The story was really compelling and I was really drawn in. I couldn’t believe that this was your first graphic novel it was really well done. It was interesting to learn about “Gumiho”, Kai, and how the story came to a conclusion. I liked how some resolutions were unexpected.

I unfortunately do not have any negative feedback or any critiques for you. I’m very impressed by this book and can’t wait to read it again when it is finally published!

I’ve always been fascinated with the legends and myths of the nine tailed fox so I was very excited for this graphic novel. More than just a new take on Korean folklore, this story is about generational trauma, gender inequality and fighting to be yourself in a world that wants you to stay in line. I thought the illustrations were really wonderful and fit the story extremely well. Kai was an amazing main character and I loved her journey. I also really loved seeing the flashback of how her mother and father met and how Gumiho fit into their lives. I did think the ending was a little rushed and I had to reread it to make sure I understood it. I really liked the pages at the beginning which explain the legend of the nine tailed fox and also Joseon society. It was very helpful to have that information and also the notes peppered throughout the pages with asterisks. Overall, I really enjoyed this graphic novel!
CW: death, violence, murder

Thank you to NetGalley and Balzar + Bray for an advanced digital reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

This started out as an interesting graphic novel and I really enjoyed the parts with Gumiho and Kai's parents, but the "romance" was awful. I don't think it meshed well at all with the story and didn't really happen until chapters 9 and 10 (of 10 total). Either there should have been more hints to the romance throughout the story, or there should have been none at all. It really soured the ending for me and left me confused (are they human now? are one or both immortal?).

I absolutely loved this graphic novel. I previously enjoyed the author’s graphic novel about her life moving to America, and this one was just as great in its own way. I loved the main character and her determination, and her anger at how she and her mother were treated by the rest of her family, as well as society. I did not expect the ending, and the queer turn the graphic novel took was quite surprising as well, but definitely enjoyed. I like the art style, and I did like how words that I was unfamiliar with were explained at the bottom, but even without that, it could still be inferred for the most part. Overall, I really enjoyed this read!

Where I was not familiar with the Korean myth of Fox Maiden, I enjoyed this graphic novel.; for readers who are fans of historical fiction or new to reading queer lit, this is the perfect fit. Ha makes it easy for those new to Korean mythology to understand the world she has crafted and the aspects that come from mythology. The novel's focus follows a kai as she discovers her fate to become a fox maiden and develops a romance with someone who, in a cold world, offers her compassion. This will be one that I will be picking up on publication day.

This was so beautiful! It was historically grounded but with the ethereal, out-of-time feeling of folklore. It's wonderfully structured into acts and has several powerful throughlines as well as a richly developed cast of characters.

This was a beautifully illustrated graphic novel with great storytelling. This is the kind of graphic novel that I wish I could have read when I was in middle school. Not only is it about my cultural heritage but it's about girls and women taking agency over their own lives and power. I also love the folklore and mythology references.

The only reason why I didn't give it five stars is because the romance aspect could have been more developed more throughout the story, instead of it all happening at the end. But it was still fun to read.

Overall, it's a great story that was great and I will recommend this to anyone who likes graphic novels and folklore. I finished it less than a day so that's a huge plus too.

Thank you, HarperCollins Children's Books, Balzer + Bray, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a copy of this book in exchange for a review! Five out of five stars!

I'd read and cried along to All-American Girl, so I thought myself warned enough to absolutely expecting heartwrenching pain from Robin Ha, this did in fact happen, but after I left my guard down! Emotional, angry, pleading, and hopeful, Fox Maidens winds you around the pain in quick sure strides.
A excellent quick (but not easy) read, the "romance" may be fairly instalove-like, but the appeal isn't as much a part of the book as Kai's journey.

Another wondrous work from Robin Ha, well worth the read and absolutely essential for school libraries and classrooms. Ha makes amazing use of the graphic novel form.

This was a really interesting story, I liked the folklore elements and how the author weaved them into a unique story. Kai dreams of being a warrior, despite female warriors being unwelcome in society. Her dreams come to a sudden end when she learns a family secret that will change her whole life. As she seeks to change her fate, she'll find love and understanding from a surprising place. I liked the characters, Kai was a strong main character and very interesting. I did think that the plot was confusing at some points and some of the explanations took you out of the action too much. I liked the art style, but some of the shading and actions shots were too confusing and made the pages muddled. Despite this, this was a great story with a lot of heart that I enjoyed reading.

Robin Ha’s first fictional graphic novel was absolutely sensational. Gripping action and a genuinely moving story that had me in tears but I couldn’t stop reading till I finished. Absolutely phenomenal and a great debut fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I’m not familiar with the original Fox Maiden story, but I loved the way this story progresses. We have Kai, a beautiful girl who longs to be equal to her brothers and the other boys in her village. She wants to learn to fight and not be tied down by marriage or being “ladylike” like her mother wants. After she gets her first period, everything changes for Kai and the secrets her Mother kept from her are finally revealed.

There were some parts I thought were too long, but I enjoyed Kai’s journey. The romance here just felt weird in a way. There wasn’t any chemistry but the two girls seemed to be brought together by circumstance instead of actually liking each other. The art is very well done and beautiful and the tragedy of this tale is helped with a beautiful ending.