The Night Tiger - by Yangsze Choo (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

The Reese Witherspoon x Hello Sunshine Book Club Pick
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)

Review Quotes

Praise for The Night Tiger

A Most Anticipated Book (Glamour, Real Simple, Parade, Bustle, BookPage, Goodreads, PopSugar, BookRiot, Refinery29, Tor.com, HelloGiggles)
USA Today: Best Books of the Year So Far
Refinery29: A Best Book of the Year (So Far)
Parade: A Best Book of the Year
National Geographic: 13 New Books for Spring Break Trips

"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

"Richly complex...Gorgeous...Transport[s] us into a colonial world we more often see from the view of the occupier, in this transcendent tale about twins who share no blood, mythology and superstition, sibling rivalry, loyalty, forbidden love and identity." --San Francisco Chronicle

"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

"A lushly detailed novel imbued with folklore, mystery, and romance." --National Geographic

"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 bravura performance. --Washington Independent Review of Books

"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

"...A fascinating and compelling story, deftly told. A story that is interesting both culturally and historically, while also being an intensely personal exploration of two very different people struggling to find their way in a difficult world that has very stringent expectations of them with little or no room for failure. The characters are both recognizable and memorable, and the resolution...will keep readers guessing and turning the pages until the very last one." --Los Angeles Public Library

About The Author

Yangsze Choo is a Malaysian writer of Chinese descent. After receiving her undergraduate degree from Harvard, she worked as a management consultant before writing her New York Times bestselling debut novel. The Ghost Bride, now a Netflix Original series. She lives in California with her family and several chickens, and loves to eat and read (often at the same time). The Night Tiger would not have been possible without large quantities of dark chocolate.