I read this book in English. It is to be taken into account that any inconsistencies, or differencies in the narration, you might find when reading the same book in a different language are probably due to a translation issue.
SYNOPSIS
A sweeping historical novel about a dancehall girl and an orphan boy whose fates entangle over an old Chinese superstition about men who turn into tigers.
When 11-year-old Ren’s master dies, he makes one last request of his Chinese that Ren find his severed finger, lost years ago in an accident, and reunite it with his body. Ren has 49 days, or else his master’s soul will roam the earth, unable to rest in peace.
Ji Lin always wanted to be a doctor, but as a girl in 1930s Malaysia, apprentice dressmaker is a more suitable occupation. Secretly, though, Ji Lin also moonlights as a dancehall girl to help pay off her beloved mother’s Mahjong debts. One night, Ji Lin’s dance partner leaves her with a gruesome severed finger. Convinced the finger is bad luck, Ji Lin enlists the help of her erstwhile stepbrother to return it to its rightful owner.
As the 49 days tick down, and a prowling tiger wreaks havoc on the town, Ji Lin and Ren’s lives intertwine in ways they could never have imagined.
TRIGGER WARNINGS: colonialism, death, mauling, domestic violence, violence, incest (step-sibiling).
REVIEW
Ever since I discovered this author and read her debut novel, The Ghost Bride (read my review here), a few years ago I fell head over heels in love with her writing style and the magic it evokes while reading.
Her stories lean heavily on Malaysian/Chinese folklore, mythology and superstitions. Plus, her books are historical fiction, so add some really good context and atmosphere. I learned so many things while reading her books and I never tire of saying how much I love stories like these. I’m so fascinated by ancient beliefs and how history, folklore and superstitions shape communities throughout the years all over the world.
‘The Night Tiger’ is set in 1930s Malaya. The author gradually paints a portrait of this time and place, rife with belief in weretigers, possession, and that a person must be buried whole before the 49 days of the soul are over.
The story alternates between the povs of Ren and Ji Lin.
Ren is an eleven years old Chinese houseboy on a mission to find his former master’s missing finger so that he can bury it with his body. He has 49 days to do so for his master to rest in peace. If he fails to find the missing finger, his master will be doomed to roam the earth forever in the form of a weretiger.
Meanwhile, Ji Lin, is a young woman who has been forced to give up her dream of pursuing higher education in medicine. Being born a female at this time, she must do as her stepfather wishes. She works as an apprentice to a dressmaker but also secretly moonlights as a dance hall girl to pay off her mother’s Mahjong debts, before her hardened stepfather finds out. When one night she dances with a man and comes into possession of a severed finger, she begins a quest to find out why this man had that gruesome token in his pocket and where it came from. To help her return it to its rightful owner there’s her stepbrother, Shin, who happens to be a doctor.
While the clock ticks away within the 49-day time frame, a tiger is wreaking havoc on the city of Malaysia and soon Ren and Ji Lin will cross paths.
Choo’s writing with her rich descriptions give us a fabulous sense of the locations and this historical era. Her depiction of Malaya is multilayered with suspense and intrigue. She perfectly intertwined the stories of apparently disconnected people with beautiful and witty writing, incorporating the central role of Chinese-Malaysian mythology within the culture, and the role of superstition in shaping fate and destiny.
For some might find the pacing a bit too slow, especially in the first half of the book, but personally I loved every minute spent reading this amazing book. Somehow, the slower pace made the story even more immersive to me because it felt like I was living at the pace of the characters at that time. Back then travelling took way more time than now, researches and investigations (especially in big rural areas) took a lot of time before things started rolling forward. I truly felt like I was a teenage girl in the 30s trying to not be caught doing something I wasn’t supposed to do for the time being.
Ji Lin is such an amazing character! She’s empowering, young, intelligent and brave, so much so she helps her mother in all ways possible, seeming more mature than her at times. She’s the time of Woman who would be in the front row in a riot. She has the recklessness of youngsters eager to follow through their deepest desires but also the maturity and wit some adults lack nowadays. I love her so much.
Ren too is an interesting character. He, as well, is way too young for such a destiny full of trials and pain. His master raised him well and educated him in manners and also medicine, so he became an important tassel in the life of his new master’s life as well. Reckless, a bit naive as he should be at his age, but with a strong sense of loyalty to his previous master, he’s a kind, compassionate and a workaholic little boy.
I’m not entirely sure about the romance elements, there are a few moments that got me perplexed but I can’t hide the fact I was giggling and kicking my feet while reading some scenes. I think it add that little spark of lightheartedness we needed after all that happened.
In conclusion, I really enjoyed this book and I can’t wait for her next book to come out next year! I could even read a shopping list, if it’s her writing it. I love this author so soooo much! Recommended!
MY RATING: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
