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harborwriter's review
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I adored this--possibly my favorite read of 2024!
bamamelereads's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Ok I absolutely loved this. I was not expecting to enjoy this so much, but it just got better and better as it went along.
To be completely fair, the story does start a bit slowly. Seokga is cranky and grumpy as hell, and Hani gets too much of a kick out of driving him insane. But as they begin to work together, things really start to click. And around the halfway mark, I was all in. Their banter and chemistry is just so good! A sweeter side of Seokga comes out, and the angst starts to kick up as Hani realizes her past is going to catch up to her. The end was both action-packed and had me crying.
Things we love to see:
*Enemies to lovers
*Grumpy-sunshine
*Forced proximity
*Morally grey characters
*Crime-fighting duo
*Just one bed
I think if you're a fan of Loki (the character and/or the show), you're going to love this. It's both fun and entertaining, while also managing to tug on your heartstrings.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the preview. All opinions are my own.
To be completely fair, the story does start a bit slowly. Seokga is cranky and grumpy as hell, and Hani gets too much of a kick out of driving him insane. But as they begin to work together, things really start to click. And around the halfway mark, I was all in. Their banter and chemistry is just so good! A sweeter side of Seokga comes out, and the angst starts to kick up as Hani realizes her past is going to catch up to her. The end was both action-packed and had me crying.
Things we love to see:
*Enemies to lovers
*Grumpy-sunshine
*Forced proximity
*Morally grey characters
*Crime-fighting duo
*Just one bed
I think if you're a fan of Loki (the character and/or the show), you're going to love this. It's both fun and entertaining, while also managing to tug on your heartstrings.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the preview. All opinions are my own.
beachbagbooks's review
dark
funny
informative
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
i_ashby's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
inspiring
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This book mixes fantasy with crime/mystery, where Hani, the gumiho FMC, and Seokga, the fallen god MMC, must (reluctantly) work together to hunt a demon wreaking havoc.
The fantasy elements were the strength of the book, with a diverse range of characters featured from South Korean mythology. The character development was strong, not only for the main characters but also amongst the side characters too. There is a constant thread of humour running throughout which makes the grumpy/sunshine trope work really well between Hani and Seokga through their banter.
The plot twist was a bit predictable, and the mystery part and general development was a bit slow for my own tastes - it only sped up and became really gripping for the last 10-20% of the book, but on the whole, this was an enjoyable read. The second half was much stronger than the first half.
I'd recommend to those who enjoy East Asian mythology within the fantasy genre, and who have an interest in mystery elements.
Thank you, Hodder and Stoughton, for the eARC via NetGalley.
The fantasy elements were the strength of the book, with a diverse range of characters featured from South Korean mythology. The character development was strong, not only for the main characters but also amongst the side characters too. There is a constant thread of humour running throughout which makes the grumpy/sunshine trope work really well between Hani and Seokga through their banter.
The plot twist was a bit predictable, and the mystery part and general development was a bit slow for my own tastes - it only sped up and became really gripping for the last 10-20% of the book, but on the whole, this was an enjoyable read. The second half was much stronger than the first half.
I'd recommend to those who enjoy East Asian mythology within the fantasy genre, and who have an interest in mystery elements.
Thank you, Hodder and Stoughton, for the eARC via NetGalley.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
alliallialli's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
fast-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? No
5.0
ali_lowery_'s review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
girlreading's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
This book has everything: Korean mythology, romance, demons, a murder mystery and a 90’s urban fantasy setting. With an almost noir detective/classic cop movie vibe, The God and the Gumiho is a unique, witty and immersive read. This was a lot of fun and with an open ended (but satisfying) ending, I’d be more than happy to read more about these characters and world in the future.
graculus's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? No
3.0
In short: a lot of interesting ideas, in a world that won't be familiar to many of its prospective readers (unless, like me, they watch a lot of K-drama!) spoiled by lacklustre plotting and thin characterisation.
The basic premise of the book is that, like much urban fantasy, there's an unseen world alongside the one the humans know, inhabited by all sorts of supernatural beings - this one is set in 1990's Korea with the gods and creatures to match. Our protagonists are Seokga, who's currently subject to the need to deal with a certain number of demons he released on earth as part of a failed attempt to become ruler of the gods, and Hani, who's a gumiho successfully concealing just how old she actually is. Hani is working in a coffee shop and gets lots of pleasure from messing up Seokga's order every day but insinuates herself into his professional life when she discovers her own secret is at risk.
Unfortunately, while characters bickering can be entertaining in the short term, the ongoing strife between these two characters means they actually come across more as teenagers than how old they both supposedly are. In addition to this, I struggled a bit with feeling any kind of sympathy towards one character who'd messed up badly and caused all sorts of mayhem in a putative relationship with another who's literally left a trail of dead bodies in her wake. Sure, maybe one of them was Jack the Ripper and others are clearly arseholes, but is being an arsehole a capital offence?
The cover's nice, it's not a particularly challenging read if you don't actually think about the implications of both protagonist's previous actions, but I couldn't get away from them myself. So, not for me and not a series I'll be carrying on with.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher, via Netgalley. This is my honest review of the book in question.
The basic premise of the book is that, like much urban fantasy, there's an unseen world alongside the one the humans know, inhabited by all sorts of supernatural beings - this one is set in 1990's Korea with the gods and creatures to match. Our protagonists are Seokga, who's currently subject to the need to deal with a certain number of demons he released on earth as part of a failed attempt to become ruler of the gods, and Hani, who's a gumiho successfully concealing just how old she actually is. Hani is working in a coffee shop and gets lots of pleasure from messing up Seokga's order every day but insinuates herself into his professional life when she discovers her own secret is at risk.
Unfortunately, while characters bickering can be entertaining in the short term, the ongoing strife between these two characters means they actually come across more as teenagers than how old they both supposedly are. In addition to this, I struggled a bit with feeling any kind of sympathy towards one character who'd messed up badly and caused all sorts of mayhem in a putative relationship with another who's literally left a trail of dead bodies in her wake. Sure, maybe one of them was Jack the Ripper and others are clearly arseholes, but is being an arsehole a capital offence?
The cover's nice, it's not a particularly challenging read if you don't actually think about the implications of both protagonist's previous actions, but I couldn't get away from them myself. So, not for me and not a series I'll be carrying on with.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher, via Netgalley. This is my honest review of the book in question.
mishkaroni's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
After finishing this delightfully beautiful enemies to lovers mythological fantasy, I had to give myself a few minutes. My eyes are still water, remnants of the tears that fell before still drying down my cheeks.
I figured the reveal of the demon long before the big reveal. For me, something just didn't sit right with that character.
Hani x Seokga. What can I say? Their antagonizing banter in the beginning was truly fun and I found myself just as they did as I turned the pages, surprised when it turned more friendly that actually derogatory. I love when everything started to begin for them. Until the end. But that end was truly the only way it could go and for them to still feel that way. I see this may be the first in a series...so maybe we will get more after those last pages. Even if we are told a different story, there's no way our journey with Hani x Seokga can just end like that. I need another epilogue. A novella. Something.
I figured the reveal of the demon long before the big reveal. For me, something just didn't sit right with that character.
Hani x Seokga. What can I say? Their antagonizing banter in the beginning was truly fun and I found myself just as they did as I turned the pages, surprised when it turned more friendly that actually derogatory. I love when everything started to begin for them. Until the end. But that end was truly the only way it could go and for them to still feel that way. I see this may be the first in a series...so maybe we will get more after those last pages. Even if we are told a different story, there's no way our journey with Hani x Seokga can just end like that. I need another epilogue. A novella. Something.