#the empress of salt and fortune

[99percentprocrastination]

[vensulove]

she had a foreigner’s beauty, like a language we do not know how to read.

-nghi vo, the empress of salt and fortune

[bi4bihankking]

The Locked Tomb Series Summary:

The “Lesbian Necromancers in Space” book series

The Empress of Salt and Fortune Summary:

A young royal from the far north is sent south for a political marriage in an empire reminiscent of imperial China. Her brothers are dead, her armies and their war mammoths long defeated and caged behind their borders. Alone and sometimes reviled, she must choose her allies carefully. Rabbit, a handmaiden, sold by her parents to the palace for the lack of five baskets of dye, befriends the emperor's lonely new wife and gets more than she bargained for. At once feminist high fantasy and an indictment of monarchy, this evocative debut follows the rise of the empress In-yo, who has few resources and fewer friends. She's a northern daughter in a mage-made summer exile, but she will bend history to her will and bring down her enemies, piece by piece.

[transbookoftheday]

The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo

With the heart of an Atwood tale and the visuals of a classic Asian period drama, Nghi Vo's The Empress of Salt and Fortune is a tightly and lushly written narrative about empire, storytelling, and the anger of women.

A young royal from the far north, is sent south for a political marriage in an empire reminiscent of imperial China. Her brothers are dead, her armies and their war mammoths long defeated and caged behind their borders. Alone and sometimes reviled, she must choose her allies carefully.

Rabbit, a handmaiden, sold by her parents to the palace for the lack of five baskets of dye, befriends the emperor's lonely new wife and gets more than she bargained for.

At once feminist high fantasy and an indictment of monarchy, this evocative debut follows the rise of the empress In-yo, who has few resources and fewer friends. She's a northern daughter in a mage-made summer exile, but she will bend history to her will and bring down her enemies, piece by piece.

[bigcats-birds-and-books]

Books of 2023. THE SINGING HILLS CYCLE by Nghi Vo.

Don't mind me, just on a novella kick over here. I read Empress a while back and enjoyed it (so that'll be a reread!), and then a friend recommended Tiger as similar to a novella of my own that's loosely in the works, and THEN I won a Goodreads giveaway for Mammoths (!!!!), so clearly the stars are just all aligning. Since Mammoths comes out in September, I wanted to Actually Read The Advance Reader Copy In Advance (and maybe even write up a Review!).

(Side note: I know Riverlands isn't pictured, but it's Not Out In Paperback Yet and all my editions must match.)

[haveyoureadthisfantasybook]

vote YES if you have finished the entire book.

vote NO if you have not finished the entire book.

(faq · submit a book)

[nayswriting]

Strange how some trash survives, but precious things are lost, isn't it?

Nghi Vo, The Empress of Salt and Fortune

[oxymoron0-o]

“The abbey at Singing Hills would say that if a record cannot be perfect, it should at least be present. Better for it to exist than for it to be perfect and only in your mind.”

—The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo

[lionofstone]

if you haven’t read any of them, answer based on vibes

[bookfirstlinetourney]

Round 1

Princeton, in the summer, smelled of nothing, and although Ifemelu liked the tranquil greenness of the many trees, the clean streets and stately homes, the delicately overpriced shops, and the quiet, abiding air of earned grace, it was this, the lack of a smell, that most appealed to her, perhaps because the other American cities she knew well had all smelled distinctly.

-Americanah, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

“Something wants to eat you,” called Almost Brilliant from her perch in a nearby tree, “and I shall not be sorry if it does.”

-The Empress of Salt and Fortune, Nghi Vo

Our story opens where countless stories have ended in the last twenty-six years: with an idiot--in this case my brother Shaun--deciding it would be a good idea to go out and poke a zombie with a stick to see what happens.

-Newsflesh, Mira Grant

[a-ramblinrose]

💖📚Another Bookwyrm Book Haul!!!📚💖

Between the local comic shop and the ease of online shopping I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to stick to a book buying ban. Still, no regrets on obtaining this lovely collection of bookish joy! With a bonus new hat! 

[out-of-the-forest-i-come]

January Reading Wrap-up

1. I'm Glad My Mom Died, by Jennette McCurdy. This memoir is a punch in the chest, full of raw, unapologetic honesty, and listening to the audiobook, narrated by Jennette McCurdy herself, made it all the more poignant.

2. The Empress of Salt and Fortune, by Nghi Vo. A really original novella told in fragments decades after the story happened. Between captivating characters and poetic writing, the novella was a great read.

3. The Atlas Six, by Olivie Blake. This one is a reread, but I'm happy to note that it was just as good, if not better, the second time as it was the first. Perfect for dark academia and slow-paced fantasy lovers, especially if you like an emphasis on characters.

4. When The Tigers Came Down the Mountain, by Nghi Vo. This is the novella that comes after The Empress of Salt and Fortune, though the two stories aren't really related. The story was very interesting, but the characters felt more distant, and though it was a very good read, I liked it less than the first book in the series.

5. Even Though I Knew The End, by C.L. Polk. I almost DNF'd it at the start, because it was a bit slow to get started and I didn't really feel anything for the characters, but then the story kicked in and I found myself drawn in. A very enjoyable read, full of suspense and with characters who proved to be greatly loveable and super cute sapphic representation in a historical setting. A good first-time reading C.L. Polk.

6. The Atlas Paradox, by Olivie Blake. Again, a reread, and it was amazing. It is as focused on characters as the first book, but the overarching plot of the trilogy really unfurls, and new relationships form. I had an amazing time rereading it.

7. Gearbreakers, by Zoe Hana Mikuta. A truly impressive sci-fi work. The worldbuilding is astonishing, the characters compelling even when you don't appreciate them, and the plot extremely engaging. I fell into the story effortlessly and loved listening to it. A bit disappointed by the ending, though that's really a personal issue because the ending does make sense. I just wanted something else, and I'm kinda sad I didn't get it. Still, it's an amazing book, with robots that lowkey reminded me of Iron Widow.

[bi4bihankking]

To Be Taught If Fortunate Summary:

Hope punk sci fi polycule

The Empress of Salt and Fortune Summary:

A young royal from the far north is sent south for a political marriage in an empire reminiscent of imperial China. Her brothers are dead, her armies and their war mammoths long defeated and caged behind their borders. Alone and sometimes reviled, she must choose her allies carefully. Rabbit, a handmaiden, sold by her parents to the palace for the lack of five baskets of dye, befriends the emperor's lonely new wife and gets more than she bargained for. At once feminist high fantasy and an indictment of monarchy, this evocative debut follows the rise of the empress In-yo, who has few resources and fewer friends. She's a northern daughter in a mage-made summer exile, but she will bend history to her will and bring down her enemies, piece by piece.

[transbookoftheday]

The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo

A young royal from the far north is sent south for a political marriage in an empire reminiscent of imperial China. Her brothers are dead, her armies and their war mammoths long defeated and caged behind their borders. Alone and sometimes reviled, she must choose her allies carefully.

Rabbit, a handmaiden, sold by her parents to the palace for the lack of five baskets of dye, befriends the emperor's lonely new wife and gets more than she bargained for.

At once feminist high fantasy and an indictment of monarchy, this evocative debut follows the rise of the empress In-yo, who has few resources and fewer friends. She's a northern daughter in a mage-made summer exile, but she will bend history to her will and bring down her enemies, piece by piece.

[never-sated]

"Even though there was a fashion for seal fur in the capital when In-yo became the empress in truth, there never was a dress like this one again. There could never be. Is it beautiful, but every stitch bites into her history, the deaths she left behind her, and the home she could not return to."

- The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo

[phaedraismyusername]

I wouldn't normally cross the streams like this but if you have any affection for Mushishi then I'd recommend giving the book The Empress of Salt and Fortune a go!

It's just a little 100ish page novella with all the charm and vibes the whole 'neutral nomad unravels the truth of magical stories while on a journey' ness that Mushishi offers you know?