The Night Tiger

A Novel

By: Yangsze Choo

Narrated by: Yangsze Choo

"Choo narrates this richly complex novel herself, her gorgeous writing delivered in a voice that is deep and precise and lovely, both British and not quite. Her tone and words transport us..." — San Francisco Chronicle

This program is read by the author.

A sweeping historical audiobook about a dancehall girl and an orphan boy whose fates entangle over an old Chinese superstition about men who turn into tigers.

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 wracks 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 audiobook 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.

Praise for The Night Tiger:

"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

“Choo has written a sumptuous garden maze of a novel that immerses readers in a complex, vanished world.” — Kirkus, starred review

Critic reviews

"[Yangsze] Choo narrates this richly complex novel herself, her gorgeous writing delivered in a voice that is deep and precise and lovely...Her tone and words transport us..." -San Francisco Chronicle

Interesting and original

I would classify this book as "magical realism," a genre I generally don't like. But "The Night Tiger" was very compelling in many ways. I'd recommend reading it, rather than listening to it, because there are a lot of characters with non-western names. It is easy to confuse them, especially in a story as complicated as this one.

I gave the narrator only three stars only because she had a tendency to pause in the middle of phrases. That did a disservice to the writing. She did a good job with giving the characters different voices.

Enjoyable historical fiction

I loved the Ghost Bride, and was excited when The Night Tiger came out. The blend of emotional realism and folklore works well here, and I enjoyed anticipating the ways the different characters would eventually weave together. I didn't find the resolution quite as satisfying as the build up, but the book held my interest the entire time. Also, I am usually wary of author read works, but Choo is a worthy narrator of her own writing and kept me engaged with the characters and the story.

Worth reading

Although the story revolves around the morbid plot point of a missing finger, the elements of life and love are a strong enough counterbalance to make it a hopeful and happy read. The stepsibling relationship didn’t bother me because from the start they were written as allies trying to survive the father rather than the brother and sister in a cohesive family unit. The narrator constantly paused at odd times in the middle of sentences which ruined the rhythm, but she has a lovely voice.

An Intriguing Mystery

A darkly romantic mystery laced with murder, lust, destiny, obsession and a touch of the other worldly. Choo builds a colorful, luscious world with complex characters and vivid descriptions.
You will probably want to listen to this twice, if only to enjoy the smooth and lyrical voice of the author.

I loved it

The level of magical realism was pitch-perfect for me. The story was intriguing throughout. It was set in a time and places unfamiliar to me and I enjoyed visiting via the characters. I am a fan of romance, so this book scratched that itch without being sappy or consumed by the romantic storyline.