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eb2114's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
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
fyra's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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
4.0
bookishmillennial's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
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? It's complicated
disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial
I genuinely want to know what Jesse Q. Sutanto can't do. I've read the rest of her backlist besides this series thus far, and she has knocked it out of the park every single time? She continues to mother us all, my gawwwd!!! This middle-grade adventure and coming-of-age story had it all: angst, hope, bravery, friendship, and making decisions you are proud of!
After his older brother Jamie dies in a terrible tragedy, Theo inherits his brother's grieving fox spirit Kai, who mostly shapeshifts into a goldfish for most of the book. We get the rotating first-person POVs from Theo and Kai, and both of them are truly hilarious. I know that they are both grieving, and that this book covers such heavy content, but Theo and Kai's dynamic is so goofy.
Kai is hands down one of the funniest and most entertaining non-human sidekicks I have met lately! Kai is unimpressed by humans, not afraid to bluntly hurt your feelings, and needs you to KEEP UP! These two characters in close proximity as they venture on the quest that Jamie left behind are the standouts of this novel. Their dynamic, their inner thoughts, and the way they navigate this adventure kept me so invested! The quest is fun, sure, but these two characters were complex, growing, and so precious!
I loved the commentary on using cirth pendants to cast his spells (over the traditional way that his family uses) and how Theo felt pulled between his ethnic and national cultures. No matter what, generational differences are always going to hit hard when JQS writes it! Theo's journey as a first- or second-generation kid (I can't remember which, sorry!) translates so authentically and tenderly. So many kids from immigrant parents and grandparents will likely feel this is a bit representative of their own push and pull among cultures, especially during such a confusing time, middle school and high school!
I will absolutely continue the series & read anything JQS decides to bless us peasants with!
The audiobook narrators Caleb Yeng and Kimberley Wong were excellent; they were perfect for the roles of Theo and Kai!
I genuinely want to know what Jesse Q. Sutanto can't do. I've read the rest of her backlist besides this series thus far, and she has knocked it out of the park every single time? She continues to mother us all, my gawwwd!!! This middle-grade adventure and coming-of-age story had it all: angst, hope, bravery, friendship, and making decisions you are proud of!
After his older brother Jamie dies in a terrible tragedy, Theo inherits his brother's grieving fox spirit Kai, who mostly shapeshifts into a goldfish for most of the book. We get the rotating first-person POVs from Theo and Kai, and both of them are truly hilarious. I know that they are both grieving, and that this book covers such heavy content, but Theo and Kai's dynamic is so goofy.
Kai is hands down one of the funniest and most entertaining non-human sidekicks I have met lately! Kai is unimpressed by humans, not afraid to bluntly hurt your feelings, and needs you to KEEP UP! These two characters in close proximity as they venture on the quest that Jamie left behind are the standouts of this novel. Their dynamic, their inner thoughts, and the way they navigate this adventure kept me so invested! The quest is fun, sure, but these two characters were complex, growing, and so precious!
I loved the commentary on using cirth pendants to cast his spells (over the traditional way that his family uses) and how Theo felt pulled between his ethnic and national cultures. No matter what, generational differences are always going to hit hard when JQS writes it! Theo's journey as a first- or second-generation kid (I can't remember which, sorry!) translates so authentically and tenderly. So many kids from immigrant parents and grandparents will likely feel this is a bit representative of their own push and pull among cultures, especially during such a confusing time, middle school and high school!
I will absolutely continue the series & read anything JQS decides to bless us peasants with!
The audiobook narrators Caleb Yeng and Kimberley Wong were excellent; they were perfect for the roles of Theo and Kai!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Violence, Racism, Bullying, and Child death
gabykyu's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I would say this book isn’t necessarily the most amazing book I’ve ever read, but it’s not terrible. It’s a bit higher than average but not nearly a 4 stars for me. The points of view switching with almost each chapter took a bit to get used to but once I got over it, it actually made the writing easy to follow.
The plot does feel very heavily character driven, as the story felt a bit hard to follow or decipher what was going on.I still do not understand if Theo performed a purification ceremony on Kai or if he fully sacrificed his life and was rewarded with living (albeit a shorter life now apparently??) and with Kai dispelling her demonic energy. Also, if Xiaohua is meant to be a celestial being as a dragon, and the book says celestial beings can dispel demons… why couldn’t she do that when Danny was attacked by Kai…? There’s a few more questions I have about this book tbh The story lost me a few times and I had to reread some pages over because I couldn’t understand how the characters got to that point in the story.
I kind of hope there’s more about Theo’s brother and his family in the next book, though I am not completely sold on if I will read it. Maybe I’ll seek it out in a library so I don’t spend my money on it. This book could be enjoyable to the middle grade audience it was intended for and I commend it for that. The diversity, the basis of why Theo feels so torn from his cultural heritage, and the hints as to the antagonists were good as well. The info-dumping could definitely have been handled better and the majority of Kai’s chapters felt like they were meant just to info/world-dump so I kind of wish she had MORE character in her chapters than just rambling on about the way spirits and the world works.
Otherwise, it’s a solidly average book.
The plot does feel very heavily character driven, as the story felt a bit hard to follow or decipher what was going on.
I kind of hope there’s more about Theo’s brother and his family in the next book, though I am not completely sold on if I will read it. Maybe I’ll seek it out in a library so I don’t spend my money on it. This book could be enjoyable to the middle grade audience it was intended for and I commend it for that. The diversity, the basis of why Theo feels so torn from his cultural heritage, and the hints as to the antagonists were good as well. The info-dumping could definitely have been handled better and the majority of Kai’s chapters felt like they were meant just to info/world-dump so I kind of wish she had MORE character in her chapters than just rambling on about the way spirits and the world works.
Otherwise, it’s a solidly average book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
Minor: Xenophobia
The death is literally mentioned in the summary so you know what you’re going into. The xenophobia is not very prominent but I feel like it’s moderate as it does seem like an issue that shaped who Theo is.smalltownbookmom's review against another edition
4.0
A smart and witty middle grade fantasy book steeped in Chinese mythology that features Theo, a Chinese American boy grieving the death of his older brother who gets tasked with completing the challenge his brother wasn't able to finish and figuring out why he died. Told in alternating POVs between Theo and his snarky spirit sidekick, Kai, I couldn't help getting invested in this story and look forward to where the series will go next! Perfect for fans of Zachary Ying and the dragon emperor or the movie Turning Red. Great on audio with two narrators.
illstoptheworldandreadwithyou's review against another edition
4.0
Set in San Francisco, California, at a time when money can buy magic, flying cars, and flying shoes, Theo Tan and the Fox Spirit asks what does it cost to have those luxuries.
First generation Chinese-American Theo has spent his childhood eschewing as many aspects of his Chinese culture as possible, but when tragedy strikes his family, Theo and–formerly his brother’s, now his–companion fox spirit Kai are thrust into a quest that will delve into aspects of their culture, identity, and ancestry and will raise questions about what actions are ethical and moral.
The book was a bit slow-going for me at first as I came up-to-speed with Theo’s world, but once I hit the point where he and Kai are accepted into the Know Your Roots program at Reapling in Mountain View (Silicon Valley), things took off.
I enjoyed watching the bond grow between Theo and Kai, the struggles they undertook together, and their friendship with Namita. I liked seeing Theo find his courage and his inner magic (qì) The story is a nice mix of heavier themes and humor. This would be a good book for parents and elementary schoolers to read together.
Told in the alternating points-of-view of 12-year-old Theo and snarky, shape-changing Kai, Theo Tan and the Fox Spirit takes you on an adventure vacillating between an America run on commoditized magic and the Chinese spirit worlds of other realms. You even visit the gates of hell.
Content warnings: death of a sibling, violence, greed, depictions of demons, versions of hell
I received an advance ebook copy from Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group and NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
First generation Chinese-American Theo has spent his childhood eschewing as many aspects of his Chinese culture as possible, but when tragedy strikes his family, Theo and–formerly his brother’s, now his–companion fox spirit Kai are thrust into a quest that will delve into aspects of their culture, identity, and ancestry and will raise questions about what actions are ethical and moral.
The book was a bit slow-going for me at first as I came up-to-speed with Theo’s world, but once I hit the point where he and Kai are accepted into the Know Your Roots program at Reapling in Mountain View (Silicon Valley), things took off.
I enjoyed watching the bond grow between Theo and Kai, the struggles they undertook together, and their friendship with Namita. I liked seeing Theo find his courage and his inner magic (qì) The story is a nice mix of heavier themes and humor. This would be a good book for parents and elementary schoolers to read together.
Told in the alternating points-of-view of 12-year-old Theo and snarky, shape-changing Kai, Theo Tan and the Fox Spirit takes you on an adventure vacillating between an America run on commoditized magic and the Chinese spirit worlds of other realms. You even visit the gates of hell.
Content warnings: death of a sibling, violence, greed, depictions of demons, versions of hell
I received an advance ebook copy from Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group and NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
maggies's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
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
4.0
Adorable, interesting story! An easy read but balanced with some fantastic world building. Really enjoyable.
debbilynn42's review against another edition
emotional
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
4.0