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thebookishteacorner's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
itslorei's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Ratings: 3.5⭐️
♡
One of my most anticipated releases of 2024 ✨️ I would say, is a general statement that I did enjoy this one, most especially the detective plot and mythology this novel inclined to.
The writing is quite good. It was engaging and immersive enough for me. Although I did feel that the writing was more of a romancy-writing, mixed with the mystery and the fantastical vibe it imbued to.
The world building or the lore, although fascinating in my opinion and reminds me so much of a mix of Tale of the Nine Tailed, Doom at Your Service in some way— I feel that it was quite lacking for me. I definitely wanted to be more engrossed towards the world, but sadly, I think it wasn't vividly as I wish it to be.
The mystery, the detective, the Fallen God plot was so good to me, I was obviously eating it up, reminding me so much of Loki, that's why I was quite excited and wishful it had more of Seokga and Hwanin content. I think I would have enjoyed it more if it was more of that content.
Furthermore, it was more plotty, which I did like, another thing I thought, is that I would have enjoyed it more if there’s no romance? Not that I didn't like the romance, I did like it in some length– I just think I would have enjoyed it more if there was no romance at all. I think I would have preferred them to be like a duo? Partners in chaos and all things and like that.
The characters, on the other hand, were okay. I just think the way they were written was more of 'romancy' formula. They didn't feel like a character that is over a thousand years old. Other than that, I also find Hani a bit annoying at times. She seems to be spiteful without much depth to it. Seokga, on the other hand, didn't present as cunning, in my opinion. Despite that, that didn't mean I didn't like them— I like them overall. It's just that I just find them lacking.
Overall, I think this was a good read. I definitely did enjoy it, most especially the concept and the lore, the writing in general, as well. I think this will have a sequel? Or perhaps a prequel. If there is, I definitely will read them, especially the prequel if this book will have one.
Thanks for the free book, PRH International and Del Rey, publishing for the e-arc 🩷
♡
One of my most anticipated releases of 2024 ✨️ I would say, is a general statement that I did enjoy this one, most especially the detective plot and mythology this novel inclined to.
The writing is quite good. It was engaging and immersive enough for me. Although I did feel that the writing was more of a romancy-writing, mixed with the mystery and the fantastical vibe it imbued to.
The world building or the lore, although fascinating in my opinion and reminds me so much of a mix of Tale of the Nine Tailed, Doom at Your Service in some way— I feel that it was quite lacking for me. I definitely wanted to be more engrossed towards the world, but sadly, I think it wasn't vividly as I wish it to be.
The mystery, the detective, the Fallen God plot was so good to me, I was obviously eating it up, reminding me so much of Loki, that's why I was quite excited and wishful it had more of Seokga and Hwanin content. I think I would have enjoyed it more if it was more of that content.
Furthermore, it was more plotty, which I did like, another thing I thought, is that I would have enjoyed it more if there’s no romance? Not that I didn't like the romance, I did like it in some length– I just think I would have enjoyed it more if there was no romance at all. I think I would have preferred them to be like a duo? Partners in chaos and all things and like that.
The characters, on the other hand, were okay. I just think the way they were written was more of 'romancy' formula. They didn't feel like a character that is over a thousand years old. Other than that, I also find Hani a bit annoying at times. She seems to be spiteful without much depth to it. Seokga, on the other hand, didn't present as cunning, in my opinion. Despite that, that didn't mean I didn't like them— I like them overall. It's just that I just find them lacking.
Overall, I think this was a good read. I definitely did enjoy it, most especially the concept and the lore, the writing in general, as well. I think this will have a sequel? Or perhaps a prequel. If there is, I definitely will read them, especially the prequel if this book will have one.
Thanks for the free book, PRH International and Del Rey, publishing for the e-arc 🩷
kevinscorner's review against another edition
4.5
The God and the Gumiho is Korean folklore-inspired contemporary fantasy romance set in the fictional 1992 South Korean city of New Sinsi. Seokga is the fallen trickster god of deception, being punished for a failed coup more than 600 years prior. Now, he is given the chance to return to godhood if he is able to kill both the demon of darkness plaguing the city and the notorious gumiho the Scarlet Fox who has recently resurfaced. Gumiho Kim Hani was once the Scarlet Fox and is now a bored barista entertaining herself by constantly getting a certain aggravating fallen god’s coffee order wrong. But after a recent slip up threatens to reveal her past, she decides to infiltrate Seokga’s team as his assistant to derail his investigation. Their tense interactions over coffee turn to more as they are forced to actually work together before their world goes dark.
This book was just a thoroughly fun and enjoyable read. It is fast-paced, charmingly disarming, and somehow a slow-burn romance that’s only set over a few days. The mystery helped build up tension and give the plot a sense of urgency. Despite the serious happenings surrounding them (the murders) and their implications, the book is just so unserious about them (at least initially) and leans heavily into the developing relationship between Seokga and Hani.
From a contentious start with months of history of personality clashes over the cafe counter, they are both changed by their association with each other and the romance that blossoms between them. It’s trope-filled with enemies-to-lovers, grumpy/sunshine, only one bed, and forced proximity all filled into one, and I enjoyed every bit of it.
Are they both immature for beings that are supposed to be hundreds of years old? Yes. Is this a YA book in disguise as adult? Also, yes. Is this what I imagine a K-drama would read like? Yes, even though I don’t watch K-dramas at all. And that ending is every bit as dramatic and sensational as I wanted it to be, wringing out near-devastated tears out of me with just a ray of hope.
The God and the Gumiho is a fun and charming Korean-inspired romantasy that exceeds expectations.
*Thank you to Hodder and Stoughton for the eARC via Netgalley.
fatime_sino's review against another edition
4.5
Thank you NetGalley and Del Rey for an e-arc of this book.
4.5/5 stars
This was so good and I’m so sad but happy. Next to the definition of bittersweet in the dictionary is a picture of this book.
Seokga and Hani’s character developments were written so well, as we saw the (let’s be honest) jerks they started out as to the selfless softies (only for each other though!) they became. I appreciate the growth so much.
The half star I deducted from this book is simply because it was a little bit insta-love-y and I am nothing if not consistent: I don’t really like that trope. But that being said, I did love Seokga and Hani’s relationship, they were so mean and FUNNY to start and ended sweet and still funny.
That was another pleasant surprise from this book, it genuinely made me laugh with some of the dialogue and scenarios (top among them: when Seokga cuddled Hani and then woke up and just stared at his hands like they betrayed him for a dramatic amount of time).
But the end had me SOBBING that was so rude but somehow also hopeful?
Anyway, I really loved this and would recommend it to anyone who loves a good buddy cop tv show or movie where they fall in love at the end.
4.5/5 stars
This was so good and I’m so sad but happy. Next to the definition of bittersweet in the dictionary is a picture of this book.
Seokga and Hani’s character developments were written so well, as we saw the (let’s be honest) jerks they started out as to the selfless softies (only for each other though!) they became. I appreciate the growth so much.
The half star I deducted from this book is simply because it was a little bit insta-love-y and I am nothing if not consistent: I don’t really like that trope. But that being said, I did love Seokga and Hani’s relationship, they were so mean and FUNNY to start and ended sweet and still funny.
That was another pleasant surprise from this book, it genuinely made me laugh with some of the dialogue and scenarios (top among them: when Seokga cuddled Hani and then woke up and just stared at his hands like they betrayed him for a dramatic amount of time).
But the end had me SOBBING that was so rude but somehow also hopeful?
Anyway, I really loved this and would recommend it to anyone who loves a good buddy cop tv show or movie where they fall in love at the end.
sarahberry_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I am a simple creature. A girl in love with her K-dramas, no matter how many times I physically recoil from cringey scenes. I eat them up every time. So it doesn't surprise me how much I loved this book, despite the juvenile MCs and somewhat overplayed tropes.
Kim Hani has retired from the life of eating men's souls as the Scarlet Fox to work in a coffee shop. Her shenanigans now consist of annoying the fallen trickster god Seokga by ruining his coffee orders. Seokga <i>hates</i> the mortal world and is trying to get back to Okhwang. He has several centuries left of this miserable existence until he is offered a deal: kill the Scarlet Fox and a demon terrorizing mortals in exchange for reinstated godhood. Hani, determined not to get caught, becomes his assistant and starts messing with the investigation. But she hesitantly starts working with Seokga when the demon destroys life as she knows it.
The MCs are really what made this story work for me. The immortals have the emotional maturity of a teen and the critical thinking skills of a toddler when it comes to each other. It's PEAK sunshine and grumpy energy. Honestly, this book's greatest strength is just how ridiculous it is. Their dynamic was so bad it was <i>good</i>. I adore mischievous women and Hani is the embodiment of that. It played well with Seokga's aversion to anything resembling cheer. They will not be everyone's favorite couple, and it was exhausting at times, but I loved it.
The mystery was fun because of how many moving pieces there were. Hani and Seokga chased down several leads which meant they covered a lot of ground. I loved the setting (90s Korea) mixed with interesting Korean folklore and fantasy creatures. The author did a great job balancing the real world and fantasy.
I will say, this book will have a very certain audience. The writing style and character depth make it feel very YA, but the violence and brief sexual scenes put this book in NA/Adult. I recommend this for K-drama lovers and readers who love slightly exaggerated sunshine and grumpy dynamics. Otherwise, steer clear or you will be asking yourself what you just read.
Sophie Kim, please give me more of Hani and Okhwang I love them.
CW; violence, swearing, gore, brief sexual scenes.
Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine/Del Rey for the advance copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Kim Hani has retired from the life of eating men's souls as the Scarlet Fox to work in a coffee shop. Her shenanigans now consist of annoying the fallen trickster god Seokga by ruining his coffee orders. Seokga <i>hates</i> the mortal world and is trying to get back to Okhwang. He has several centuries left of this miserable existence until he is offered a deal: kill the Scarlet Fox and a demon terrorizing mortals in exchange for reinstated godhood. Hani, determined not to get caught, becomes his assistant and starts messing with the investigation. But she hesitantly starts working with Seokga when the demon destroys life as she knows it.
The MCs are really what made this story work for me. The immortals have the emotional maturity of a teen and the critical thinking skills of a toddler when it comes to each other. It's PEAK sunshine and grumpy energy. Honestly, this book's greatest strength is just how ridiculous it is. Their dynamic was so bad it was <i>good</i>. I adore mischievous women and Hani is the embodiment of that. It played well with Seokga's aversion to anything resembling cheer. They will not be everyone's favorite couple, and it was exhausting at times, but I loved it.
The mystery was fun because of how many moving pieces there were. Hani and Seokga chased down several leads which meant they covered a lot of ground. I loved the setting (90s Korea) mixed with interesting Korean folklore and fantasy creatures. The author did a great job balancing the real world and fantasy.
I will say, this book will have a very certain audience. The writing style and character depth make it feel very YA, but the violence and brief sexual scenes put this book in NA/Adult. I recommend this for K-drama lovers and readers who love slightly exaggerated sunshine and grumpy dynamics. Otherwise, steer clear or you will be asking yourself what you just read.
Sophie Kim, please give me more of Hani and Okhwang I love them.
CW; violence, swearing, gore, brief sexual scenes.
Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine/Del Rey for the advance copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
kittenmittons's review against another edition
4.25
What an absolute delight of a novel. You can tell that the book is out there to have fun with itself, and that definitely translated to my reading experience.
Seokga is a fallen god, working as a detective and bitterly counting down the Unrulies banished (9,000 and change left to go!) until he can serve his penance and be allowed back in his own realm. The one thing he enjoys about his current realm, coffee, is routinely ruined by Creature Café worker Kim Hani, who takes pleasure in rewarding his unpleasantness with too much cream and sugar in his drinks. Oh yeah, and she always takes pleasure in eating men's livers, or she did, as the notorious Scarlet Fox, before she overate a century ago. Paired up now to hunt down both a demon and the Scarlet Fox herself, well. You can guess what happens.
And what happens is an utterly charming reading experience! The writing is sharp and lovely, and the plot is solid and well-paced. Despite how much fun this whole story was, it still felt like the plot had stakes, which is fair, given that it was about a demon killing people in horrific ways. I got invested in Hani and Seokga's investigation, and the ups and downs of it, and even when it was predictable, it had an enjoyable way of getting there. The predictable beats of the investigation were also aid by the mythological elements - I loved all the mythology and mythological creatures. That was definitely a highlight!
The characters were another highlight. Both Hani and Seokga were jerks (some more than others, Seokga), but in a fun way, Hani especially. I mean, I support women's wrongs, and I would read a book of Hani's London rampage where she kills hundreds of men. They both had personalities outside one another and had growth that felt natural.
The one thing that I could have used a bit less of was the romance. I knew that was coming, I knew what I was getting into, and I did like the pairing, but I just felt that it . . . wasn't really needed. There were parts of the book, about midway through, where the narration switched to a lot of heady looks, a lot of sidelong glances of longing, and while the many, many romance tropes fit the story in a fanfiction kind of way, I didn't really need that much of it all, personally.
Overall, pretty wonderful and with a LOT to like. If you're in the mood for something quick, well-written, and super fun, this is one of the best choices you could make. And if you're not in the mood for that, well, maybe give it a try anyway.
Thank you to the publisher, Hodderscape, and to NetGalley for the ARC.
Seokga is a fallen god, working as a detective and bitterly counting down the Unrulies banished (9,000 and change left to go!) until he can serve his penance and be allowed back in his own realm. The one thing he enjoys about his current realm, coffee, is routinely ruined by Creature Café worker Kim Hani, who takes pleasure in rewarding his unpleasantness with too much cream and sugar in his drinks. Oh yeah, and she always takes pleasure in eating men's livers, or she did, as the notorious Scarlet Fox, before she overate a century ago. Paired up now to hunt down both a demon and the Scarlet Fox herself, well. You can guess what happens.
And what happens is an utterly charming reading experience! The writing is sharp and lovely, and the plot is solid and well-paced. Despite how much fun this whole story was, it still felt like the plot had stakes, which is fair, given that it was about a demon killing people in horrific ways. I got invested in Hani and Seokga's investigation, and the ups and downs of it, and even when it was predictable, it had an enjoyable way of getting there. The predictable beats of the investigation were also aid by the mythological elements - I loved all the mythology and mythological creatures. That was definitely a highlight!
The characters were another highlight. Both Hani and Seokga were jerks (some more than others, Seokga), but in a fun way, Hani especially. I mean, I support women's wrongs, and I would read a book of Hani's London rampage where she kills hundreds of men. They both had personalities outside one another and had growth that felt natural.
The one thing that I could have used a bit less of was the romance. I knew that was coming, I knew what I was getting into, and I did like the pairing, but I just felt that it . . . wasn't really needed. There were parts of the book, about midway through, where the narration switched to a lot of heady looks, a lot of sidelong glances of longing, and while the many, many romance tropes fit the story in a fanfiction kind of way, I didn't really need that much of it all, personally.
Overall, pretty wonderful and with a LOT to like. If you're in the mood for something quick, well-written, and super fun, this is one of the best choices you could make. And if you're not in the mood for that, well, maybe give it a try anyway.
Thank you to the publisher, Hodderscape, and to NetGalley for the ARC.
_kindlegirlie's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
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? Yes
4.5
Wow, Simply Amazing!!!
(I did received the digital Arc copy of The God and the Gumiho.)
I Loved Hani's & Seokga's banter throughout the story, to me it felt very natural & it reminded me how my own personal relationship felt very natural & belonging so for them to fall deeply for each other at such short time did not seemed strange to me.
- Also, can we talk about their character development at the end?! I just wanted to hug them.
I will also say because I love my Kdramas I was able to appreciate and enjoy the fast connection between Hani & Seokga. I was also able to portrait it as a kdrama in my head while I read & that was very fun!
Now the last 15% was crazy! I felt all the emotions and the scene will live in my head rent free.
Also, I did not see that plot twist coming!!!! I was left with my jaw on the floor!
Because of how the story ending I'm hoping & praying we get a second book because I would love to see them fall in love again.
Also can it be adapted to a kdrama!!!!???? I would love to see the characters come to life.
Here's a summarized Synopsis:
Kim Hani, once the infamous Scarlet Fox known for devouring souls, has retired to a quieter life working in a coffee shop. She enjoys annoying Seokga the Fallen, a trickster god exiled to the mortal realm, as he works toward redemption.
When a powerful demon escapes from the underworld, the emperor of Okhwang offers Seokga a deal: kill the demon and the Scarlet Fox to regain his godhood. Unbeknown to Seokga, Hani plans to team up with him to sabotage his investigation while secretly helping to defeat the demon. As they track the demon together, their growing attraction and hidden secrets threaten to either save or destroy the world.
Highly recommend you pick up a copy on June 4th , 2024! I know I will (:
(I did received the digital Arc copy of The God and the Gumiho.)
I Loved Hani's & Seokga's banter throughout the story, to me it felt very natural & it reminded me how my own personal relationship felt very natural & belonging so for them to fall deeply for each other at such short time did not seemed strange to me.
- Also, can we talk about their character development at the end?! I just wanted to hug them.
I will also say because I love my Kdramas I was able to appreciate and enjoy the fast connection between Hani & Seokga. I was also able to portrait it as a kdrama in my head while I read & that was very fun!
Now the last 15% was crazy! I felt all the emotions and the scene will live in my head rent free.
Also, I did not see that plot twist coming!!!! I was left with my jaw on the floor!
Because of how the story ending I'm hoping & praying we get a second book because I would love to see them fall in love again.
Also can it be adapted to a kdrama!!!!???? I would love to see the characters come to life.
Here's a summarized Synopsis:
Kim Hani, once the infamous Scarlet Fox known for devouring souls, has retired to a quieter life working in a coffee shop. She enjoys annoying Seokga the Fallen, a trickster god exiled to the mortal realm, as he works toward redemption.
When a powerful demon escapes from the underworld, the emperor of Okhwang offers Seokga a deal: kill the demon and the Scarlet Fox to regain his godhood. Unbeknown to Seokga, Hani plans to team up with him to sabotage his investigation while secretly helping to defeat the demon. As they track the demon together, their growing attraction and hidden secrets threaten to either save or destroy the world.
Highly recommend you pick up a copy on June 4th , 2024! I know I will (:
admirablytae's review against another edition
mysterious
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? Yes
4.25
Starting off, I think the premise was interesting + the added Korean mythology made it a fresher read than what I've been reading lately. After being in a reading slump for almost two months before this book, it really was a breath of fresh air. I do think that the mythology could've been used more, because it was easy to forget that the main characters weren't humans. Delving deeper into that would've been a bit more intriguing and would be a wonderful plot device. The mythology picks up more in the last half of the book, but I think it should be consistently used throughout.
I struggled a bit in the middle with the romance, especially because it is meant to be a grumpy x sunshine; someone who's been a grump for centuries mind you. I think there needed to be more effort put into the reason behind Hani being the one Seokga ultimately falls for. It currently feels like "they were meant to be." I'm not sure if that is the intention, but I feel like even books with the soulmate trope are able to outline specific reasons why they work together so well. The events that take place to bring Hani & Seokga closer really aren't enough to suspend disbelief of the attitude he seems to have had for centuries. This is especially true when they fell for each other over the course of a few days. My mind tried to justify the relationship by thinking it had been several weeks, but then it is pointed out that it hadn't even a week yet, which felt so bizarre.
I will say that I was obsessed with his obsession for her, I do love a man who is completely smitten. I think that is what ultimately kept me glued to this book. I ended up loving the characters and was dreading what would happen to their relationship during the reveal. The twist at the end was enjoyable and I was glad to see some opportunity during the epilogue. Overall, I had fun, I will probably reread the final version when it is pubIished.
I struggled a bit in the middle with the romance, especially because it is meant to be a grumpy x sunshine; someone who's been a grump for centuries mind you. I think there needed to be more effort put into the reason behind Hani being the one Seokga ultimately falls for. It currently feels like "they were meant to be." I'm not sure if that is the intention, but I feel like even books with the soulmate trope are able to outline specific reasons why they work together so well. The events that take place to bring Hani & Seokga closer really aren't enough to suspend disbelief of the attitude he seems to have had for centuries. This is especially true when they fell for each other over the course of a few days. My mind tried to justify the relationship by thinking it had been several weeks, but then it is pointed out that it hadn't even a week yet, which felt so bizarre.
I will say that I was obsessed with his obsession for her, I do love a man who is completely smitten. I think that is what ultimately kept me glued to this book. I ended up loving the characters and was dreading what would happen to their relationship during the reveal. The twist at the end was enjoyable and I was glad to see some opportunity during the epilogue. Overall, I had fun, I will probably reread the final version when it is pubIished.
euripus's review against another edition
4.0
I would like to thank the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This was so good!! Sophie Kim really managed to write an alluring story and make you care about the two main characters, as well as the side characters involved, without having too complicated of a cast.
I loved that this story was followed through both the god and the gumiho, so to say, especially since Seokga and Hani obviously had different pieces of information available to them. And then a random chapter from Hwanin's POV? So good!!
The writing style was also easy to get through and made it a quick read. The pacing seems to be just right, and the final 150 or so pages especially pushed me to continue. I read those all in a day.
The book, however, had some very slight spicy scenes (or ones that at least hinted at spice), and I didn't really feel like that was necessary or added much to the book. I also managed to fall asleep mid-chapter on numerous occasions, which might have been due to reading while tired, but I also wouldn't remember that I stopped mid-chapter and just not continue for a couple of days.
Lastly, I felt like this book would have been phenomenal as a standalone. Although the ending for sure hints at a sequel, it would have been even better for me if this was just an open ending to a book and I didn't have to expect a sequel.
The God and the Gumiho overall is a really fun read though, and I would recommend!
This was so good!! Sophie Kim really managed to write an alluring story and make you care about the two main characters, as well as the side characters involved, without having too complicated of a cast.
I loved that this story was followed through both the god and the gumiho, so to say, especially since Seokga and Hani obviously had different pieces of information available to them. And then a random chapter from Hwanin's POV? So good!!
The writing style was also easy to get through and made it a quick read. The pacing seems to be just right, and the final 150 or so pages especially pushed me to continue. I read those all in a day.
The book, however, had some very slight spicy scenes (or ones that at least hinted at spice), and I didn't really feel like that was necessary or added much to the book. I also managed to fall asleep mid-chapter on numerous occasions, which might have been due to reading while tired, but I also wouldn't remember that I stopped mid-chapter and just not continue for a couple of days.
Lastly, I felt like this book would have been phenomenal as a standalone. Although the ending for sure hints at a sequel, it would have been even better for me if this was just an open ending to a book and I didn't have to expect a sequel.
The God and the Gumiho overall is a really fun read though, and I would recommend!
readingdelicacies's review
3.0
TLDR: first 60% were quite enjoyable, until the romance really kicked in and i died by teenagers without any social skills (but they're immortals so it's infuriating). The plot was meh, but i didn't gouge my eyes out. Decently entertaining if you have the right expectations.
More (ranty) thoughts (even more on the blog):
a) the mythology
My background: i didn't know anything about Korean mythology, or really Korea in general.
It was done nicely in that i was never confused. All the words are explained and used with enough description i always knew who was what kind of creature. The world was decidely not western, but i can't judge how well it's inspired from Korea because i'm an ingorant brat lol!
However, it ended up being quite boring. Yeah, we got new creatures, but they're basically normal humans + a tiny bit of power. For example, Hani, the main woman, is a Gumiho: a nine-tailed fox. She spends 2 seconds in her animal form, and uses her powers once or twice and that's it.
I also didn't get captured by the vibes, or the magic, or anything really. Things ended up quite bland.
b) the romance
Suprisingly (seeing which book box it was picked by), the romance was ok for the first 60%. It's a very low stakes, rom-com type of thing, but i liked it. They start as "ennemies", forced to be colleagues and they don't like each other. Ensues some insults, and nice banter. I liked how this first part was constructed.
The last 40% were a nightmare. They go from "maybe we could actually be friends" to "let's fuck!!" to "does she even like me uwu" in 4 pages. And then we repeat kiss, "does he like me", ... ad vitam eternam
The entire conflict their relationship revolves around isn't even important in the end, and i feel like Sophie Kim threw out a love story with so much potential.
Good point for me who doesn't like sex scenes that much: there aren't many, and they are rather short.
c) why make them immortals if they behave exactly like teenagers? They don't have better reasoning skills, and don't get me started on the people skills! As i've just said, they spend 40% of the book looking at each other, kissing, and then wondering if the other likes them or not. Made me remember middle school, and not in a good way.
d) the plot (yes, there is one!)
Pros: there is a plot, and it's halfway to decent. There's murders and you have to catch the bad demon.
Cons: the author thinks you're dumb and won't understand that she's serving you clues in just the right order to string you along. When Agatha Christie does it, it's marvelous and you can't understand why you didn't get it on your own, when Sophie Kim tries, it's transparent and annoying.
More (ranty) thoughts (even more on the blog):
a) the mythology
My background: i didn't know anything about Korean mythology, or really Korea in general.
It was done nicely in that i was never confused. All the words are explained and used with enough description i always knew who was what kind of creature. The world was decidely not western, but i can't judge how well it's inspired from Korea because i'm an ingorant brat lol!
However, it ended up being quite boring. Yeah, we got new creatures, but they're basically normal humans + a tiny bit of power. For example, Hani, the main woman, is a Gumiho: a nine-tailed fox. She spends 2 seconds in her animal form, and uses her powers once or twice and that's it.
I also didn't get captured by the vibes, or the magic, or anything really. Things ended up quite bland.
b) the romance
Suprisingly (seeing which book box it was picked by), the romance was ok for the first 60%. It's a very low stakes, rom-com type of thing, but i liked it. They start as "ennemies", forced to be colleagues and they don't like each other. Ensues some insults, and nice banter. I liked how this first part was constructed.
The last 40% were a nightmare. They go from "maybe we could actually be friends" to "let's fuck!!" to "does she even like me uwu" in 4 pages. And then we repeat kiss, "does he like me", ... ad vitam eternam
The entire conflict their relationship revolves around isn't even important in the end, and i feel like Sophie Kim threw out a love story with so much potential.
Good point for me who doesn't like sex scenes that much: there aren't many, and they are rather short.
c) why make them immortals if they behave exactly like teenagers? They don't have better reasoning skills, and don't get me started on the people skills! As i've just said, they spend 40% of the book looking at each other, kissing, and then wondering if the other likes them or not. Made me remember middle school, and not in a good way.
d) the plot (yes, there is one!)
Pros: there is a plot, and it's halfway to decent. There's murders and you have to catch the bad demon.
Cons: the author thinks you're dumb and won't understand that she's serving you clues in just the right order to string you along. When Agatha Christie does it, it's marvelous and you can't understand why you didn't get it on your own, when Sophie Kim tries, it's transparent and annoying.