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4.34 AVERAGE
4.34 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
It is so good to get another book with Seokga and Hani, fate threaded together! But of course it isn't going to be easy for this trickster god or former gumiho known as the Scarlet Fox. Somehow they were not able to meet, even with Seokga following the thread everywhere and not finding Hani. I love that we get a new setting in the underworld, on a cruise ship for the dead. And while I miss Hani, Yoo Kisa is a really fun Gwisin and former shaman with interesting friends like a kpop star, and reunited with old friend Somi. You get tons of humor (especially with a very intriguing fate thread), laugh out loud bits (quite the risqué book club) but also so many feels! And they played with my emotions, from the depression that Seokga feels trying to find Hani and finding her as Kisa instead, realizing it doesn't matter the form of people, as long as the soul remains the same, finding new common grounds, plus solving the murder of Seokga's brother and dealing with heavy family issues among the gods. And a super cute floating magic baby!
Yes, it is totally a kdrama type of story but I love it and I will forever root for Seokga and Kisa though I really want to read the next book! Or maybe I can check out the lates articles in the Godly Gossip, at least until we get a third fate thread book that will answer all the rest of the mysteries surrounding it and Seokga and Kisa!
Yes, it is totally a kdrama type of story but I love it and I will forever root for Seokga and Kisa though I really want to read the next book! Or maybe I can check out the lates articles in the Godly Gossip, at least until we get a third fate thread book that will answer all the rest of the mysteries surrounding it and Seokga and Kisa!
adventurous
emotional
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:
Complicated
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
adventurous
lighthearted
relaxing
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
As I finished God and the Gumiho, I practically raced to start on The God and the Gwisin, which is this book. Then, I stalled. Was it because of the characters? The premise? If the God and The Gumiho was the standard, this story is the watered down version of it. I preferred the chemistry between Seokga and Hani in comparison to Kisa, who does come out as a nerdy Mary Sue at the best of times. Not that I didn't enjoy this book, i really did, but the characterisation wasn't as strong as the previous book. Returning characters like Somi, Hwanin and Yeomra make a bigger appearance, and my god did they shine! The reveal at the end was sort of expected though, and the ending didn't have a big enough 'oomph' like it did in the first book. If publishers ever dod a joint book 1 and 2 publication in hardcover, I'll be the first in line to purchase. This author has also become one of my must-follows, as the romance is gradual and builds, the humour LANDS AND HITS and the characterisation is sublime. I still wished she described the mythical creatures a lot more though....
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
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:
Complicated
emotional
mysterious
tense
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I thoroughly enjoyed this book!
It pulled me in faster than the first one, and I enjoyed seeing how Seokga and (now) Kisa had changed/grown.
I especially enjoyed the depictions of Kisa's anxiety/racing thoughts, and the characters confronting their unbalanced relationship and navigating the ethics of reincarnated soulmates.
There's also murder and mystery abound! Personally, I seized on some specific clues and knew the perpetrator before halfway, but there were still plenty of scheming and particulars to puzzle over right up to the confrontation.
It pulled me in faster than the first one, and I enjoyed seeing how Seokga and (now) Kisa had changed/grown.
I especially enjoyed the depictions of Kisa's anxiety/racing thoughts, and the characters confronting their unbalanced relationship and navigating the ethics of reincarnated soulmates.
There's also murder and mystery abound! Personally, I seized on some specific clues and knew the perpetrator before halfway, but there were still plenty of scheming and particulars to puzzle over right up to the confrontation.
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
"The God and the Gumiho" was a 5 star read for me and I'm so sad to rate the sequel at a 2.5
Seogka is missing all the qualities that made him an interesting character in the first book. And sure, I can blame it on "he's tired from following the red thread for 33 years" but com'on. We're told that Seogka has still been up to his trickster ways and causing (minor) mayhem but we are never actually able to experience that in the boom. We are constantly told things but never shown it happening.
Kisa is our new FMC and I'm sad to say that her character simply made me miss Hani. The first book was enjoyable because of Hani's well written character. We got to see and experience layers to her personality and watch as she realized her mistakes unfold. There is banter and tension between Hani and Seogka and their romance felt engaging. Kisa and Seogka on the other hand, have none of this. We are simply told that they are attracted to one another but I never once felt like they were. I can overlook Seogka being in insta-love because Kisa is Hani's reincarnation, but in Kisa's case she falls for Seogka because... convenience and he has a nice ass?
We are also constantly being reminded that Kisa is not Hani and we should love Kisa for Kisa - which is great and I'm all for this message. But thenthe dream sequence occurs and Hani is there literally telling us that Hani is Kisa and Kisa is Hani and they are the same person... So which is it?
The mystery plot was also quite lackluster and it was obvious who the culprit was. It took a long time to get to the finale of that plot thread though.
The only redeeming factor of the book felt like Somi's character, who got a redemption arc. I love that she was also grieving Hani in her own way.
Overall, I did not enjoy this sequel book. I think this is another case of "Let's consider the first book the only book" - which works well because The God and The Gumiho can definitely be read as a standalone.
Seogka is missing all the qualities that made him an interesting character in the first book. And sure, I can blame it on "he's tired from following the red thread for 33 years" but com'on. We're told that Seogka has still been up to his trickster ways and causing (minor) mayhem but we are never actually able to experience that in the boom. We are constantly told things but never shown it happening.
Kisa is our new FMC and I'm sad to say that her character simply made me miss Hani. The first book was enjoyable because of Hani's well written character. We got to see and experience layers to her personality and watch as she realized her mistakes unfold. There is banter and tension between Hani and Seogka and their romance felt engaging. Kisa and Seogka on the other hand, have none of this. We are simply told that they are attracted to one another but I never once felt like they were. I can overlook Seogka being in insta-love because Kisa is Hani's reincarnation, but in Kisa's case she falls for Seogka because... convenience and he has a nice ass?
We are also constantly being reminded that Kisa is not Hani and we should love Kisa for Kisa - which is great and I'm all for this message. But then
The mystery plot was also quite lackluster and it was obvious who the culprit was. It took a long time to get to the finale of that plot thread though.
The only redeeming factor of the book felt like Somi's character, who got a redemption arc. I love that she was also grieving Hani in her own way.
Overall, I did not enjoy this sequel book. I think this is another case of "Let's consider the first book the only book" - which works well because The God and The Gumiho can definitely be read as a standalone.
adventurous
emotional
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
Gahhh it was so good.
Out of all the ARCs I've been able to read so far, this is the one that I felt the most privileged and honored to be allowed to read. I loved The God and the Gumiho, and I was so excited to read this one, and I'm pleased to announce that it did not disappoint. Given the way the last book ended, I was afraid that this one would fall into some of the kdrama trope traps that would cause it to lose a lot of the features that I loved most about the God and the Gumiho, but it managed to maintain many of the elements that made the God and the Gumiho a book that I keep coming back to. I think God and the Gumiho probably had a stronger, more cohesive plot, but The God and the Gwisin definitely had the stronger character work and emotional tension. I was totally captivated by the characters' struggles and emotional pain, and I felt the emotions right alongside them (it hurt so good). If there were plot holes (there probably were?) I missed them because I was so focused on the emotions and the characters' relationships with each other and how well told those elements of the story were. I think the only thing that really stood out as being different from God and the Gumiho in a way that I didn't appreciate was that there was an open door sex scene (you can skip it pretty easily), and I had appreciated how God and the Gumiho faded to black instead.
I'm already planning to read this one again--even though I think rereading it and the first book will probably only break my heart a little more.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Out of all the ARCs I've been able to read so far, this is the one that I felt the most privileged and honored to be allowed to read. I loved The God and the Gumiho, and I was so excited to read this one, and I'm pleased to announce that it did not disappoint. Given the way the last book ended, I was afraid that this one would fall into some of the kdrama trope traps that would cause it to lose a lot of the features that I loved most about the God and the Gumiho, but it managed to maintain many of the elements that made the God and the Gumiho a book that I keep coming back to. I think God and the Gumiho probably had a stronger, more cohesive plot, but The God and the Gwisin definitely had the stronger character work and emotional tension. I was totally captivated by the characters' struggles and emotional pain, and I felt the emotions right alongside them (it hurt so good). If there were plot holes (there probably were?) I missed them because I was so focused on the emotions and the characters' relationships with each other and how well told those elements of the story were. I think the only thing that really stood out as being different from God and the Gumiho in a way that I didn't appreciate was that there was an open door sex scene (you can skip it pretty easily), and I had appreciated how God and the Gumiho faded to black instead.
I'm already planning to read this one again--even though I think rereading it and the first book will probably only break my heart a little more.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Child abuse, Gore, Suicide, Violence
medium-paced