Wicked Fox

By Kat Cho

Book Overview

In modern-day Seoul, a young gumiho loses her fox bead--her immortal soul--when she rescues a handsome boy from a goblin, forcing her into an impossible choice.

"Everything I adore about the best Korean drama, mixed with a dash of urban fantasy. . . . utterly transportive."--Ren e Ahdieh, New York Times bestselling author of The Wrath & the Dawn

"Full of heart and heat."--Tor

Eighteen-year-old Gu Miyoung has a secret. She's a gumiho--a nine-tailed fox who survives by consuming the energy of men. But she's also half-human and has a soft spot for people. So she won't kill indiscriminately. With the help of a shaman, Miyoung only takes the lives of men who have committed terrible crimes. Devouring their life force is a morbid kind of justice . . . or so she tells herself.

But killing men no one would ever miss in bustling modern-day Seoul also helps Miyoung keep a low profile. She and her mother protect themselves by hiding in plain sight. That is until Miyoung crosses paths with a handsome boy her age as he's being attacked by a goblin in the woods. She breaks her mother's cardinal rule--revealing herself and her nine tails--to save Jihoon from certain death. In the process, she loses her fox bead--her gumiho soul. Without it, she will die.

When Miyoung and Jihoon next meet, there's no doubt they are drawn to each other. But their tenuous romance could be over before it even begins, as Miyoung's efforts to restore her fox bead by the next full moon ensnares them in a generations-old feud, forcing Miyoung to choose between her immortal life and Jihoon's.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 198481236X
• ISBN13: 9781984812360
• Release Date: July 2020
• Publisher: Penguin Books
• Length: 464 Pages
• Weight: 0.94 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 5.4" x 8.2"
• Age Range: 12 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 7 and higher

Customer Reviews

Perfect!

I bought it new, it looks new, so I'm happy.

Great Story!

I loved this story so much! I love learning about other cultures and this book had so much for a YA. I think if it sounds interesting to you you should give it a try. My only complaints with this book are that it starts out pretty slow in my opinion (I think I started it at night though so I may have just been tired) and the relationships between the characters can get very frustrating. Loved it otherwise though but don't think I'll pick up the second any time soon because I don't like the one main character for the sequel. <3

Foxes are Cool!

I like foxes of all kinds, whether they be ordinary red foxes, or of the nine tailed, mystical Kitsune/Gumiho variety that are also girls. This book does not disappoint! Miyoung is a cool, strong gumiho just trying to live a quiet life with humans, but not really a part of them and only steal the gi for her immortality from nasty guys. This changes with the rescue of Jihoon from a nasty goblin. Unfortunately the rescue costs Miyoung her bead and that is when the fun stuff begins. Jihoon is pretty cool for a human (even if he is a bit of a slacker) and my favorite because he stays the same and doesn't betray/double cross/trick Miyoung at one time or another. Miyoung is a bit hard to like sometimes, due to her personality and attitude towards nearly everyone else but I blame her mother for that (though her mother does have her reasons kind of for being the way she is). Miyoung had some hard choices to make and I am glad that she proved herself to be a decent person/gumiho and it will be interesting to see what direction the next book will take.

Captivating and Intricate

Wicked Fox by Kat Cho was an automatic five stars from me!!! Though I knew very little about the book going in, I couldn’t put it down once I began. The main storyline is a beautiful blend of Korean mythology and modernity. Its focus follows a young gumiho named Miyoung but shamans, ghosts, and even dokkaebi make appearances. Humans, however, play perhaps the second greatest role in the story considering that Miyoung is surrounded by them and even half of one herself. Her love interest, Jihoon, is also human. This love story acts as pretty much the main story line of the novel, and its safe to say that it was absolutely endearing. It was so heart-warming to see the two characters connect and grow together. However, as fun as Miyoung and Jihoon’s romance was, I think my favorite part of the book was the side-relationships. The various friendships Miyoung creates with Jihoon and his friends was developed very slowly and thoughtfully, which I really appreciated. Jihoon’s contrasting relationships with his grandma and his mother were probably the highlight of the book for me. They were so complex and intricate in their own ways that each had me in tears at one point or the other. I really appreciate the extra mile the author took to ensure that such relationships maintained significance in the story and for the characters. It’s far too often that such relationships are simply pushed aside in romances so seeing them so fully developed makes me so excited! I absolutely cannot wait for the sequel!!!

Feels like I'm watching (more like reading) a Korean drama!

As a person who grew up watching a lot of Korean dramas (albeit I'm not really Korean), I have to say that I LOVE this book. I enjoyed reading about how the author incorporated Korean mythology in the story to create an urban fantasy novel involving Gumihos! Basically, this book holds a special place in my heart despite its flaws (which is kind of subjective).