Yangsze Choo’s The Night Tiger, set in 1930s Malaysia, follows two characters who become caught up in mystery, magic, and murder. Ji Lin is a dressmaker’s apprentice whose dreams of pursuing a career in nursing have been derailed by her mother’s debts and her stepfather’s abuse. Ren is a servant trying to carry out his employer’s dying request. Although very different, they’re brought into contact by a web of mundane connections…and possibly supernatural ones as well.
Malaysia has a long and complex history. The peninsula has been inhabited by humans for at least 40,000 years. During their period of colonial rule, the British brought many Indian people to Malaysia to work as indentured laborers on rubber and palm oil plantations. Many Chinese people also came to Malaysia for work. Choo’s story reflects this multiethnic society. Her characters speak a variety of languages and hold a variety of traditional beliefs. The different cultures don’t always coexist easily, but they do coexist.
The Night Tiger is, in part, a mystery story. As in all the best mystery stories, I was kept guessing. I didn’t pinpoint the responsible party until shortly before the other characters did, but Choo did enough groundwork to not make the revelation feel like it came out of left field.
I enjoyed The Night Tiger. I’ve received an ARC of Choo’s new novel, The Fox Wife, and I’m looking forward to reading it.
Outside of a Dog 