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The Singing Hills Cycle #5
The Brides of High Hill
The Hugo Award-Winning Series returns with its newest standalone entry: a gothic mystery involving a crumbling estate, a mysterious bride, and an extremely murderous teapot.
The Cleric Chih accompanies a beautiful young bride to her wedding to an aging lord at a crumbling estate situated at the crossroads of dead empires. But they’re forgetting things they ought to remember, and the lord’s mad young son wanders the grounds at night like a hanged ghost.
The Singing Hills Cycle has been shortlisted for the Lambda Literary Award, the Locus Award, the Ignyte Award, and has won the Hugo Award and the Crawford Award.
The Cleric Chih accompanies a beautiful young bride to her wedding to an aging lord at a crumbling estate situated at the crossroads of dead empires. But they’re forgetting things they ought to remember, and the lord’s mad young son wanders the grounds at night like a hanged ghost.
The Singing Hills Cycle has been shortlisted for the Lambda Literary Award, the Locus Award, the Ignyte Award, and has won the Hugo Award and the Crawford Award.
115 pages, Hardcover
First published May 7, 2024
About the author
Nghi Vo
37 books3,597 followersNghi Vo is the author of the acclaimed novellas The Empress of Salt and Fortune and When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain. 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. The Chosen and the Beautiful is her debut novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 546 reviews
May 28, 2024
i hope this series goes on forever.
it's a spoiler, but are so in right now! this is the third new release i've read about them this year, and i'm not mad. they're cool as hell.
this didn't feel at all like an installment of this series, which is normally slow, storytelling-centered, and thematically meaningful.
this was a fun creepy mystery with a plot twist. not what i expected, but again, good with me.
i do think this fell apart towards the end, having bit off more than its barely 100 pages could chew, but who can blame it.
i don't think we needed all of these characters, and i was annoyed by the traces of romance, but if you have the opportunity to cram upsetting taxidermy, crumbling old castles, scary girls, fatal flaws, mysterious teapots, talking birds, booby trap planning, messy libraries, murder-based secrets, manually turning a mansion haunted, estranged adult sons who are biters, and bad seafood in one book, you take it no matter the cost.
and the cost is not that steep.
bottom line: this book has everything. except the right page count.
(3.5 / thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
it's a spoiler, but are so in right now! this is the third new release i've read about them this year, and i'm not mad. they're cool as hell.
this didn't feel at all like an installment of this series, which is normally slow, storytelling-centered, and thematically meaningful.
this was a fun creepy mystery with a plot twist. not what i expected, but again, good with me.
i do think this fell apart towards the end, having bit off more than its barely 100 pages could chew, but who can blame it.
i don't think we needed all of these characters, and i was annoyed by the traces of romance, but if you have the opportunity to cram upsetting taxidermy, crumbling old castles, scary girls, fatal flaws, mysterious teapots, talking birds, booby trap planning, messy libraries, murder-based secrets, manually turning a mansion haunted, estranged adult sons who are biters, and bad seafood in one book, you take it no matter the cost.
and the cost is not that steep.
bottom line: this book has everything. except the right page count.
(3.5 / thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
May 16, 2024
♡ thank you so much, tor, for sending me a finished copy!
1.) The Empress of Salt and Fortune ★★★★★
2.) When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain ★★★★★
3.) Into the Riverlands ★★★★
4.) Mammoths at the Gates ★★★★
i really love nghi vo and everything she creates, but this series takes up an extra big space in my heart. This series is all about story telling, and we follow cleric chih who is in the middle of documenting a new tale for us in this fifth installment. this novella feels very different than the rest, and i will let you know why in the next paragraph - but i highly recommend you don’t read it until after you’ve read the last page (and maybe even the acknowledgements - that made me tear up at the very end!!) but the bare bones of this story is that chih is traveling with the pham family to doi cao, a walled city with many stories of its own, where they are going to be having wedding negotiations with the lord of the city. chih becomes very close with the bride to be, and together they start to explore the grounds of what could be her new home, but there is also a mystery of lord guo, and his maybe cursed son, and whatever else lurks in the shadows.
that really is all you need to know, but the reason this story got a five star from me is because it really did something bold and different and really left me impressed. because ultimately, this is a story about lies and deception, and how sometimes people who portray themselves as docile and innocent can be the ones who hurt you the most. this really is a story about monsters, and how they come in many, many forms. this also touches on how people who wrong you will really have the audacity to be upset that you’re upset they wronged you. this 100 page story had better twists than 500 page mystery thrillers out there, and i am just very thankful for every sentence of magic nghi vo weaves.
trigger + content warnings: blood, spider mentions, mention of sickness in past (also regarding a child), captivity, drugging (sleep), power dynamic situations, manipulation, death, murder, talk of poisoning, abuse, body horror, violence
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1.) The Empress of Salt and Fortune ★★★★★
2.) When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain ★★★★★
3.) Into the Riverlands ★★★★
4.) Mammoths at the Gates ★★★★
“The world starts with a story. So do dynasties and eras and wars. So does love, and so does revenge. Everything starts with a story.”
i really love nghi vo and everything she creates, but this series takes up an extra big space in my heart. This series is all about story telling, and we follow cleric chih who is in the middle of documenting a new tale for us in this fifth installment. this novella feels very different than the rest, and i will let you know why in the next paragraph - but i highly recommend you don’t read it until after you’ve read the last page (and maybe even the acknowledgements - that made me tear up at the very end!!) but the bare bones of this story is that chih is traveling with the pham family to doi cao, a walled city with many stories of its own, where they are going to be having wedding negotiations with the lord of the city. chih becomes very close with the bride to be, and together they start to explore the grounds of what could be her new home, but there is also a mystery of lord guo, and his maybe cursed son, and whatever else lurks in the shadows.
that really is all you need to know, but the reason this story got a five star from me is because it really did something bold and different and really left me impressed. because ultimately, this is a story about lies and deception, and how sometimes people who portray themselves as docile and innocent can be the ones who hurt you the most. this really is a story about monsters, and how they come in many, many forms. this also touches on how people who wrong you will really have the audacity to be upset that you’re upset they wronged you. this 100 page story had better twists than 500 page mystery thrillers out there, and i am just very thankful for every sentence of magic nghi vo weaves.
trigger + content warnings: blood, spider mentions, mention of sickness in past (also regarding a child), captivity, drugging (sleep), power dynamic situations, manipulation, death, murder, talk of poisoning, abuse, body horror, violence
blog | instagram | youtube | kofi | spotify | amazon
April 27, 2024
Nghi Vo’s The Singing Hills novellas from the beginning have centered on the stories as they are remembered and retold and lived out. Their framework at the start has been a story within a story; a traveling cleric Chih being the recipient of a story or a legend, with the readers seeing how the stories are made and shaped and how it turn they shape the events. The previous novella in the series, Mammoths at the Gates, broke out of the pattern by actually having Chih at the center of events, and this one follows suit with one more twist — Chih here is part of the story itself.
As it quickly becomes clear to the reader, this is a version of Bluebeard, but with a bit of variation to make it interesting. If something about the way the story unfolds seems a bit off, a bit suspect, it’s because it’s meant to be. It’s still quiet and unfolds gently, but this time with a slight aftertaste of horror and a good helping of unsettling tension.
I loved the first and the third book in this series, but this novella did not hit all the high notes those two had. I think I miss the story within a story framework although I do appreciate seeing more of Chih again, involved in a story itself instead of being part of storytelling. The story “twist” was both interesting as it derailed the expectations and a bit of a whiplash, abruptly changing the narrative flow. And the gothic feel — if this is what you like, you’ll probably adore this one, but I’m usually left a bit cold by that tone.
Still a good one, although not my favorite in the series (that honor goes to The Empress of Salt and Fortune and Into the Riverlands).
3.5 stars. I will definitely continue with this series.
——————
Thanks to NetGalley and Tordotcom for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
——————
Also posted on my blog.
“The world starts with a story. So do dynasties and eras and wars. So does love, and so does revenge. Everything starts with a story.”
As it quickly becomes clear to the reader, this is a version of Bluebeard, but with a bit of variation to make it interesting. If something about the way the story unfolds seems a bit off, a bit suspect, it’s because it’s meant to be. It’s still quiet and unfolds gently, but this time with a slight aftertaste of horror and a good helping of unsettling tension.
“Chih finally understood that the monsters were everywhere.”
I loved the first and the third book in this series, but this novella did not hit all the high notes those two had. I think I miss the story within a story framework although I do appreciate seeing more of Chih again, involved in a story itself instead of being part of storytelling. The story “twist” was both interesting as it derailed the expectations and a bit of a whiplash, abruptly changing the narrative flow. And the gothic feel — if this is what you like, you’ll probably adore this one, but I’m usually left a bit cold by that tone.
Still a good one, although not my favorite in the series (that honor goes to The Empress of Salt and Fortune and Into the Riverlands).
3.5 stars. I will definitely continue with this series.
——————
Thanks to NetGalley and Tordotcom for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
——————
Also posted on my blog.
May 14, 2024
3.5 Stars
Well, that certainly took a very unexpected turn!
As per the blurb our beloved cleric Chih finds themselves accompanying a would-be bride to meet her potential husband to engage in a 3 day event of negotiations and hopefully, celebration. However, suspicious event after suspicious event makes Chih slowly realize that everything is not as it seems.
I really don’t want to spoil things. I applaud Vo for throwing such a curveball as Chih’s usual efforts at discovering any story they can results in finding themselves eyeball deep in the making of one.
My personal favorites of this series are those with more of an emotional heft such as The Empress of Salt and Fortune and Mammoths at the Gates, but despite a more mystery vibe with layers of horror, this was still a captivating look at a fantasy world reminiscent of Imperial China.
Overall, I have enjoyed myself with these varied adventures of Chih and their companion bird Almost Brilliant, and I will do so for as long as Vo continues to write them!
Thank you to the author and Tordotcom via NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review
The Singing Hills Cycle
1. The Empress of Salt and Fortune - 4 Stars
2. When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain - 3.5 Stars
3. Into the Riverlands - 3.5 Stars
4. Mammoths at the Gate - 4.5 Stars
5. The Brides of High Hill - 3.5 Stars
Well, that certainly took a very unexpected turn!
As per the blurb our beloved cleric Chih finds themselves accompanying a would-be bride to meet her potential husband to engage in a 3 day event of negotiations and hopefully, celebration. However, suspicious event after suspicious event makes Chih slowly realize that everything is not as it seems.
I really don’t want to spoil things. I applaud Vo for throwing such a curveball as Chih’s usual efforts at discovering any story they can results in finding themselves eyeball deep in the making of one.
My personal favorites of this series are those with more of an emotional heft such as The Empress of Salt and Fortune and Mammoths at the Gates, but despite a more mystery vibe with layers of horror, this was still a captivating look at a fantasy world reminiscent of Imperial China.
Overall, I have enjoyed myself with these varied adventures of Chih and their companion bird Almost Brilliant, and I will do so for as long as Vo continues to write them!
Thank you to the author and Tordotcom via NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review
The Singing Hills Cycle
1. The Empress of Salt and Fortune - 4 Stars
2. When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain - 3.5 Stars
3. Into the Riverlands - 3.5 Stars
4. Mammoths at the Gate - 4.5 Stars
5. The Brides of High Hill - 3.5 Stars
May 29, 2024
Another banger in this amazing series - I think this officially makes SHC one of my all time favs series. Very proud that I guessed the trajectory based on my knowledge of the regional mythology inspo - my Asian mythological literacy is growing!
June 5, 2024
I would like to thank Edelweiss and Tordotcom for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
For my first Nghi Vo this was pretty amazing! I loooooved the narrative style and tone, found the characters interesting and engaging, and got the creeps properly when the story took a turn and embraced its dark side! I was not expecting gothic horror, especially how the story started, but this was so well done that I'm certain I can read anything this series offers up and still sing Vo's praises! I've not read the rest of The Singing Hills Cycle but that won't be true for much longer! This was a great introduction to Vo's work for me, and I'm very excited to read everything else she's ever written because this novella length simply wasn't enough AND NOW I ABSOLUTELY WANT MORE!
For my first Nghi Vo this was pretty amazing! I loooooved the narrative style and tone, found the characters interesting and engaging, and got the creeps properly when the story took a turn and embraced its dark side! I was not expecting gothic horror, especially how the story started, but this was so well done that I'm certain I can read anything this series offers up and still sing Vo's praises! I've not read the rest of The Singing Hills Cycle but that won't be true for much longer! This was a great introduction to Vo's work for me, and I'm very excited to read everything else she's ever written because this novella length simply wasn't enough AND NOW I ABSOLUTELY WANT MORE!
February 28, 2024
God I love this series! The Brides of High Hill has a gothic horror flavor to it that I quite enjoyed. Cleric Chih is accompanying a young bride to the home of her much older husband-to-be, but there are dark secrets hiding at his estate...
This was excellent and a major tonal shift from the last novella in the series. But I will follow Chih on whatever adventures they go on. Definitely one to read! I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
This was excellent and a major tonal shift from the last novella in the series. But I will follow Chih on whatever adventures they go on. Definitely one to read! I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
May 20, 2024
This was delightfully mysterious and dark-humoured, which kinda makes me regret not having read this in July when my sister is gonna get married.
Because the premise of this installment is cleric Chih accompanying a young bride to her potential future husband. However, not only is the guy significantly older, his estate has also seen better days AND it is situated between two warring factions.
Weirdly, that is far from the strangest thing about the place though, because the prospective groom's son is positively haunting the place, people mysteriously keep forgetting things, and the staff is definitely trying to hide something.
Look at that cover, isn't it gorgeous?! OK, I'm biased since I LOVE foxes, but having a skulk of foxes is also absolutely perfectly representing the characters and events in this 5th installment of the Singing Hills cycle.
What sets this apart from the other books in the series is that is has an actual mystery vibe to it. Almost like an Asian-style Agatha Christie novel. I did miss Chih's bird companion, who wasn't with us after the events of the last book. I have to admit, though, that certain plot points might not have worked out this nicely if the hoopoe had been there (). Plus, the supporting cast did make up for it (almost).
Great addition to the series. So satisfying.
Read
June 30, 2024I absolutely adore this series. Long novella series aren’t incredibly common, and this one is especially unique in that its installments function both together and separately, allowing its readership to dip their toes into these stories one by one, enjoying the world on a scale both large and small.
To be honest, I had left the past couple books in this series feeling slightly lackluster. The first book, THE EMPRESS OF SALT AND FORTUNE, was a riveting and gorgeous story. The second one, WHEN THE TIGER CAME DOWN THE MOUNTAIN, contained such a wind of whimsy. But then the third book, IN THE RIVERLANDS, felt like Nghi Vo had already run out of story structures. The third book was a fun read and had lovely writing and characters, per usual, but honestly tried too hard to replicate the exact emotional arc and payoff of the first book, and fell short in that attempt. The fourth book, MAMMOTHS AT THE GATES, was better than the third in that it clearly was forging its own path, but it felt more like a separate reprieve from the other adventures. It lacked an impact that the initial two books had.
So when this fifth book came around, I didn’t have very high expectations. Don’t get me wrong, I was still excited for another installment, as I’ve definitely grown attached to this series regardless of its narrative accomplishments and was looking forward to reentering this world. But boy oh boy, Nghi Vo has found her footing again and we are so back, baby.
Nghi Vo brings the gothic into this installment of The Singing Hills, paying homage to classic stories like Bluebeard.
Though the structure of the pacing was still reminiscent to the other stories in this series, the use of information and lack-there-of was much more precise and complex than in the stories we’ve seen so far. Utilizing a dream-like, unsettling atmosphere, the approach to this book was so well-done and really served the story at hand.
Vo also brilliantly called back to a narrative thread from one of the other tales (I won’t say which) with such tact. Though some readers may find that repetitive, I found it to be a really strong choice. It allowed the installments, though primarily standalones, to start holding some elemental conversations, without causing either story to lean on the other. It was exactly the right installment to start bridging the gaps between the stories at hand without rupturing their ability to function on their own. Regardless of which order you read these books in, this parallel will be an exciting and unexpected familiar face amidst these otherwise mostly unconnected narratives.
As I mentioned earlier, in the third installment, the narrative parallel felt more like “oh, we’ve seen this trick before.” It didn’t quite work. Whereas in this installment, it was precisely BECAUSE we had seen this trick before that it worked for the narrative. It felt like that thread had concluded, now resting off to the side, because of the way its presence functioned in the structure of that previous story. So of course we fell for the trick again, because we thought we had left it behind.
I think this is also the first time in The Singing Hills series that Vo has really made use of limited narration. We’ve, at this point, come to rely on Chih as a truthful and honest storyteller, whose sole purpose is to chronicle information, which allows us a consistent and trustworthy perspective in which to view the world. And wow, does Vo capitalize on this lens in this one.
I am so pleased to see something new and invigorating pumped into the lungs of this series. After the lull of the past few books, it was really exciting to read an installment that is definitely competing for my favorite of the books out so far.
Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
CW: dead body, drugging, blood & gore, decapitation (offscreen), alcohol, sexual content (implied)
To be honest, I had left the past couple books in this series feeling slightly lackluster. The first book, THE EMPRESS OF SALT AND FORTUNE, was a riveting and gorgeous story. The second one, WHEN THE TIGER CAME DOWN THE MOUNTAIN, contained such a wind of whimsy. But then the third book, IN THE RIVERLANDS, felt like Nghi Vo had already run out of story structures. The third book was a fun read and had lovely writing and characters, per usual, but honestly tried too hard to replicate the exact emotional arc and payoff of the first book, and fell short in that attempt. The fourth book, MAMMOTHS AT THE GATES, was better than the third in that it clearly was forging its own path, but it felt more like a separate reprieve from the other adventures. It lacked an impact that the initial two books had.
So when this fifth book came around, I didn’t have very high expectations. Don’t get me wrong, I was still excited for another installment, as I’ve definitely grown attached to this series regardless of its narrative accomplishments and was looking forward to reentering this world. But boy oh boy, Nghi Vo has found her footing again and we are so back, baby.
Nghi Vo brings the gothic into this installment of The Singing Hills, paying homage to classic stories like Bluebeard.
Though the structure of the pacing was still reminiscent to the other stories in this series, the use of information and lack-there-of was much more precise and complex than in the stories we’ve seen so far. Utilizing a dream-like, unsettling atmosphere, the approach to this book was so well-done and really served the story at hand.
Vo also brilliantly called back to a narrative thread from one of the other tales (I won’t say which) with such tact. Though some readers may find that repetitive, I found it to be a really strong choice. It allowed the installments, though primarily standalones, to start holding some elemental conversations, without causing either story to lean on the other. It was exactly the right installment to start bridging the gaps between the stories at hand without rupturing their ability to function on their own. Regardless of which order you read these books in, this parallel will be an exciting and unexpected familiar face amidst these otherwise mostly unconnected narratives.
As I mentioned earlier, in the third installment, the narrative parallel felt more like “oh, we’ve seen this trick before.” It didn’t quite work. Whereas in this installment, it was precisely BECAUSE we had seen this trick before that it worked for the narrative. It felt like that thread had concluded, now resting off to the side, because of the way its presence functioned in the structure of that previous story. So of course we fell for the trick again, because we thought we had left it behind.
I think this is also the first time in The Singing Hills series that Vo has really made use of limited narration. We’ve, at this point, come to rely on Chih as a truthful and honest storyteller, whose sole purpose is to chronicle information, which allows us a consistent and trustworthy perspective in which to view the world. And wow, does Vo capitalize on this lens in this one.
I am so pleased to see something new and invigorating pumped into the lungs of this series. After the lull of the past few books, it was really exciting to read an installment that is definitely competing for my favorite of the books out so far.
Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
CW: dead body, drugging, blood & gore, decapitation (offscreen), alcohol, sexual content (implied)
May 23, 2024
3.5
I feel like we kind of already saw this story earlier in the series. But regardless I thought it was clever! I think I’m done with this series now. I’m just never wowed.
I feel like we kind of already saw this story earlier in the series. But regardless I thought it was clever! I think I’m done with this series now. I’m just never wowed.
May 7, 2024
Matrimonial predators
We catch up with Chih, who is accompanying the Pham family -- Mr and Mrs Pham and their daughter Pham Nhung to the castle of Lord Guo. The Phams are a family of merchants down on their luck, and Nhung has been proposed in marriage to Lord Guo. She and Chih met cute, and she asked them to accompany her to Lord Guo's castle for the marriage negotiation. Chih appears to have a mini-crush on Nhung, which she appears to encourage. Chih desperately misses their neixin Almost Brilliant, who is mysteriously absent. Nhung is naturally worried about being married. Chih, who knows many stories, true and fictional, about husbands and wives, would like to reassure her, but cannot honestly do so.
Stuff happens. You will recognize the story pretty quickly. In this one Chih faces serious personal danger, more immediate than in any other Singing Hills book. Also, they get to be an action hero in this one. Unlike When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain, when Chih and their companions were in real danger of being eaten by tigers, Chih can't get out of this one just by telling stories.
I enjoyed this a lot. It was simpler and more straightforward than the other Singing Hills stories. The Singing Hills stories are stories about story-telling -- very meta. I appreciate that -- Nghi Vo is a master story-teller, and it is a delight that she teaches her craft. But in this installment we get something more like a simple (well, honestly, not THAT simple) story straightforwardly told.
Thanks to NetGalley and TorDotCom for an advance reader copy of The Brides of High Hill. This review expresses my honest opinion.
Blog review.
We catch up with Chih, who is accompanying the Pham family -- Mr and Mrs Pham and their daughter Pham Nhung to the castle of Lord Guo. The Phams are a family of merchants down on their luck, and Nhung has been proposed in marriage to Lord Guo. She and Chih met cute, and she asked them to accompany her to Lord Guo's castle for the marriage negotiation. Chih appears to have a mini-crush on Nhung, which she appears to encourage. Chih desperately misses their neixin Almost Brilliant, who is mysteriously absent. Nhung is naturally worried about being married. Chih, who knows many stories, true and fictional, about husbands and wives, would like to reassure her, but cannot honestly do so.
Stuff happens. You will recognize the story pretty quickly. In this one Chih faces serious personal danger, more immediate than in any other Singing Hills book. Also, they get to be an action hero in this one. Unlike When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain, when Chih and their companions were in real danger of being eaten by tigers, Chih can't get out of this one just by telling stories.
I enjoyed this a lot. It was simpler and more straightforward than the other Singing Hills stories. The Singing Hills stories are stories about story-telling -- very meta. I appreciate that -- Nghi Vo is a master story-teller, and it is a delight that she teaches her craft. But in this installment we get something more like a simple (well, honestly, not THAT simple) story straightforwardly told.
Thanks to NetGalley and TorDotCom for an advance reader copy of The Brides of High Hill. This review expresses my honest opinion.
Blog review.
May 28, 2024
I think you could still read this book independent of the publication dates of the other books in this series but the context of the relationships established in the earlier books add so much to this instalment.
This story is fantasy inspired by Asian folklore. Be prepared for horror. Scary stuff. It was so good!
This story is fantasy inspired by Asian folklore. Be prepared for horror. Scary stuff. It was so good!
May 17, 2024
“The world starts with a story. So do dynasties and eras and wars. So does love, and so does revenge. Everything starts with a story.”
I was very excited about this new novella in the The Singing Hills Cycle since I found out that it would have gothic horror elements. And although I enjoyed it and was surprised by the turn the story ends up taking, I must admit that I missed my favorite aspect of this series: Cleric Chih collecting different stories. It was something barely present in Mammoths at the Gates but in this one it practically disappears, changing the structure to put Chih at the center of the plot instead of focusing on the story-within-a-story element.
The premise is that Chih decides to accompany a young bride to meet her future husband and assist her in wedding negotiations. But when they arrive at the estate, they begin to realize that something strange is happening there: the behavior of the lord’s supposedly mad son, mysterious figurines scattered around the estate or how the servants seem to be frightened.
Overall, The Brides of High Hill is an entertaining gothic fantasy novella with a touch of mystery that is different from previous installments. As always, the author’s prose is a delight to the eye, something accentuated by Cindy Kay’s wonderful narration of the audiobook (I’ll not tire of recommend physically reading these novellas and listening to the audiobooks at the same time). And I’m looking forward to discovering what new stories the author will surprise us with in the following installments.
ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Previous installments:
1. The Empress of Salt and Fortune ★★★★
2. When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain ★★★
3. Into the Riverlands ★★★
4. Mammoths at the Gates ★★★
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May 12, 2024
October 2023: Seeing the cover reveal for book 5 and the announcement of three more books in this series is all my dreams coming true ❤️❤️❤️
May 2024: Quite a different tone from the previous four books, but the second half really got me and I did not see that twist coming. Loved it!
May 2024: Quite a different tone from the previous four books, but the second half really got me and I did not see that twist coming. Loved it!
May 10, 2024
I love Nghi Vo and I love this series.
While this is probably slots in as a third favorite after Mammoths and Riverlands, this was still a great entry and did not disappoint. In this novella, we follow Cleric Chih as they attend a wedding at a great estate where dark secrets hide in every corner. Nghi always has great character work, doing so much with so little; getting to know a new set of characters in each novella is a nice contrast to the familiarity of Chih and Almost Brilliant.
While this is probably slots in as a third favorite after Mammoths and Riverlands, this was still a great entry and did not disappoint. In this novella, we follow Cleric Chih as they attend a wedding at a great estate where dark secrets hide in every corner. Nghi always has great character work, doing so much with so little; getting to know a new set of characters in each novella is a nice contrast to the familiarity of Chih and Almost Brilliant.
February 2, 2024
Rep: nonbinary mc
This is a series that, for me, peaked at the second book. While The Brides of High Hill is still a fun read, there’s just a sense that the world has been somewhat exhausted (while, clearly, not being so. I said it was a sense). I think the books that have worked better for me have been in the format of someone telling Chih a story, which hasn’t been the case for the previous two. That being said, this was still an enjoyable read. I’d have liked it to be just a tad longer, but overall it was good.
This is a series that, for me, peaked at the second book. While The Brides of High Hill is still a fun read, there’s just a sense that the world has been somewhat exhausted (while, clearly, not being so. I said it was a sense). I think the books that have worked better for me have been in the format of someone telling Chih a story, which hasn’t been the case for the previous two. That being said, this was still an enjoyable read. I’d have liked it to be just a tad longer, but overall it was good.
July 18, 2024
“You are a real person who is going into a real future.”
Let us start by saying that that quote was turned around in a plot twist I did not see coming. Let us continue by saying that this was undoubtedly different from the other Singing Hills novellas. And let us finish by saying I loved it.
I do not want to reveal anything of the plot, but I’ll say that this had more of a thriller vibe than the other ones - as much as a high fantasy novella set in a magical world with stories can have a thriller vibe. As I am not a fan of thrillers, this one does not rise to my top favourites in the series, but make no mistake; I loved it nevertheless. I hope the ten thousand stories actually means that we get ten thousand novellas in the series <3
Pre-reading thoughts:
I thought this was a trilogy and now I find out there's a fourth and a fifth book coming is this what it feels like to be blessed???
Update 16th September: IT HAS A NAME AAAAAAAAA AND A PITCH AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Give me the murderous teapot and the brides now please and thank you
Update 21st October: The cover?!?!!! Screaming crying throwing up ahshsjsjdkdkkd
Let us start by saying that that quote was turned around in a plot twist I did not see coming. Let us continue by saying that this was undoubtedly different from the other Singing Hills novellas. And let us finish by saying I loved it.
I do not want to reveal anything of the plot, but I’ll say that this had more of a thriller vibe than the other ones - as much as a high fantasy novella set in a magical world with stories can have a thriller vibe. As I am not a fan of thrillers, this one does not rise to my top favourites in the series, but make no mistake; I loved it nevertheless. I hope the ten thousand stories actually means that we get ten thousand novellas in the series <3
Pre-reading thoughts:
I thought this was a trilogy and now I find out there's a fourth and a fifth book coming is this what it feels like to be blessed???
Update 16th September: IT HAS A NAME AAAAAAAAA AND A PITCH AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Give me the murderous teapot and the brides now please and thank you
Update 21st October: The cover?!?!!! Screaming crying throwing up ahshsjsjdkdkkd
June 19, 2024
tw: cannibalism
May 16, 2024
3.5/5
a story that i thought was going to be a conventional take on the bluebeard folktale turned out to be something quite unexpected. i enjoyed the plot twist and the subtle seeds planted leading up to it, but i do feel like this series is starting to wear out its welcome a bit. if there's another installment, i'd want a change in the narrative format and more from chih as a main character.
a story that i thought was going to be a conventional take on the bluebeard folktale turned out to be something quite unexpected. i enjoyed the plot twist and the subtle seeds planted leading up to it, but i do feel like this series is starting to wear out its welcome a bit. if there's another installment, i'd want a change in the narrative format and more from chih as a main character.
July 18, 2024
So, this was a letdown. Not totally unexpected due to reviews from friends (thanks! For all its many bugs, that is something Goodreads is unbeatable at, finding people whose taste you trust), but hope springs eternal, and surely it would work for me. But even with lowered expectations, this was odd.
An Asian (Vietnamese?)-inspired gothic-tinged fantasy, the further adventures of cleric Chih. The gothic bits are there, but I would say this goes more strongly into straight-out horror themes. There was a frustrating vagueness to Chih and the story here, Chih seemed out of character compared to how they were defined in previous stories, though that ends up being less objectionable than I thought it was going to be. It also ends up tying up better with the themes of the rest of the series. Her writing quality, which is usually so dazzling for me, was not as sparkling as usual.
I noticed an unusual part of the acknowledgements: "Usually this is where I talk about something in my life that’s relevant to the novella you hopefully just read. However, given that The Brides of High Hill is specifically about lies, I decided that for legal reasons, I’m going to stick with a few useful truths, and then thank everyone who made this book what it is.". Ok, then.. It sounds like there might be personal backstory to the difference in tone and themes of this book, but without knowing that context, I can only judge it for what was in front of me, and I decrypted nothing and did not much get the book as it was.
An odd story, that I did not like. The rating is probably 2.5 stars, but considering how good the rest of the series is and how well Vo can write and plot, sorry, but I am rounding it down. Though I am aware I might just not be "getting" what this was really about.
An Asian (Vietnamese?)-inspired gothic-tinged fantasy, the further adventures of cleric Chih. The gothic bits are there, but I would say this goes more strongly into straight-out horror themes. There was a frustrating vagueness to Chih and the story here, Chih seemed out of character compared to how they were defined in previous stories, though that ends up being less objectionable than I thought it was going to be. It also ends up tying up better with the themes of the rest of the series. Her writing quality, which is usually so dazzling for me, was not as sparkling as usual.
I noticed an unusual part of the acknowledgements: "Usually this is where I talk about something in my life that’s relevant to the novella you hopefully just read. However, given that The Brides of High Hill is specifically about lies, I decided that for legal reasons, I’m going to stick with a few useful truths, and then thank everyone who made this book what it is.". Ok, then.. It sounds like there might be personal backstory to the difference in tone and themes of this book, but without knowing that context, I can only judge it for what was in front of me, and I decrypted nothing and did not much get the book as it was.
An odd story, that I did not like. The rating is probably 2.5 stars, but considering how good the rest of the series is and how well Vo can write and plot, sorry, but I am rounding it down. Though I am aware I might just not be "getting" what this was really about.
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June 8, 2024
Hmm. Not my favorite, but still good—The Singing Hills Cycle is a mainstay comfort read series for me.
I think it took a minute to get into because this was more actiony than the previous entries, and Chih is so uncharacteristically weird before I realized what the hell was going on (guess who didn't read the blurb). Anywho, it was good. It was dark. I can't wait to eat up the next one.
I think it took a minute to get into because this was more actiony than the previous entries, and Chih is so uncharacteristically weird before I realized what the hell was going on (guess who didn't read the blurb). Anywho, it was good. It was dark. I can't wait to eat up the next one.
March 18, 2024
“The world starts with a story. So do dynasties and eras and wars. So does love, and so does revenge. Everything starts with a story.”
I love this series & I want it to continue forever.
The Brides of High Hill is sort of like a Bluebeard retelling with a twist. A lot of gothic horror elements. Very creepy! Very twisty!
(I received an ARC via NetGalley. Thank u thank u.)
I love this series & I want it to continue forever.
The Brides of High Hill is sort of like a Bluebeard retelling with a twist. A lot of gothic horror elements. Very creepy! Very twisty!
(I received an ARC via NetGalley. Thank u thank u.)
July 12, 2024
3.75 stars.
This was very atmospheric from the beginning to the end. The buildup for the suspense was done so delicately that it had me immersed. I was a little disappointed by the reveal and the resolution yet this was a nice little addition to our Cleric’s adventures.
This was very atmospheric from the beginning to the end. The buildup for the suspense was done so delicately that it had me immersed. I was a little disappointed by the reveal and the resolution yet this was a nice little addition to our Cleric’s adventures.
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June 11, 2024Skoro jednako dobro kao i prethodne četiri novele; to je i dalje vrlo-dobro-do-odlično i možda je ovaj mali zamor više otuda što sam čitala odmah posle četvrte povesti u ciklusu, ali mooožda se i autorka malčice zamorila od ispredanja novih i sve virtuoznijih pripovednih situacija i eksperimenata. Lepa postavka, zanimljivi likovi i mudro postavljeni i iskorišćeni narativni detalji, kao i uvek.
February 7, 2024
Another wonderful entry in the Singing Hills Cycle!! The Brides of High Hill brings us Cleric Chih out on pilgrimage, collecting stories, as usual. This time they are accompanying a beautiful bride they met along the way. Almost Brilliant isn't with them this time, but Chih is faithfully attending the young lady who is soon to be married.
Unlike many of the other books in the Cycle, Chih feels unmoored here. They know there are mysteries surrounding them, and they want to protect the bride, but they also feel forgetful, they miss Almost Brilliant (their hoopoe familiar), and they feel uncomfortably out of place. Something is wrong, but they can't figure out exactly what it is...
The different books in the Cycle usually take on narrative, how the stories we tell define our lives and give meaning to our actions. That theme is present here, but this novella is more claustrophobic, the closest to horror the series has gotten up to this point. There's never a pat ending, but this one felt especially open ended. You can definitely start here, but the series really benefits from reading them all to get a sense of the different situations Chih finds themself in! Recommended.
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novella.
Unlike many of the other books in the Cycle, Chih feels unmoored here. They know there are mysteries surrounding them, and they want to protect the bride, but they also feel forgetful, they miss Almost Brilliant (their hoopoe familiar), and they feel uncomfortably out of place. Something is wrong, but they can't figure out exactly what it is...
The different books in the Cycle usually take on narrative, how the stories we tell define our lives and give meaning to our actions. That theme is present here, but this novella is more claustrophobic, the closest to horror the series has gotten up to this point. There's never a pat ending, but this one felt especially open ended. You can definitely start here, but the series really benefits from reading them all to get a sense of the different situations Chih finds themself in! Recommended.
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novella.
May 21, 2024
that went kinda crazy
June 3, 2024
Everyone’s favorite traveling cleric is back, partaking in a journey most gothic, with an unexpected twist, a transformative teapot, and hidden secrets tucked in the corners of a once powerful fortress. The Singing Hills Cycle remains an entirely immersive series no matter what adventure Vo is delivering, but in no way is it ever predictable. With each passing addition, I am left lingering on the talent of Nghi Vo’s worlds and words. Oh, do I want to live within them forever. This might be my favorite one yet!
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January 28, 2024
Holy fuck, this is terrifying?!? I was not expecting a gothic horror installment of the Singing Hills Cycle. Fantastic series; I would read a million more novellas. Not going to bother explaining the premise because frankly you should not know anything before reading.
Disclaimer: I received a free e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Disclaimer: I received a free e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
June 25, 2024
DID SOMEBODY SAY GOTHIC HORROR
I can't believe Nghi Vo included a gothic horror novella in The Singing Hills Cycle. My life is finally complete.
All kidding aside, I absolutely adored The Brides of High Hill. It starts off like a retelling of Bluebeard (which I already loved it for from the very beginning of the book, because Bluebeard retellings are one of my absolute favorite things). Pham Nhung, a young bride, is on her way to the estate of Doi Cao to get married. At first you think that the old lord of Doi Cao is a villain, with multiple vanished wives in his past and a mad son who he keeps drugged and locked away. But Nghi Vo's genius is in that the usual and expected is neatly circumvented, the twists so brilliantly revealed in a way that makes you realize she's been dropping hints all along and that you should've seen it coming.
“The world starts with a story. So do dynasties and eras and wars. So does love, and so does revenge. Everything starts with a story.”
My other reviews from The Singing Hills Cycle
Book 1: The Empress of Salt and Fortune
Book 2: When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain
Book 3: Into the Riverlands
Book 4: Mammoths at the Gates
I can't believe Nghi Vo included a gothic horror novella in The Singing Hills Cycle. My life is finally complete.
All kidding aside, I absolutely adored The Brides of High Hill. It starts off like a retelling of Bluebeard (which I already loved it for from the very beginning of the book, because Bluebeard retellings are one of my absolute favorite things). Pham Nhung, a young bride, is on her way to the estate of Doi Cao to get married. At first you think that the old lord of Doi Cao is a villain, with multiple vanished wives in his past and a mad son who he keeps drugged and locked away. But Nghi Vo's genius is in that the usual and expected is neatly circumvented, the twists so brilliantly revealed in a way that makes you realize she's been dropping hints all along and that you should've seen it coming.
“The world starts with a story. So do dynasties and eras and wars. So does love, and so does revenge. Everything starts with a story.”
My other reviews from The Singing Hills Cycle
Book 1: The Empress of Salt and Fortune
Book 2: When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain
Book 3: Into the Riverlands
Book 4: Mammoths at the Gates
May 8, 2024
A Joyfully Jay review.
5 stars
This adventure is book five in the Singing Hills Cycle series, though they don’t need to be read in order. It is a wonderful little ghost story told with exquisite skill. The tension is almost palpable as Chih wanders the strange household laid out in a twisting spiral, caught in a dreamlike state, always looking for something that isn’t there. The descriptions of the bridal feast are gory and glorious, the food described with lavish attention — and the same attention given to the gruesome events that happen.
This is a very quick read with the author’s lyrical prose and sharp sense of humor, and I loved it. If you enjoy short stories, mysteries, mythology, and beautiful writing, you will enjoy this book.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.
5 stars
This adventure is book five in the Singing Hills Cycle series, though they don’t need to be read in order. It is a wonderful little ghost story told with exquisite skill. The tension is almost palpable as Chih wanders the strange household laid out in a twisting spiral, caught in a dreamlike state, always looking for something that isn’t there. The descriptions of the bridal feast are gory and glorious, the food described with lavish attention — and the same attention given to the gruesome events that happen.
This is a very quick read with the author’s lyrical prose and sharp sense of humor, and I loved it. If you enjoy short stories, mysteries, mythology, and beautiful writing, you will enjoy this book.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.
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