Book Blurb:
One thousand years ago, the great Kami Dragon was summoned to grant a single terrible wish—and the land of Iwagoto was plunged into an age of darkness and chaos.
Now, for whoever holds the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers, a new wish will be granted. A new age is about to dawn.
Raised by monks in the isolated Silent Winds temple, Yumeko has trained all her life to hide her yokai nature. Half kitsune, half human, her skill with illusion is matched only by her penchant for mischief. Until the day her home is burned to the ground, her adoptive family is brutally slain and she is forced to flee for her life with the temple’s greatest treasure—one part of the ancient scroll.
There are many who would claim the dragon’s wish for their own. Kage Tatsumi, a mysterious samurai of the Shadow Clan, is one such hunter, under orders to retrieve the scroll…at any cost. Fate brings Kage and Yumeko together. With a promise to lead him to the scroll, an uneasy alliance is formed, offering Yumeko her best hope for survival. But he seeks what she has hidden away, and her deception could ultimately tear them both apart.
With an army of demons at her heels and the unlikeliest of allies at her side, Yumeko’s secrets are more than a matter of life or death. They are the key to the fate of the world itself.
Find out more about the book on Goodreads
My Review:
5 Out Of 5 Stars
Genre: Another-World, Historical, Mystery, Royal-Court, Supernatural, Suspense, Teen--
This was an insta-buy for me for 2 reasons: 1. I love Julie's books, I have never been let down by her stories, and I will read anything she wants to write at this point. And 2. Just look at it! The cover is gorgeous, and I needed it, regardless of the words inside- and yes, I am a cover snob. That being said, check out the cover for book 2 in the series, Soul of the Sword, I think it is even more gorgeous and I must have it!!
I found this book to be so much fun, but I am always a sucker for an adventure quest, the more random and off course the better! We have a lone naive, friendly girl who sets out on a dangerous quest to reach her end goal, but along the way she encounters misadventures and gathers a rag-tag group of "friends" (maybe friends???) that join her along the way. This kind of reminded me of the movie version of Wizard of Oz, and I mean in the best of ways because it is one of my favorites! I read some other reviews where they complained about the random excursion that the characters faced, but I think those were my favorite parts, so unexpected and at times ridiculous.
I am completely obsessed with kitsune, they have always sparked my interest but I have never actually encountered a story that actually had them. I love the idea of the spirit tricksters as well as the debate about whether they are good or not. I have always found Japanese culture to be very interesting, but I will be the first to admit I know almost nothing about it. I found it very interesting to take this journey along with Yumeko and discover things about the history, customs, religion, hierarchy and demons. I enjoyed that Julie sprinkled facts and terms along the way, leading me to understand the world with her well placed breadcrumbs. The words were so unfamiliar at the start of the story, but by the end I felt like I was so well informed (which I am not, but at least I could easily follow this book!) and I can't wait to learn more.
Shadow of the Fox was such a unique read, unlike anything YA I have personally experienced. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants an epic fantastical journey, filled with magic, demons, and battles set in a historical Japan landscape. And for those who need romance in their stories, do not despair, there was a hint of it with hopefully more to come! Do not expect to be content with the ending though, book 2 is needed ASAP!
No comments:
Post a Comment