Scan barcode
ninej's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
eniahreads's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
|| Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing me this arc in exchange for an honest review ! ||
It was excellent!
We're quickly put into the story, and I really liked the pacing. There's a bit of confusion with all the different gods names and the different creatures/unrullies, but it turns out that you either slowly get everything (the most important ones), or you just give up trying to remember what a specific unruly should look like.
I really liked Hani and Seokga. Their story and their romance is a bit classic and cliché, but their own particularities (being a gumiho and a fallen god that is) makes it really entertaining ; and the way that Seokga slowly changes is a very hard bonus point to this romance! I really loved their banter as well, it was fun.
The story itself is very interesting : I really liked having a double police investigation, with both creatures to catch, and both very different stories of their own. I was suprised by the plot twist ; and it's rare coming from me as I usually get a hint or intuition about it, but nothing here, so you did a good job Sophie Kim! I also really liked how the story ended.
It seems to be a start of a series, and I'll gladly read the next book! However I do believe that this book one can be considered as a standalone as itself, the book's story is over, and I like that : the story ends and it's not dragged, but it still give hints of a possibility for a future new story as well.
It was excellent!
We're quickly put into the story, and I really liked the pacing. There's a bit of confusion with all the different gods names and the different creatures/unrullies, but it turns out that you either slowly get everything (the most important ones), or you just give up trying to remember what a specific unruly should look like.
I really liked Hani and Seokga. Their story and their romance is a bit classic and cliché, but their own particularities (being a gumiho and a fallen god that is) makes it really entertaining ; and the way that Seokga slowly changes is a very hard bonus point to this romance! I really loved their banter as well, it was fun.
The story itself is very interesting : I really liked having a double police investigation, with both creatures to catch, and both very different stories of their own. I was suprised by the plot twist ; and it's rare coming from me as I usually get a hint or intuition about it, but nothing here, so you did a good job Sophie Kim! I also really liked how the story ended.
It seems to be a start of a series, and I'll gladly read the next book! However I do believe that this book one can be considered as a standalone as itself, the book's story is over, and I like that : the story ends and it's not dragged, but it still give hints of a possibility for a future new story as well.
aliased's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
tense
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? Yes
5.0
abhimanyu01's review
funny
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? It's complicated
4.25
seryuginan's review
2.0
-dislikes-
the god and the gumiho’s prose lacks the finesse and engagement needed to pull me into the story. whether it's clunky dialogue, inconsistent pacing, or awkward transitions, the writing style made it challenging to stay invested in the plot. the banter exchanged between two supposed enemies-to-lovers character also reads like what one would find in the gibberish side of ao3.
another major flaw lies in the portrayal of immortality. the characters who are supposed to be immortals come across as underdeveloped and shallow, resembling 21st-century modern teenagers rather than timeless beings. instead of offering a fresh perspective or deeper insight into the implications of living forever, the narrative resorts to clichés and pop culture references.
Hani was largely a poorly written character, with a lot of nuance that the writer couldn’t expand on well. she’s a character who kills but claims to have morals, judging who deserves to live or die (usually men, can’t fault that but) however the criteria for her judgment remain vague and unexplained, raising the question of what justifies her playing god. this contradiction in another story would be fascinating in theory but here it is poorly executed in practice. on one hand, Hani is portrayed as a creature without sympathy, viewing humans as mere prey. on the other, she exhibits compassion and empathy, believing in the importance of human lives and wanting to protect the world. these conflicting aspects of her personality are at odds and contradicts with how her personality was previously crafted.
moreover, it’s jarring how Hani’s actions lack the weight and consequence (and how could she not see that people would eventually come for her ass? was she also not predicted that? a-whatever-thousand-year old gumiho?). she fails to face the irreplaceable repercussions of her deeds, and her first killings after decades are depicted too suddenly and sloppily. this is especially so OOC given her legendary status in history and her infamous act of killing jack the ripper. the portrayal of these events does not align with the character’s established reputation.
i have overall same opinion about Seokga but sadly i do not gaf about that guy so i can’t say much!! he came across as irritating and annoying (as how gods usually behave so i let that pass) (initially) but not only he does not grow, he became more and more annoying. also pathetic. as fallen god who has lived for a thousand years he is incredibly stupid too.
characters are the heart of any good story, and sadly, the ones in here felt off and unrelatable. it’s hard to connect with them on any meaningful level. this disconnect (read: dislike) was particularly escalated during moments of romance that felt entirely inappropriate given the stakes. the idea of characters kissing and making out when the world is on the brink of disaster just didn't sit well with me, and it detracted from the urgency and seriousness of the plot (love can be found even at the end of the world etc etc but believe me these are so unnecessary!!).
-likes-
i liked how Kim blends traditional myth with a modern, vibrant alternate city. this imaginative setting, new sinsi, brims with an array of mythical beings such as gumiho, haetae, dokkaebi, and gwisin, all coexisting seamlessly with humans. the rich and dynamic world-building is one of the book’s standout features, kind of reminds me of darker by four by June CL Tan.
the god and the gumiho’s prose lacks the finesse and engagement needed to pull me into the story. whether it's clunky dialogue, inconsistent pacing, or awkward transitions, the writing style made it challenging to stay invested in the plot. the banter exchanged between two supposed enemies-to-lovers character also reads like what one would find in the gibberish side of ao3.
another major flaw lies in the portrayal of immortality. the characters who are supposed to be immortals come across as underdeveloped and shallow, resembling 21st-century modern teenagers rather than timeless beings. instead of offering a fresh perspective or deeper insight into the implications of living forever, the narrative resorts to clichés and pop culture references.
Hani was largely a poorly written character, with a lot of nuance that the writer couldn’t expand on well. she’s a character who kills but claims to have morals, judging who deserves to live or die (usually men, can’t fault that but) however the criteria for her judgment remain vague and unexplained, raising the question of what justifies her playing god. this contradiction in another story would be fascinating in theory but here it is poorly executed in practice. on one hand, Hani is portrayed as a creature without sympathy, viewing humans as mere prey. on the other, she exhibits compassion and empathy, believing in the importance of human lives and wanting to protect the world. these conflicting aspects of her personality are at odds and contradicts with how her personality was previously crafted.
moreover, it’s jarring how Hani’s actions lack the weight and consequence (and how could she not see that people would eventually come for her ass? was she also not predicted that? a-whatever-thousand-year old gumiho?). she fails to face the irreplaceable repercussions of her deeds, and her first killings after decades are depicted too suddenly and sloppily. this is especially so OOC given her legendary status in history and her infamous act of killing jack the ripper. the portrayal of these events does not align with the character’s established reputation.
i have overall same opinion about Seokga but sadly i do not gaf about that guy so i can’t say much!! he came across as irritating and annoying (as how gods usually behave so i let that pass) (initially) but not only he does not grow, he became more and more annoying. also pathetic. as fallen god who has lived for a thousand years he is incredibly stupid too.
characters are the heart of any good story, and sadly, the ones in here felt off and unrelatable. it’s hard to connect with them on any meaningful level. this disconnect (read: dislike) was particularly escalated during moments of romance that felt entirely inappropriate given the stakes. the idea of characters kissing and making out when the world is on the brink of disaster just didn't sit well with me, and it detracted from the urgency and seriousness of the plot (love can be found even at the end of the world etc etc but believe me these are so unnecessary!!).
-likes-
i liked how Kim blends traditional myth with a modern, vibrant alternate city. this imaginative setting, new sinsi, brims with an array of mythical beings such as gumiho, haetae, dokkaebi, and gwisin, all coexisting seamlessly with humans. the rich and dynamic world-building is one of the book’s standout features, kind of reminds me of darker by four by June CL Tan.
gsmowry's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
mysterious
fast-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
5.0
I won't accept any criticism of this book. It's like a K drama in book form. We love this.
bookish_bat's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-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
4.25
mandy_bookingchaos1's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
3.75
schwubwub's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
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
4.0
Had a really fun time!! So awesome to learn about Korean folklore.
blondofondo's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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? Yes
5.0
This book was so good. I laughed, I cried. I finished it within a week. If you really enjoy kdramas, supernatural stories, murder mystery, steamy romance, then you’ll enjoy this. It is set in the 1990s in South Korea. The main characters are so fun and lovable. They haven’t announced the next book yet, but it seems like there will be a series? This book did end with most of my questions resolved, didn’t end on a major cliff hanger, so it could be read as a standalone. But I still have a few questions and would love to see the characters again in a second book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Murder