Research Article

Book Review: The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo

Authors

  • Hassan Bin Zubair PhD Scholar (English Literature), Department of English, National University of Modern Languages, Islamabad, Pakistan

Abstract

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 houseboy: 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 souvenir: a 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. Propulsive and lushly written, The Night Tiger explores colonialism and independence, ancient superstition and modern ambition, sibling rivalry and first love. Braided through with Chinese folklore and a tantalizing mystery, this novel is a page-turner of the highest order.

Article information

Journal

Journal of World Englishes and Educational Practices

Volume (Issue)

2 (1)

Pages

7-8

Published

2020-03-24

How to Cite

Zubair, H. B. . (2020). Book Review: The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo. Journal of World Englishes and Educational Practices, 2(1), 7–8. Retrieved from https://al-kindipublisher.com/index.php/jweep/article/view/18

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Keywords:

The Night Tiger, Postcolonial, Political, Confucianism