker/mentor, Ah-Long. Dr. Acton was absolutely the worst, so I was even more touched by his care for Ren and his interest protecting in his future. Choo writes really great side characters/older characters and Ah-Long is one of them. I was really happy that he was included throughout the novel (and even had some funny moments!) and I was very happy when he and Ren got a happy ending.
I checked out the audiobook so I could listen during my commute and during boring parts of my job, but I ended up finishing this book in like, two days, because I couldn't wait to find out what happened next! Once again, Yangsze Choo read the audiobook and did an amazing job. I love her gorgeous voice and she reads with excitement and passion. She recently announced her third book, The Fox Wife and I can't wait to get it!
The book cover actually sucked though. Publishers make good book covers challenge.
I think one of my favourite things about this book was how it played with the reader's perception of the supernatural. It obviously is set in a world where the supernatural is real, but not all mystery and crime is a result of the supernatural! It's a really refreshing take on the supernatural genre that I don't read a lot. I also really enjoyed the relationships between all the characters, but especially the relationships between Ji Lin and her step-brother Shin. I read a LOT of romance novels so basically I could instantly pick up on the clues that hinted that Shin was secretly in love with Ji Lin. Their relationship was filled with tons of thrilling moments and shocking twists and turns. I actually screamed at some points! I've noticed that many authors seem to have a "type" when it comes to the personalities of their love-interest characters and Choo definitely likes to give her protagonists a boyfriend with a provocative "tease" personality.
Ren had some very sweet interpersonal relationships too with his cringe-fail employer, William Action, and his coworker/mentor, Ah-Long. Dr. Acton was absolutely the worst, so I was even more touched by his care for Ren and his interest protecting in his future. Choo writes really great side characters/older characters and Ah-Long is one of them. I was really happy that he was included throughout the novel (and even had some funny moments!) and I was very happy when he and Ren got a happy ending.
I checked out the audiobook so I could listen during my commute and during boring parts of my job, but I ended up finishing this book in like, two days, because I couldn't wait to find out what happened next! Once again, Yangsze Choo read the audiobook and did an amazing job. I love her gorgeous voice and she reads with excitement and passion. She recently announced her third book, The Fox Wife and I can't wait to get it!
The book cover actually sucked though. Publishers make good book covers challenge.
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Date: 2023-03-14 08:26 pm (UTC)So true!!! Gap moe never fails.
I whole heartedly agree about Ah-Long and Ren as well. Their story was a surprise slam dunk for me; I didn't expect to care about anyone but Ji Lin and Shin at all.
Since reading this book, by the way, I've seen the Malaysian belief in tiger spirits referenced in the context of the term "running amok." Had you known about the connection between the phrase and the tiger spirit belief? I found that background really interesting. (Maybe I should add a "In Popular Culture" section to that page..!)
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Date: 2023-03-16 09:34 pm (UTC)I heard a bunch of this book second hand when BSOD was listening to it. It seemed interesting…my favorite character was definitely Ren :3
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