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nicolemhewitt's review against another edition
5.0
This review and many more can be found on my blog: Feed Your Fiction Addiction
This book is set in the modern-day world, but one steeped in ancient mythology and fantastical magical creatures. It’s an exciting combination!
What Fed My Addiction:
The worldbuilding.
The basis of this world is that there are some people who have animal spirits and magic (at least, that’s the best way I can describe it). There are five of them: foxes, rabbits, deer, owls and seals. Each type of animal has its own qualities and magic, and the people who embody each animal seem to be racially distinct. I recognize the fox (with nine tails) from some Asian folklore, but I honestly don’t know if all of the animals have these origins or not. (I felt like many of the other spirits, demons, etc may have had a background in Asian lore as well, but I confess to being mostly ignorant of the details—though the comparison in the blurb to Princess Mononoke makes me suspect even more that there’s a connection) Regardless, I thought that Beiko did a fabulous job creating a fantasy world that overlaps with our own and making it come alive!
Diversity!
Not only were many of the characters racially diverse, but one of the main characters has no legs, and he’s in a wheelchair.
Paranormal monsters with bite.
The book starts out with an incredibly intriguing scene (and a dead body), so I was invested right from the start. When the paranormal action starts… it’s pretty crazy. Seriously, yikes! Again, I thought that Beiko did a fantastic job of creating monsters (or, maybe, ancient spirits) that felt real and seriously deadly. I would not have wanted to be in Roan’s shoes.
Twists and turns.
There were a few of them that I didn’t see coming!
No romance.
(But possible hints of one to come?) Roan is too busy saving the world to indulge in a love life (though there is a tiny romantic subplot between other characters). There are a few little hints that there might be a romance in future books, but nothing is jumped into, and that was just fine with me.
What Left Me Hungry for More:
Pacing.
I felt like this book started out really strong, and then there was a bit of a lull in the middle, and then the pace and the action picked way up in the end.
Set up for future books.
This book could almost have been a standalone, but then at the very end something is thrown in that pretty much negates the entire first book, and I questioned it a bit. But that doesn’t mean I won’t be eager to find out what happens!
This book is a blend of fantasy, mythology and reality that makes you want even more! I give it 4/5 Stars.
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via the publisher in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
This book is set in the modern-day world, but one steeped in ancient mythology and fantastical magical creatures. It’s an exciting combination!
What Fed My Addiction:
The worldbuilding.
The basis of this world is that there are some people who have animal spirits and magic (at least, that’s the best way I can describe it). There are five of them: foxes, rabbits, deer, owls and seals. Each type of animal has its own qualities and magic, and the people who embody each animal seem to be racially distinct. I recognize the fox (with nine tails) from some Asian folklore, but I honestly don’t know if all of the animals have these origins or not. (I felt like many of the other spirits, demons, etc may have had a background in Asian lore as well, but I confess to being mostly ignorant of the details—though the comparison in the blurb to Princess Mononoke makes me suspect even more that there’s a connection) Regardless, I thought that Beiko did a fabulous job creating a fantasy world that overlaps with our own and making it come alive!
Diversity!
Not only were many of the characters racially diverse, but one of the main characters has no legs, and he’s in a wheelchair.
Paranormal monsters with bite.
The book starts out with an incredibly intriguing scene (and a dead body), so I was invested right from the start. When the paranormal action starts… it’s pretty crazy. Seriously, yikes! Again, I thought that Beiko did a fantastic job of creating monsters (or, maybe, ancient spirits) that felt real and seriously deadly. I would not have wanted to be in Roan’s shoes.
Twists and turns.
There were a few of them that I didn’t see coming!
No romance.
(But possible hints of one to come?) Roan is too busy saving the world to indulge in a love life (though there is a tiny romantic subplot between other characters). There are a few little hints that there might be a romance in future books, but nothing is jumped into, and that was just fine with me.
What Left Me Hungry for More:
Pacing.
I felt like this book started out really strong, and then there was a bit of a lull in the middle, and then the pace and the action picked way up in the end.
Set up for future books.
This book could almost have been a standalone, but then at the very end something is thrown in that pretty much negates the entire first book, and I questioned it a bit. But that doesn’t mean I won’t be eager to find out what happens!
This book is a blend of fantasy, mythology and reality that makes you want even more! I give it 4/5 Stars.
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via the publisher in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
cat_queen005's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
womanon's review against another edition
1.0
I so wanted to enjoy this book, but sadly, it really wasn't for me. Halfway through I wanted to DNF it, but I ended up skimming the rest. This story just didn't grip my attention.
venicecheng's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
The main character in the story, Roan, was likable to me from the start, and then I found myself pulled into the mystery in this book right off the bat.
rora114's review against another edition
3.0
It's good, and it's wonderful to read something set in my city, but it could have been a bit stronger. No one thing to point at. Will likely borrow the second book, to see how both the story and her writing progresses.
bennythecow's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Personally, I barely read because I get bored with books often, but after The first few chapters of this book, I think the plot is enjoyable after the main plot is introduced.
lightfoxing's review against another edition
5.0
Okay. I normally write pretty fair, balanced reviews, I think.
This isn't going to be one of them. If you don't want to listen to me gush for like, seven paragraphs, you're probably better off finding a different review.
SCION OF THE FOX IS AMAZING. Scion of the Fox is PEAK Canadian YA Fantasy. S.M. Bieko is a goddess among women and we should all consider ourselves lucky she's picked up a pen. Okay? Okay. FIRST of all, let's talk about the setting. How many times have I picked up a book by a Canadian author, been excited, and then realized the setting is in Europe or the US even though it has no bearing on the plot? Why not set it in Canada, then? Bieko goes so far in the other direction, it's amazing. Scion of the Fox is set in Winnipeg, and its setting is CRUCIAL to the plot. She works the city's unhappy relationship with devastating floods into the book, and gives it a supernatural element, no less. Bless you, Bieko, for making Canada cool, important, integral, for letting it shine and for loving it enough to make it the very lifeblood of your plot. There is no ignoring that Winnipeg is the setting, because she makes sure that she works in key details, important description, and historical pieces that make it clear that she wouldn't have, maybe couldn't have, set it anywhere else.
Moving on to characters. Our main character is Roan. She's fantastic. She's plucky, sarcastic, fallible, devoted to her friends, a careful and realistic balance of weak and strong. She isn't described as ridiculously gorgeous, or even gorgeous but insecure - Bieko describes her body as soft, awkward, maybe a bit heavy (like her mother!), her face is unremarkable by her own standards but also by those of other characters, she's what we've all been looking for in YA. She's a real teenager, with flaws, with average looks, with quirks. She's everything I've ever hoped for in a female protagonist. I loved her moments of weakness, her moments of wanting to give up, of regret. When we talk about strong female characters, Roan should be our strongest example. She's well-written, she's balanced. She'd not charging into battle and decimating everybody and being touted as strong because of her physical abilities. She's interesting, capable, nuanced, occasionally abrasive.
The supporting cast is just as fantastic. Bieko does not fuck around with diversity. There are four teenagers working together in this book. We first meet Roan's best friend, Phae, a pretty East-Indian girl whose cultural background isn't just hinted at. She's straightforward and clever and full of compassion and empathy. There's also Barton, a black boy who uses a wheelchair, who is athletic, intelligent, insecure but determined. And Natti, an Inuit girl who does not fuck around. She's no-nonsense, a hard worker, tender, and patient. Bieko takes care to ensure they all are full, complete characters, with strengths and weaknesses, with quirks, personalities, hopes and dreams that extend beyond the main thrust of the plot. A+ over here. The addition of Sil, Deedee, Arnas, and Barton's parents provide for a likeable framework of adults and guides. Even the villains are SUPER COOL, and there is nuance even here when we consider what makes a villain - the Owls are the most interesting of her "clans" by far.
Having mentioned the plot, let's talk about that. It's fresh, unique, interesting. It ties in some classic fantasy tropes with folklore and myth, working hand in hand to create an impossibly readable world, one in which you wish you could take part. It's exposed in a careful manner, avoiding too many "info dumps" so the reader stays engaged and so the plot moves along. I did feel like it dragged juuuust a bit at times, but I think that actually had more to do with the very long chapters than it did anything else. I personally felt like it would have been better served by breaking the chapters up and tightening up the transitions, because the pacing would have evened out a little bit. HOWEVER, I loved how imaginative and creative Scion of the Fox was. I loved the resistance to falling into traditional fantasy tropes, the self-awareness when it does, and the determination to include modern cultural markers rather than acting as though the book exists in a culture void, which I find frustrating although I understand the impulse.
In short, read it. Read it yesterday. I can't wait for the sequel.
This isn't going to be one of them. If you don't want to listen to me gush for like, seven paragraphs, you're probably better off finding a different review.
SCION OF THE FOX IS AMAZING. Scion of the Fox is PEAK Canadian YA Fantasy. S.M. Bieko is a goddess among women and we should all consider ourselves lucky she's picked up a pen. Okay? Okay. FIRST of all, let's talk about the setting. How many times have I picked up a book by a Canadian author, been excited, and then realized the setting is in Europe or the US even though it has no bearing on the plot? Why not set it in Canada, then? Bieko goes so far in the other direction, it's amazing. Scion of the Fox is set in Winnipeg, and its setting is CRUCIAL to the plot. She works the city's unhappy relationship with devastating floods into the book, and gives it a supernatural element, no less. Bless you, Bieko, for making Canada cool, important, integral, for letting it shine and for loving it enough to make it the very lifeblood of your plot. There is no ignoring that Winnipeg is the setting, because she makes sure that she works in key details, important description, and historical pieces that make it clear that she wouldn't have, maybe couldn't have, set it anywhere else.
Moving on to characters. Our main character is Roan. She's fantastic. She's plucky, sarcastic, fallible, devoted to her friends, a careful and realistic balance of weak and strong. She isn't described as ridiculously gorgeous, or even gorgeous but insecure - Bieko describes her body as soft, awkward, maybe a bit heavy (like her mother!), her face is unremarkable by her own standards but also by those of other characters, she's what we've all been looking for in YA. She's a real teenager, with flaws, with average looks, with quirks. She's everything I've ever hoped for in a female protagonist. I loved her moments of weakness, her moments of wanting to give up, of regret. When we talk about strong female characters, Roan should be our strongest example. She's well-written, she's balanced. She'd not charging into battle and decimating everybody and being touted as strong because of her physical abilities. She's interesting, capable, nuanced, occasionally abrasive.
The supporting cast is just as fantastic. Bieko does not fuck around with diversity. There are four teenagers working together in this book. We first meet Roan's best friend, Phae, a pretty East-Indian girl whose cultural background isn't just hinted at. She's straightforward and clever and full of compassion and empathy. There's also Barton, a black boy who uses a wheelchair, who is athletic, intelligent, insecure but determined. And Natti, an Inuit girl who does not fuck around. She's no-nonsense, a hard worker, tender, and patient. Bieko takes care to ensure they all are full, complete characters, with strengths and weaknesses, with quirks, personalities, hopes and dreams that extend beyond the main thrust of the plot. A+ over here. The addition of Sil, Deedee, Arnas, and Barton's parents provide for a likeable framework of adults and guides. Even the villains are SUPER COOL, and there is nuance even here when we consider what makes a villain - the Owls are the most interesting of her "clans" by far.
Having mentioned the plot, let's talk about that. It's fresh, unique, interesting. It ties in some classic fantasy tropes with folklore and myth, working hand in hand to create an impossibly readable world, one in which you wish you could take part. It's exposed in a careful manner, avoiding too many "info dumps" so the reader stays engaged and so the plot moves along. I did feel like it dragged juuuust a bit at times, but I think that actually had more to do with the very long chapters than it did anything else. I personally felt like it would have been better served by breaking the chapters up and tightening up the transitions, because the pacing would have evened out a little bit. HOWEVER, I loved how imaginative and creative Scion of the Fox was. I loved the resistance to falling into traditional fantasy tropes, the self-awareness when it does, and the determination to include modern cultural markers rather than acting as though the book exists in a culture void, which I find frustrating although I understand the impulse.
In short, read it. Read it yesterday. I can't wait for the sequel.
writingwwolves's review
5.0
I am full of so much emotion right now that I am numb - one specific part of that ending has broken my heart & I'm sure people will know what I mean when they get to read this book.
Samantha Beiko has managed to create an intense adventure that is full of emotion, strength, passion, tension & power. I found myself attached to all of the characters, & I even started to adore one of the baddies. The battle scenes were so well written that I was shaking with excitement & fear of what was to come. The ending was really well done & I'm craving the next book! I can't wait to write about this in more detail on my blog, but I definitely need time to process this adventure before I can do that.
Extended Review: https://wp.me/p8MbIo-7H
Samantha Beiko has managed to create an intense adventure that is full of emotion, strength, passion, tension & power. I found myself attached to all of the characters, & I even started to adore one of the baddies. The battle scenes were so well written that I was shaking with excitement & fear of what was to come. The ending was really well done & I'm craving the next book! I can't wait to write about this in more detail on my blog, but I definitely need time to process this adventure before I can do that.
Extended Review: https://wp.me/p8MbIo-7H
tennilles's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
flaviathebibliophile's review against another edition
4.0
My experience with Scion of the Fox was quite unusual! And I don't mean that in a negative way. I'm glad to see that there are more Canadian YA books popping up everywhere, but this was the first Canadian YA fantasy book for me, and I wanted to love it (which caused me to put pressure on myself and affected how I consumed this story).
The book is set in Winnipeg and I love how often it Beiko used landmarks from there because it made it feel so much more Canadian!
I started reading Scion of the Fox last April after having wanted to start it all of that winter. By that point, the snow was melting, and I tend to get weird about the actual season and the seasons within certain books. For example, winter was on it's way out around that time last April, and Scion of the Fox is set during that transition between winter and spring.
So, it was fine for me to read it at that point. But once it got too warm outside, the book ended up sitting on my night stand for weeks and weeks. Oh the guilt! I can still feel remnants of it now.
I want you all to know that this has nothing to do with the book lacking in quality or creativity or anything like that though. I'd like to point out again that this was just my brain being weird about the season thing. Long story short, I picked this book up again once the snow started falling in late 2018, and then finally finished it in January of 2019.
So, now, let's talk about the book itself.
I really enjoyed the story, and was so so happy that it was set in Canada because as a Canadian YA reader, I find that we don't get enough of those (especially urban fantasy ones). The main character, Roan, was likeable for me from the start, and I found myself pulled into the mystery/mysteries in this book right off the bat.
I won't say any more, since I might accidentally spoil things. But I will say that I'm excited to pick up the next book (Children of the Bloodlands) in preparation for the third book coming out this autumn!
(I also wanted to mention that I had the honour of meeting S.M. Beiko at an event last February and she's super cool!)
The book is set in Winnipeg and I love how often it Beiko used landmarks from there because it made it feel so much more Canadian!
I started reading Scion of the Fox last April after having wanted to start it all of that winter. By that point, the snow was melting, and I tend to get weird about the actual season and the seasons within certain books. For example, winter was on it's way out around that time last April, and Scion of the Fox is set during that transition between winter and spring.
So, it was fine for me to read it at that point. But once it got too warm outside, the book ended up sitting on my night stand for weeks and weeks. Oh the guilt! I can still feel remnants of it now.
I want you all to know that this has nothing to do with the book lacking in quality or creativity or anything like that though. I'd like to point out again that this was just my brain being weird about the season thing. Long story short, I picked this book up again once the snow started falling in late 2018, and then finally finished it in January of 2019.
So, now, let's talk about the book itself.
I really enjoyed the story, and was so so happy that it was set in Canada because as a Canadian YA reader, I find that we don't get enough of those (especially urban fantasy ones). The main character, Roan, was likeable for me from the start, and I found myself pulled into the mystery/mysteries in this book right off the bat.
I won't say any more, since I might accidentally spoil things. But I will say that I'm excited to pick up the next book (Children of the Bloodlands) in preparation for the third book coming out this autumn!
(I also wanted to mention that I had the honour of meeting S.M. Beiko at an event last February and she's super cool!)