The Empress of Salt and Fortune
4/5
()
About this audiobook
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.
Nghi Vo
Nghi Vo is the author of the novels Siren Queen and The Chosen and the Beautiful, as well as the acclaimed novellas of the Singing Hills Cycle, which began with The Empress of Salt and Fortune. The series entries have been finalists for the Nebula Award, the Locus Award, and the Lambda Literary Award, and have won the Crawford Award, the Ignyte Award, and the Hugo Award. Born in Illinois, she now lives on the shores of Lake Michigan. She believes in the ritual of lipstick, the power of stories, and the right to change your mind.
More audiobooks from Nghi Vo
The Chosen and the Beautiful Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related to The Empress of Salt and Fortune
Titles in the series (4)
The Empress of Salt and Fortune Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Into the Riverlands Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Mammoths at the Gates Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Related audiobooks
The Black Tides of Heaven Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Mammoths at the Gates Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Descendant of the Crane Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Into the Riverlands Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Upright Women Wanted Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Black Sun Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Silver in the Wood & Drowned Country Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Seep Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Persephone Station Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Even Though I Knew the End Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Dead Djinn in Cairo: A Tor.Com Original Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Princess Floralinda and the Forty-Flight Tower Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Light From Uncommon Stars Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Gideon the Ninth Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Ring Shout Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Fevered Star Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Elatsoe Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Black Water Sister Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Midnight Bargain Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The First Sister: The First Sister trilogy Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Remote Control Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5An Unkindness of Magicians Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Witchmark Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Yellow Jessamine Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Haunting of Tram Car 015 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Tensorate Series: 3 Novellas Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Dawnhounds Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
LGBTQIA+ Fiction For You
Gideon the Ninth Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Galaxy, and the Ground Within: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Song of Achilles: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Camp Damascus Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5They Both Die at the End Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Call Me by Your Name: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Fingersmith Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Written in the Stars: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5One Last Stop Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Bad with Money: The Imperfect Art of Getting Your Financial Sh*t Together Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Counting Lost Stars: A Novel Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Cemetery Boys Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Sing You Home: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Confidence: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Plain Bad Heroines: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Light From Uncommon Stars Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5All Boys Aren't Blue: A Memoir-Manifesto Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Lies We Sing to the Sea Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Open Throat Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5In the Dream House: A Memoir Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Happy Couple: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5To Be Taught, If Fortunate Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Deep Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5After Sappho Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Tell Me I'm Worthless Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Small Game: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Honey Girl Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Water Outlaws Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for The Empress of Salt and Fortune
787 ratings20 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Very intriguing story. Unique. I really enjoyed the storytelling style and the feel of it all. Lovely narrator too
2 people found this helpful
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Albeit a bit confusing at first, The Empress of Salt and Fortune proved to be such a short, yet powerful read. The writing alone deserves all the praise that this book is getting.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5It takes a while to get into the story. It is also a bit confusing with the name of the recording bird, Almost Brilliant, and the pronounce of the cleric (they, their). But after reading this review you should be one step ahead in understanding the build of the story.
However, keep persisting in the story because it is a good one. I will tell the story that the clerc collecte, to my children. It was also likeable enough that I started listening to the second book.. which is - by the way - easier to read/ listen. - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I listened to the audiobook & The Narrator had a lovely voice and was able to bring characters to life with elegance.... this is a story being told within a story of ancient China & how things were, the story is one of growth, and strength, Resilience and smart female characters. The story within a story is told by a woman called Rabbit who used to be the serving girl to Empress In-Yo, the hints of fantasy lay throughout along with female general fiction and I could feel a little magical realism too.... written beautifully and the vocabulary comes off as lyrical.
I recommend this book and also quite short but has a very deep impact - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Interesting story. I loved it, because it reminded me of Kdrama. Like the show Empress Ki. The narrator has a soft and intriguing voice. It makes me feel that I am there listening to the story of an old lady. I’m off to listen to the 2nd book.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Great story!
Super interesting, beautiful sentences, a mysterious world with strong women and their relationships to each other. I thought it was beautiful. - Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5The book doesn't make sense to me. To much cussing
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5So short but soooo good. Really enjoyed this. Definitely recommend this
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Short novella set in an historical chinese.
Love strong female characters - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Didn't expect the story to impact me as much as it did. It's short and bittersweet. Give it a read.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This is one of those deceivingly simple stories that slowly builds up to the denouement. As a non-Asian person, I am sure I missed little insider details that would have made this novella extra delightful but it still allows a peek behind the culture.
Definitely a different approach to monarchy for women and mothers. Great recommendation. - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The beginning was a bit difficult to get into and understand. Once you get to Thriving Fortune and meet the grandmother and she begins telling stories I became hooked. The stories of In-yo the Empress of Salt and Fortunes were so interesting. They were sad stories but in the end the Empress prevailed which made it kind of a happy ending.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I liked it. A short tale of the life of two women, spoken in a soothing voice. Straightforward, but with just enough intrigue to keep me wondering.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5It is definitely a bit hard to follow at first, you may have to reread a page or two, but the story is very much worth it and compelling. Quiet love.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5This was a really interesting little novella. I really enjoyed learning about the characters. Both Rabbit and Chi were really interesting. My only problem was that I had a hard time differentiating from the story that Rabbit was telling and the present day. I'm excited to see what comes next in the series.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Beautifully written. Lyrical and almost poetic. The narration is very well done too.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Reads like a fairy tale. The her-story is revealed through a number of days.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/53.5 stars it was a fine tale, nothing exceptional, short enough to be entertaining
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I didn’t want it to end. Visually stunning prose and fierce women, what’s not to love?
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The narrator is great. It takes a bit to get into and I’m going to listen to the second one. I’m hoping it continues from where it left off and doesn’t take so long to get into it.
1 person found this helpful