Recent Reads One: Shadow of the Fox
Recent Reads One
This is part one of a post series I plan on making whenever I read a new book. I plan on reviewing the book and offering my opinions on it, and whether it's worthy of buying and reading. I can't promise a spoiler free rant, but I'll let you know if I post anything that eludes to spoilers and anything that might give it away. At the end of each, I'll give it a rating on a 1- 10 scale.
To kick us off, I give you.....
The Shadow of the Fox
by Julie Kagawa
This book I found at the local book store as I was browsing for something new to read. I've never heard of the author, but what drew me was the red and silver color of the cover. It's truly a wonderful piece of art. The synopsis also drew me, as I'm an avid anime fan and it takes place in the fictional world of Iwagoto, inspired by Japanese myths. If you love anime, this is definitely for you. It's the first book in a new series.
Yumeko is half a kitsune, a fox. She's lived at a temple her whole life, wanting to get out and see the world. Her world comes crashing down when the temple is burned by demons, who are after the precious artifact inside: A piece of scroll, that can be used to summon a dragon and grant a wish. Yumeko flees with it, trying to get it to safety before it falls into the wrong hands.
Tatsumi is a demon slayer, a dangerous young man. He's been sent to retrieve the scroll at any cost, even if it means killing the one who carries it. He meets Yumeko, who claims to know the scroll's location. He creates an uneasy alliance which sends them across the land, with demons and witches on their trail.
This was a split POV book, jumping back and forth between the two characters. It wasn't confusing, and I fell in love with both. Kagawa did a phenomonal job of fleshing every character out. Their development is spectacular, changing because of one another.
The side characters were just as fun. One of the tropes I love the most is a ragtag group of characters who learn the power of friendship with plenty of witty banter. Kagawa delivers without fail, and it's been a while since I read one of those.
The setting was just as beautiful as the characters. The land is Iwagoto, and I actually wouldn't mind living there. Kagawa definitely knows her stuff when it comes to Japanese culture, clothing, and architecture. She has it pegged even down to the food.
The action scenes, which were plentiful, flowed smoothly and got my heart racing.
The villain was delightfully evil, and you can't help but love to hate her.
Overall, I had no complaints whatsoever. It had everything I look for in a story, and left out no details. For the first book in a series, it did something very rare: Give me satisfaction. The ending, or epilogue, was a great conclusion to a promising series. It gets a perfect 10/ 10.
Thank you for reading, and have a great day!
Yumeko is half a kitsune, a fox. She's lived at a temple her whole life, wanting to get out and see the world. Her world comes crashing down when the temple is burned by demons, who are after the precious artifact inside: A piece of scroll, that can be used to summon a dragon and grant a wish. Yumeko flees with it, trying to get it to safety before it falls into the wrong hands.
Tatsumi is a demon slayer, a dangerous young man. He's been sent to retrieve the scroll at any cost, even if it means killing the one who carries it. He meets Yumeko, who claims to know the scroll's location. He creates an uneasy alliance which sends them across the land, with demons and witches on their trail.
This was a split POV book, jumping back and forth between the two characters. It wasn't confusing, and I fell in love with both. Kagawa did a phenomonal job of fleshing every character out. Their development is spectacular, changing because of one another.
The side characters were just as fun. One of the tropes I love the most is a ragtag group of characters who learn the power of friendship with plenty of witty banter. Kagawa delivers without fail, and it's been a while since I read one of those.
The setting was just as beautiful as the characters. The land is Iwagoto, and I actually wouldn't mind living there. Kagawa definitely knows her stuff when it comes to Japanese culture, clothing, and architecture. She has it pegged even down to the food.
The action scenes, which were plentiful, flowed smoothly and got my heart racing.
The villain was delightfully evil, and you can't help but love to hate her.
Overall, I had no complaints whatsoever. It had everything I look for in a story, and left out no details. For the first book in a series, it did something very rare: Give me satisfaction. The ending, or epilogue, was a great conclusion to a promising series. It gets a perfect 10/ 10.
Thank you for reading, and have a great day!
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