The Night Tiger

Books | Fiction / Historical / General

4.1

(804)

Yangsze Choo

The Reese Witherspoon x Hello Sunshine Book Club PickINSTANT 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 LeeQuick-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)

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More Details:

Author

Yangsze Choo

Pages

384

Publisher

Flatiron Books

Published Date

2019-02-12

ISBN

1250175445 9781250175441

Community ReviewsSee all

"A fun and vibrant read. The characters were likable, and the twists were well thought out. I loved the magical realism aspect, and the influence of Malay culture added a lot of depth to the story. The ending leaves room for a sequel, which I would look forward to! "

Emily

"Choo is not, perhaps, a gifted writer. But she is a wonderful story-teller, and her skill as such shines in this work. The POV is jumpy and the lack of coherent detail or timing in places is outright disruptive, yet I didn't want to put the book down. I find her narrative style fascinating and she outdid herself this time. The Night Tiger is rife with every kind of tension imaginable: Dissonant cultures, death, ruin, shame, superstition, fate, honor, romance, obsession, and the supernatural - all building into a page turner with some unexpected bits at the end. The romance does get a little stalker-ish, which made me uneasy in places, but it's pretty clean and the conclusion is solid and reassuring. Bonus: Choo has an amazing reading voice in the audio version - I could listen to her all day (and have). PG13 for brief nudity, sexual situations, and mature themes including death and murder, ghosts, references to domestic violence."

Crimson Sparrow

"Need more books like this!"

E E

Emily Elmendorf

"I really enjoyed this book. It taught me a lot about Malaysia's culture and traditions in the 30s some of which are still carried on today. I thought the author did a good job developing and intertwining the two main characters. My only criticism is it felt a bit long and drawn out in the middle. Overall though a well thought out and developed story."

Jessica A

"Thank you Reese Witherspoon’s Bookclub for picking this beautiful book! I never would have picked this book on my own: an eastern setting, in the early 1900s, full of magical realism... It’s not what I normally go for but I’m so glad I didn’t let that stop me. I loved both Ji Lin and Ren, and I totally fell in love with Shin. The story was compelling and amazing and I don’t have the right words to say how much I loved it. MUST READ!"

Nadia Despain

"I really enjoyed this book. I loved the characters and the ending was perfect."

Sara Mannal

"This was an exceptionally written historical fiction novel. It’s one of those stories that not only contains fantastic historical research but also immerses you in the culture of the place you are reading about. I’ve been fortunate enough to travel to Asia and study the language and culture first hand, and this book brought me back to all of that. On top of that, it was also just an excellent novel. It’s had a little bit of everything: a puzzling mystery, a slightly disturbing romance, and a touch of the supernatural to top it all off. I particular liked the additions of luck and fate that wove their way through the story. For those interested and research oriented like myself, I actually recommend reading the notes first; they were very enlightening and enhanced the story a lot."

A P

Allie Peduto

"I loved this novel. Couldn't put it down! "

D O

Denisse Olson

"3.5 stars. Interesting & different than most books I read. The twists & turns were fun to watch unfold but overall the ending felt like it was missing some important pieces. I also didn't care for the relationship that unfolded."