Eighteen-year-old Gu Miyoung has a secret—she’s a gumiho, a nine-tailed fox who must eat devour the energy of men in order to survive. Because so few believe in the old tales anymore, and with so many evil men no one will miss, the modern city of Seoul is the perfect place to hide and hunt.
But after feeding one full moon, Miyoung crosses paths with Jihoon, a human boy, being attacked by a goblin deep in the forest. Against her better judgment, she violates the rules of survival to rescue the boy, losing her fox bead—her gumiho soul—in the process.
Jihoon knows Miyoung is more than just a beautiful girl—he saw her nine tails the night she saved his life. His grandmother used to tell him stories of the gumiho, of their power and the danger they pose to men. He’s drawn to her anyway. When he finds her fox bead, he does not realize he holds her life in his hands.
With murderous forces lurking in the background, Miyoung and Jihoon develop a tenuous friendship that blossoms into something more. But when a young shaman tries to reunite Miyoung with her bead, the consequences are disastrous and reignite a generations-old feud…forcing Miyoung to choose between her immortal life and Jihoon’s.
Glossary. Notes.
Format
Page Count
Trim Size
Dewey
AR
Lexile
Genre
Scholastic Reading Counts
JLG Release
Book Genres
Topics
Standard MARC Records
Cover Art
Miyoung may look like any other Korean girl, but she’s the daughter of a gumiho, a nine-tailed fox who feeds on the life force of men. This makes Miyoung half gumiho—and half human. Though raised by her mother, Miyoung is drawn to humans as well, wondering about her missing father and hating that she must kill in order to live. Nevertheless, she manages to follow her mother’s rules, always maintaining distance from others so that her secret is not discovered. But one night she strays from the rules, saving the life of Jihoon, a human boy who was attacked by a goblin, and all does not go according to plan. Miyoung suddenly finds herself juggling Jihoon’s human world of school and friends with her supernatural world of shamans, spirits, and magic. This is urban fantasy as readers have not seen it before: steeped in Korean folklore but with an added layer of contemporary Korean school and home life, appealing not only to K-drama fans but to lovers of fantasy in general. Dealing with themes of family, loyalty, and trust, the book has a unique setting and premise. Fresh and fast paced, weaving together action and romance, this is a promising debut that adds a new voice to any urban fantasy collection.