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A review by anneklein
Wicked Fox by Kat Cho
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
This book was enjoyable, but I think not enough for me to say I enjoyed reading it, if that makes sense. I thought the main character, Miyoung, was sweet and endearing, but most of the book involved things happening to her instead of her going and doing things. As such, the supporting cast were more interesting to read about than she was, especially the love interest, Jihoon. I thought he had realistic, complex problems and responded the way a teenager would. So did Somin, his best friend. The familial relationships in the novel were portrayed in a very compassionate way yet the weren't simplified just for the sake of making the story palatable to teens.
Unfortunately, I think the book did not really handle the fantasy elements of the story very well, the conflict to be solved in that regard seemed to be changing every so often, and it'd feel like we were wandering aimlessly alongside the main character as she tried to know what the hell was going on. The characters never hit a point where the premise of their goals was clear, so it seemed like the goal itself was "figure out what is happening in the first place". And by the time we did figure that out, there was not much time for a satisfying resolution.
The way the Korean folklore was incorporated into the worldbuilding was very well done, but the way that worldbuilding was incorporated into the plot was not. Still, I feel like the second book in the duology might still be worth reading, as it focuses on two characters I found really fun, Somin and Junu. But this first book is not making me want to prioritise it just yet.
Unfortunately, I think the book did not really handle the fantasy elements of the story very well, the conflict to be solved in that regard seemed to be changing every so often, and it'd feel like we were wandering aimlessly alongside the main character as she tried to know what the hell was going on. The characters never hit a point where the premise of their goals was clear, so it seemed like the goal itself was "figure out what is happening in the first place". And by the time we did figure that out, there was not much time for a satisfying resolution.
The way the Korean folklore was incorporated into the worldbuilding was very well done, but the way that worldbuilding was incorporated into the plot was not. Still, I feel like the second book in the duology might still be worth reading, as it focuses on two characters I found really fun, Somin and Junu. But this first book is not making me want to prioritise it just yet.