Miyoung is a gumiho, a nine-tailed fox spirit, trained by her ruthless, ages-old mother, who feeds on the souls of men who have hurt women with the help of a young shaman named Nara. Miyoung begins to question her soul-feeding habits when she encounters a young man, Jihoon, and rescues him. As Miyoung navigates a high school setting with Jihoon, who earnestly befriends her despite her prickly demeanor, she finds herself drawn to him and his charming attitude. I loved the relationship between Jihoon and his grandmother, and how Miyoung and Jihoon both feel an ache for family dynamics that they don't have. Miyoung draws Jihoon into her world of goblins, shamans, and increasing stakes that put Jihoon and his family in danger.
I'm not typically a huge romance fan, and some of this romance felt a bit incompatible, but it grew on me as the book continued. The book is very steeped in Korean culture - not just the language and the food, but the societal expectations and levels of formality in speech. Fans K-Drama will feel at home reading this book. For those who are not as familiar with Korean culture, it might be more of a challenge to adjust to some of the terminology, but it's still a very readable, enjoyable modern fantasy - and one completely different from the Eurocentric mythology that often plays into most YA fantasy stories.
I'm not typically a huge romance fan, and some of this romance felt a bit incompatible, but it grew on me as the book continued. The book is very steeped in Korean culture - not just the language and the food, but the societal expectations and levels of formality in speech. Fans K-Drama will feel at home reading this book. For those who are not as familiar with Korean culture, it might be more of a challenge to adjust to some of the terminology, but it's still a very readable, enjoyable modern fantasy - and one completely different from the Eurocentric mythology that often plays into most YA fantasy stories.