I loved books one through four of Nghi Vo's Singing Hills Cycle of novellas, so I had the fifth book, The Brides of High Hill, on pre-order. Did it live up to my high expectations?

Cleric Chih is traveling with the Pham family in one of their 15 ox carts. Master Pham is a merchant. He and his wife are bringing their lovely daughter, Nhung, to Doi Cao. The reputedly beautiful estate is a relic of the defunct Ku Dynasty, and Nhung is going there to marry its current master, Lord Guo. Madam Pham doesn't think much of Cleric Chih, but Nhung likes them.

Doi Cao is surrounded by a high, thick wall of gray stone. This is hardly surprising considering that Doi Cao is in western Ji. The empire considers Ji one of its provinces. Ji considers itself to be independent. The empire has mammoths. That wall is strong enough to resist mammoths. Lord Guo is a warrior of the empire who has managed to acquire Doi Cao. What a relief that those walls are there, right? There are even slithering beast figures on the roof to repel misfortune.

The first problem with Lord Guo, is that, while powerfully built, he's much closer in age to Master Pham than his daughter. The second is that his handsome young son, Guo Zhihao, tells Cleric Chi to tell Nhung to ask his father how many wives he's had. Zhihao adds that they are not in Shu. Then he walks away, looking as if he's going to vomit.

It's also strange that the Pham's retainers don't want Cleric Chih to help them carry goods from the carts. All they are allowed to carry is a ordinary teapot. The retainers will be staying outside the wall. Nhung wants Cleric Chih to check out the guest house, Eighth Peony. The reasons Cleric Chih is told sound good. I also would have liked to have heard the story Nhung's Ba (dad) told her about house sprites.

Nhung is terrified when she has Cleric Chih accompany her to the first night banquet. Cleric Chih is seated in the cleric alcove on Lord Guo's right, hidden behind a screen. She can observe the couple-to-be and not be observed by the guests. Then Guo Zhihao shows up saying Nhung mustn't. Nhung treats him gently, but the young man is taken away by two men. Later, Cleric Chih learns some gossip about Zhihao from a kitchen apprentice named Five.

Chih and Nhung are exploring the estate at night when they come up on Guo Zhihao sleepwalking. It was interesting that Cleric Chih said that sleepwalkers used to be said to be fox-led and why and Nhung gave a more plausible explanation. After they settle Zhihao in a safe place, the two give two different reasons for a pearl thrush's singing. The cleric gives a poetic one, and the bride-to-be a practical one.

While Nhung and her parents are enjoying an entertainment Lord Guo has had created for them, Chih has a very unsettling encounter with Zhihao in the Jonquil Pavilian, where he is kept under guard.

The second night banquet of the negotiations for the marriage is briefly marred by Madam Pham trying to make a drunken show of herself. Afterward, Chih and Nhung meet Zhihao. They are shown something that suggests Lord Guo's son's warnings have a firm basis in fact. Nhung is most upset, but Chih assures her that they and Almost Brilliant have gotten out of worse situations. The earlier books prove that's true.

Matters turn worse and Cleric Chih is very, very worried. What happened to Nhung?

Nhung does turn up at the final banquet. I was as worried as Chih while I read about it. Is Cleric Chih correct about the only safe place for hiding? Is there anything that can be done to get out of Doi Cao alive?

All of the books in this series have been excellent, but this one is my favorite by far. I would love to see it in two-dimensional animation. ( )

3.5 Stars

Well, that certainly took an 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 Gate, 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 ( )