Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted over at Wishful Endings to spotlight and discuss the books we’re excited about and have yet to read. Generally they’re books that have yet to be released, but not necessarily. It’s based on Waiting on Wednesday, which was originally hosted at Breaking the Spine.
My pick for this week is a feminist high fantasy and an indictment of monarchy with the heart of an Atwood tale and the visuals of a classic Asian period drama
Title: The Empress of Salt and Fortune
Author: Nghi Vo
Publisher: Tor.com
Publication Date: March 24, 2020
Genres: Epic Fantasy
Shelves: Female-author, female-fronted
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.
Praise for The Empress of Salt and Fortune
“An elegant gut-punch, a puzzle box that unwinds itself in its own way and in its own time. I cannot recommend it highly enough. Gorgeous. Cruel. Perfect. I didn’t know I needed to read this until I did.”—Seanan McGuire
“A tale of rebellion and fealty that feels both classic and fresh, The Empress of Salt and Fortune is elegantly told, strongly felt, and brimming with rich detail. An epic in miniature, beautifully realised.”—Zen Cho
Beauty in Ruins 
This sounds amazing! But then I feel that way about a lot of what Tor puts out. Great pick!
LikeLike
I’m excited about this too! The cover has me so curious😁
LikeLike
This is already on my wishlist – man I love that cover!
LikeLike
What an interesting cover and I do like the sounds of it!
My CWW
LikeLike
I’m intrigued about this one – hope I get a chance to check it out!
LikeLike
I hadn’t heard of this one before, and now I am all sorts of curious
LikeLike