(no subject)

[skygiants]

I loved Nghi Vo's The Empress of Salt and Fortune and I think I might like the sequel novella, When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain, even better -- not that I think it's necessarily a better book than the first (both are delightful!) but it definitely hit my metanarrative buttons exactly right.

In this book, the archivist Chih gets trapped on a mountain with their mammoth-riding tour guide by a group of hungry tiger sisters. Their only chance for survival: engaging the tigers with a retelling and discussion of a famously romantic narrative about a scholar and her tiger wife ...

But of course the standard scholarly version of this story has differences from the tiger version, and also there are three tigers, so their ideas about what version of the story they like best don't always match either, and Chih's traveling companion has her own opinions, and all in all it seems like a wonderful opportunity to learn some interesting things about tiger courtship, which will make a very interesting addition to the records! Assuming the distraction works long enough to save Chih from the fate of becoming a tiger's dinner, which may be kind of a large assumption.

Like The Empress of Salt and Fortune, When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain leans heavily on the inherent tension between a tale and its tellers and its audience, using the small space of the novella to draw sharp attention to the impact of narrative choices and framing. It's a smaller-scale story than Empress -- less an examination of imperialism and empire, more an evocation of two different cultures through their narrative priorities -- but it's deeply smart and engaging and fun and I truly hope Nghi Vo writes a million of them.

Comments

[sovay]

In this book, the archivist Chih gets trapped on a mountain with her mammoth-riding tour guide by a group of hungry tiger sisters.

This already sounds great.

the inherent tension between a tale and its tellers and its audience

Have you read Jane Yolen's Sister Light, Sister Dark (1988) and White Jenna (1989) and have I already bent your ear about these books forever?

[skygiants]

I have read them, but a million years ago when I was in college -- I keep meaning to reread because I feel like I'd appreciate them significantly more now!

[sovay]

I have read them, but a million years ago when I was in college -- I keep meaning to reread because I feel like I'd appreciate them significantly more now!

They were formative stories about stories for me; I read the first one repeatedly the year I turned nine and then it took me until high school to track down the second. (I do not recognize the existence of the third in the series; it is metaphysically unnecessary and flatly not as good.) You used to be able to get them as an omnibus called The Books of Great Alta, but I suspect there are also e-versions these days.

[skygiants]

I think The Books of Great Alta omnibus was the way in which I read them, too -- it more or less fell into my hands off the shelf of my college library when I was looking for something else entirely, in a way that was clearly some sort of destiny.

[dimestore_romeo]

I adored both of these. They are like tiny exquisite jewel boxes. Every single word feels carefully chosen. I can't wait for more in the series.

(Psst, you accidentally used 'her' instead of 'their' for Chih way up at the beginning of the post.)

[skygiants]

Yeah, they do so much with their space -- the fact that they're so small I think really helps to focus attention on how deliberate the word choices are in the versioning of the stories. It's so good!

(Ah, thank you, good catch!! Fixed now.)

[lirazel]

I tend to find novellas too short and, as such, dissatisfying, but this makes me want to give these a chance.

[skygiants]

I've enjoyed a lot of novellas, so it might not be a great gauge for whether you in particular would enjoy them, but these absolutely make some of the best use of the format I've ever encountered.

[lirazel]

I'm quite intrigued by the idea of them being like jewel boxes!

[jinian]

I still need to read Empress! It's right there on my phone, just waiting. Hopefully this is the kick I need :)

[skygiants]

I hope it is, it's so good!!!

[jinian]

I read it today! SO GOOD.

[merit]

I eagerly look forward to Nghi Vo's future releases after these two novellas! Just enchanting and fantastic stories <3

[skygiants]

Me too, after Empress I was like "I will follow this writer anywhere" and this next one has thoroughly cemented it.

[passingbuzzards]

i loved both of those stories so much! (the whole notion of a sect of genderless history monks is just so good, talk about a dream vocation.) clever metanarrative aside, the world-building manages to be so simultaneously compelling and comforting, in so few words? every time i've picked one of these novellas up my immediate reaction has been that (while nghi vo clearly excels at novella-length writing!) i would also be perfectly pleased to read any number of 400-page novels set in the same universe

[skygiants]

Yeah, the way Vo builds the cultures that these stories spend time in is just so intensely evocative! I too would gladly read any number of 400-page novels in this world .... or get twelve novellas to proudly line up on a shelf in my house, either way.

(DREAM VOCATION, TRULY.)

[chimney_swift]

I've been meaning to read Empress for a while! Both novellas sound so interesting.

[skygiants]

Extremely strong recommend for both!!

[aria]

Great news I read the first draft of the third one the other week and it is ALSO WONDERFUL.

[skygiants]

YESSSS THIRD BOOK, I'm so glad to hear this and also very nobly restraining myself from asking any details. I can be patient. I can be patient. I can be --

[aria]

It does contain: Cleric Chih, Almost Brilliant again! It does not contain: empresses or tiger wives. All else still redacted :D

[jinian]

I'm excited!

[stultiloquentia]

Ooh, thank you, I'm putting these in my queue.

[blotthis]

SEXY BOOK

[bookblather]

I really enjoyed both these books, but I did feel like this one maybe ended a little abruptly? I don't know, I wanted more negotiation with the tigers.