Death and the Conjuror

I selected this novel for the Monthly Key Word Reading Challenge. The word "death" is one of the options for October. Due to my vacation last month, I am just getting around to my October reads and I am desperately trying to catch up. The book was in Publisher Weekly's top ten mysteries of 2022 and it is a locked room mystery. Death and the Conjuror has a macabre atmosphere and plenty of period detail.

The publisher's summary:

In 1930s London, celebrity psychiatrist Anselm Rees is discovered dead in his locked study, and there seems to be no way that a killer could have escaped unseen. There are no clues, no witnesses, and no evidence of the murder weapon. Stumped by the confounding scene, the Scotland Yard detective on the case calls on retired stage magician-turned-part-time sleuth Joseph Spector. For who better to make sense of the impossible than one who traffics in illusions?

Spector has a knack for explaining the inexplicable, but even he finds that there is more to this mystery than meets the eye. As he and the Inspector interview the colorful cast of suspects among the psychiatrist’s patients and household, they uncover no shortage of dark secrets—or motives for murder. When the investigation dovetails into that of an apparently-impossible theft, the detectives consider the possibility that the two transgressions are related. And when a second murder occurs, this time in an impenetrable elevator, they realize that the crime wave will become even more deadly unless they can catch the culprit soon.

I enjoyed this story somewhat. It is a British detective story and I don't like this genre much. A reader has to really like this kind of storytelling where, in the end, the explanation for everything that happened is long and detailed. I had a hard time concentrating on the plot because the writing was tiresome. I literally became sleepy every time I picked the book up. It's a shame because I love locked room mysteries. The plot was exciting though. I love that the suspects were Rees' patients. There were plenty of twists from these eccentric characters.  

I don't know how to rate this novel. It has good qualities but I couldn't get past the writing style. I guess I will just say that if you like classic British detective stories then this book is for you.

Yellowface

I decided to read Yellowface for the Color Coded Reading Challenge because I needed a book title containing yellow. However, I have wanted to read it since it was published in May of last year because it is about an Asian American and the publishing business. I am a big lover of Asian fiction. This book was hard to put down and I ended up reading it in one sitting.

The publisher's summary:  

White lies. Dark humor. Deadly consequences… Bestselling sensation Juniper Song is not who she says she is, she didn’t write the book she claims she wrote, and she is most certainly not Asian American—in this chilling and hilariously cutting novel from R.F. Kuang, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Babel. 

Authors June Hayward and Athena Liu were supposed to be twin rising stars. But Athena’s a literary darling. June Hayward is literally nobody. Who wants stories about basic white girls, June thinks. So when June witnesses Athena’s death in a freak accident, she acts on impulse: she steals Athena’s just-finished masterpiece, an experimental novel about the unsung contributions of Chinese laborers during World War I.

So what if June edits Athena’s novel and sends it to her agent as her own work? So what if she lets her new publisher rebrand her as Juniper Song—complete with an ambiguously ethnic author photo? Doesn’t this piece of history deserve to be told, whoever the teller? That’s what June claims, and the New York Times bestseller list seems to agree. But June can’t get away from Athena’s shadow, and emerging evidence threatens to bring June’s (stolen) success down around her. As June races to protect her secret, she discovers exactly how far she will go to keep what she thinks she deserves.

Yellowface is a suspenseful, plot driven story with a fast pace. Our protagonist June Hayward is a white American writer who wants success and fame. However, her first book is a flop. Her nemesis is the Chinese American writer Athena Liu. Liu is a celebrated novelist with a Netflix series on the way. Liu is not the traditional “good girl” character that publishers prefer in Asian fiction. Kuang breaks new ground in Asian fiction with this Liu character. I thought it was funny that Liu died from choking on a pancake. That was a creative way to go in my mind. Most of the suspense in the story comes from Twitter posts where people are not afraid to be nasty. The mystery in the story is heightened as each new event in the plot raises the stakes for June/Juniper. 

In Yellowface Rebecca Kuang  takes a swipe at the publishing industry for their mistreatment of ethnic characters. Publishers have publicly pledged, since 2020, to represent ethnic minorities with more authenticity but Kuang’s plot reveals that she believes the industry has fallen short of that goal.

The novel's plot is timely. It grapples with questions on cultural appropriation as well as the terrifying alienation of social media. 5 out of 5 stars.

The Cinnamon Roll Murder

Joanne Fluke has written 30 books in this Hannah Swensen Mystery Series. Cinnamon Roll Murder is the 15th installment of the series. I chose this book as a selection for the Color Coded Reading Challenge. I needed a book with a brown shade in the title and cinnamon is it. 

The publisher's summary:  

April is a busy time for Hannah Swensen and her bakery; the warm weather makes folks in Lake Eden, Minnesota, go wild for something sweet. When Hannah hears that the Cinnamon Roll Six jazz band will be playing at the town's Weekend Jazz Festival, she's more than happy to bake up a generous supply of their namesake confections to welcome the band to town.

Before the festival even begins, tragedy strikes when the tour bus overturns. Among those injured is Buddy Neiman, the band's beloved keyboard player. Buddy's injuries appear minor, until his condition suddenly takes a turn for the worse--as in dead. Hannah's no doctor, but she suspects that the surgical scissors someone plunged into Buddy's chest may have something to do with it. Hannah isn't sure just how she'll unravel the mystery, but one thing's for sure: nothing's sweeter than bringing a killer to justice. . .

What can I say? These later books in the series are OK. Just OK. They are not serious mysteries as early books in the series were. While the series has always been light reading, I believe that the plots have suffered as the series gets bigger. Maybe the author is bored with churning out a new book every year. With 30 books written to date, I think the author needs something different to write about. Cinnamon Roll Murder is light on plot and character development. We see the characters having a new dilemma to deal with but there is no real character development. Hannah keeps dating two men, Mike and Norman, but there is no progress in her relationship with either of them. Having read later books in the series, I know that she will marry Mike. Both men continually drop in at all hours for sweets which would annoy me personally.

All the books are the same. Hannah bakes up a storm, then finds a body, and solves the crime after getting into a dangerous situation with the killer. There was some mystery in the beginning of Cinnamon Roll Murder but there weren't any twists or turns to keep me entertained.

I am sorry to say I am rating the book 2.5 stars out of 5 stars.

The Key Lime Pie Murder

The Key Lime Pie Murder is the 9th book in a 30 book, to date, cozy mystery series by Joanne Fluke. It was published in 2012 and is a selection for the Color Coded Reading Challenge. I am using lime for the required green entry.

The publisher's summary:

It promises to be a busy week for Hannah Swensen. Not only is she whipping up treats for the chamber of commerce booth at the Tri-County fair, she's also judging the baking contest; acting as a magician's assistant for her business partner's husband; trying to coax Moishe, her previously rapacious feline, to end his hunger strike, and performing her own private carnival act by juggling the demands of her mother and sisters.

With so much on her plate, it's no wonder Hannah finds herself on the midway only moments before the fair closes for the night. After hearing a suspicious thump, she goes snooping–only to discover Willa Sunquist, a student teacher and fellow bake contest judge, dead alongside an upended key lime pie. But who would want to kill Willa and why?

Now Hannah needs to crank up the heat, hoping that Willa's killer will get rattled and make a mistake. If that happens she intends to be there, even if it means getting on a carnival ride that could very well be her last. . .

This was an enjoyable and relaxing read. The storyline was interesting and suspenseful. I loved the recipes and character development from prior books in the series. I have read many books in the series, including more current books, and I believe that the earlier books were better because the plots are tighter. There is alot of humor in these books which also make them delightful to read. The 16 recipes that are in the back of the book were expertly introduced into the plot. With a plot containing a baking contest, Hannah Swensen was a judge instead of being a baker. I could literally taste the entries in the county fair contest. As the judges tasted and discussed the merits of each entry we read about a murder and who could have done the deed. I liked that the investigation of the crime was slowly revealed from discussion among the judges.

ToHighly-creative confection recipes plumped the pages in KEY LIME PIE MURDER. Not knowing when to stop, the recipes opened themselves into luscious, heavy-laden, in-plot cooking, tasting, and contest judg

5 out of 5 stars.

Green Lantern Alliance

Last year I read Minh Le's Green Lantern Legend and loved it. As I was looking for a new comic to read this month, I found his Green Lantern Alliance. I knew I had to read it. This story did not disappoint. It was an exciting read and the illustrations were colorful and happy. It made me feel like a kid again. The book was published in October 2022 and is written for the 9 - 12 year old age range.

The publisher's summary:

Tai Pham struggles with balancing school, his work in the family business, his friendships, and his new Green Lantern responsibilities. But Kid Flash arrives on the scene to become the super-hero partner Tai just might need. It’s only been a few months since Green Lantern Tai Pham inherited his ring from his ba and defeated his nemesis, Xander Griffin. But Tai knows their last battle was only the beginning-and even though no one believes him, Tai is determined to prove that Xander is up to his old tricks again. When a string of fires start popping up around Coast City, Tai finds himself stretched thin as he struggles to keep up with school, training, working at the store, and following Xander’s trail. That is, until a new hero, known as Kid Flash, shows up on the scene with an offer to help. Can the heroes find the arsonist before it’s too late?

This volume doesn't focus as much on Tai's Vietnamese heritage as in Green Lantern Legacy. It focuses more on his relationships to his mentor, friends and new ally Kid Flash. I loved reading about Tai's Vietnamese heritage in Legacy and was hoping it would be a big feature of this comic. This disappointed me and I liked Legacy more than Alliance.

Alliance continues the story from before but with more superhero scenes. Concerning characters, the protagonist is Tai Pham. However, he is the least interesting character in the book. We don't read much of anything about his life, personality or ethnic roots. Every time his grandmother Kim Tran is shown with the green ring, I wished that the book included her more.

The art is drawn in bright greens and yellows. I love these colors and they impact my enjoyment of the book big time. I am expecting a 3rd entry in the Green Lantern series. The last page says that the next adventure will be to planet earth. 

3 out of 5 stars.

2025 Net Galley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge

2024 is the first year that I participated in this challenge. It's always nice to read free books so I will be rejoining the challenge next year. 

Challenge guidelines

• The challenge runs from January 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025. There is no deadline to sign up.

• Everyone is welcome to participate – you do not need to have a blog.

• Any genre, release date, length, etc. counts – it just needs to be a book from NetGalley or Edelweiss.

• Books can count for more than one challenge that you are participating in.

• The first day of each month there will be a monthly “link-up” for you to link your reviews. If you forget one month, no worries, just catch up the next month.

The levels of participation are: 

Bronze – 10 Books (my personal challenge)

Silver – 25 Books

Gold – 50 Books

Platinum – 75 Books

Diamond – 100 Books

To sign-up:

Make a blog post stating the level you intend to read in 2025 and link that blog post to Mr. Linky of the challenge post. The first Link should be your name, the url should be the direct link to that blog post, not your main blog page. If you do not have a blog then state your reading level in the comments if the challenge post and how you will be sharing your book reviews. Last but not least, be sure to come back every month and link in those reviews. This is really the hardest part – remember to do the monthly “link-ups”!

2025 Cruisin' Through the Cozies Reading Challenge

I am rejoining the Cruisin' Through the Cozies Reading Challenge next year. While I don't read alot of cozies, I have several favorite authors who write cozies. If you do not know what a cozy mystery is, check out Cozy-Mystery.com. This site is dedicated to cozy mysteries and does a great job of defining them as well as giving a list of cozy mysteries. This challenge is NOT restricted to what is on their list, it's just to be used as a guideline in case you need some hints on what to read.

This cozy mystery reading challenge has two ways to participate and you can choose whichever suits you the best:

A) Read only cozy mysteries of your choice.

Or

B) Read one book from these sub-genres:

• One from culinary (anything dealing with food: restaurants, baked goods, etc.)One from animal related (cats, dogs, birds, etc.)

• One from craft related (any kind of hobbies - knitting, crocheting, scrapbooking, etc.)

• One from paranormal (witches, vampires, etc.)

• One from cozy mysteries based outside the US (example: Belinda Lawrence series (British))

• One career-based cozy mystery (housekeeping, wedding planner, etc.)

• One holiday based (set during any holiday - Christmas, Thanksgiving, Valentines, etc.)

• One travel mystery (character could be on a cruise, touring another area, etc.)

• One historical mystery (any mystery not set in the present)

• One is your choice! (freebie!)

Here are the levels you can join for either A or B…

Level one (Snoop) -(my personal challenge)

A) Read 10 cozy mysteries of your choice.

B) Read one book in each of the above cozy sub-genres (total of 10 books)

Level two (Investigator) -

A) Read 20 cozy mysteries of your choice.

B) Read all the books in level one plus an additional 10 cozy books of your choice (total of 20)

Level three (Super Sleuth) -

A) Read 30 cozy mysteries of your choice.

B) Read two books from each sub-genre in level one plus an additional 10 cozy books of your choice (total of 30 books)

Level four (Sleuth Extraordinaire) -

A)Read 40 cozy mysteries of your choice.

B)Read two books from each sub-genre in level one plus an additional 20 cozy books of your choice (total of 40 books)

Challenge Rules:

1. The challenge runs from January 1, 2025 and ends December 31, 2025.

2. You don't have to choose your books in advance. If you do, you can change your list at any time during the year. Books can overlap with other challenges.

3. Books can be in any format - paper, audio, ebooks...it all counts!

4. You don't have to post a review, but I'm sure others would love to know about the books you are reading and may even want to add it to their reading lists.

NOTE: If you don't have a blog and want to participate, that's fine. You don't have to have a blog, just post in the comments section of the challenge post as you finish books. If you belong to a site like Goodreads and review the books there, that's fine too. Just leave us the link. Also, there is a group for this challenge on Goodreads.

5. If you do have a blog, take the button above, put it on your blog and post about the challenge. Then add your name to Mr. Linky in the challenge post. Please use the link of your challenge post, not the link to your home page.

6. There is one link for signing up, one link for completed reviews and one link for your wrap up posts. There will not be a monthly link, just one for all reviews read for this challenge.

2025 Reading By The Numbers Reading Challenge

2025 will be the fourth year of the Reading by the Numbers Challenge on the My Reader's Block blog! This is the reading challenge at its most basic - just track everything you read. This is the easiest challenge I have ever come across so I will be rejoining the challenge in 2025. Anything counts--graphic novels or comic books, hard copy, e-books, audio novels, etc. If it is a book, it counts. Although the covers shown in the challenge image are all mysteries, you may read from any and all genres that interest you.

• Challenge runs from January 1 through December 31, 2025.

• No pre-set challenge levels. You decide on your personal goal.

• May be used concurrently with other "number" reading challenges (such as the Goodreads Challenge) or with any other challenge.

• A blog and reviews of the books are not required to participate, but if you have a blog, please post your sign-up for the challenge and link the post in the form on the challenge post. You are also welcome to link up other media sites where you log process (Instagram; Goodreads; etc.).

• There will be a challenge Headquarters link in the left sidebar of the My Reader's Block blog at the beginning of the year.

• If you post on Facebook, Instagram, or other social media to log a book, please use #ReadingByNumbers2025.

2025 Color Coded Reading Challenge

The Color Coded Reading Challenge is another one of my favorite challenges. I have been participating in the challenge for many years and it is getting harder to find books with colors in the title. However, I cannot resist rejoining the challenge in 2025.

The challenge is hosted by Bev at the My Reader's Block blog.  She has made the challenge a little easier next year by allowing the color to be in the title, the author’s name or the color to be the dominant color for the cover of the book. 

General Rules:

A) Challenge runs from January 1 through December 31, 2025 and any book read after January 1 may count regardless of when you sign up. You may sign-up any time.

B) Read nine books in the following categories:

1. A book with "Blue" or any shade of Blue in the title/author name/on the cover.

2. A book with "Red" or any shade of Red in the title/author name/on the cover.

3. A book with "Yellow" or any shade of Yellow in the title/author name/on the cover.

4. A book with "Green" or any shade of Green in the title/author name/on the cover.

5. A book with "Brown" or any shade of Brown in the title/author name/on the cover.

6. A book with "Black" or any shade of Black in the title/author name/on the cover.

7. A book with "White" or any shade of White in the title/author name/on the cover.

8. A book with any other color in the title/author name/on the cover.title/on the cover (Purple, Orange, Silver, Pink, etc).

9. A book with a word/image that implies color in the title/author name/on the cover. (Rainbow, Polka-dot, Plaid, Shadow, Paint, Ink, etc). For "implies color" the image implying color should dominate the cover, for instance a large rainbow, a field of flowers, or the image of a painter.

C) Crossovers with other challenges are fine.

D) To Sign Up please fill in the form at the challenge post. If you have a blog, please post about the challenge on your site and enter the url link. You may also enter a link to a Goodreads or Library Thing list, Instagram, etc. If you can't use the form for any reason, you may also sign up by commenting at the challenge post.

E) If you post on Facebook, Instagram, or other social media to log a book, please use #ColorCoded2025.

F) At the beginning of the new year, Bev will put up posts for review links for each color category and the sidebar image will be updated to the new challenge links.

Please join me in the challenge.

2025 Calendar of Crime Reading Challenge

Bev at the My Reader's Block blog will be hosting the Calendar of Crime Reading Challenge once again in 2025. I love reading mysteries so I simply have to rejoin the challenge next year. The challenge allows readers to include any mystery regardless of publication date. If it falls in a mystery category (crime fiction/detective novel/police procedural/suspense/thriller/spy & espionage/hard-boiled/cozy/etc.), then it counts and it does not matter if it was published in 1895 or 2025. 

 

The Rules

• Challenge runs from January 1 to December 31, 2025. All books should be read during this time period.

• Sign up at any time. If you have a blog, please post about the challenge. Then sign up via the form at the challenge post and please make the url link to your challenge post and not your home page. If you don't have a blog, links to an online list (Goodreads, Library Thing, etc.) devoted to this challenge are acceptable OR you may skip that question.

• All books must be mysteries. Humor, romance, supernatural elements (etc.) are all welcome, but the books must be mysteries/crime/detective novels first.

• Twelve books, one representing each month, are required for a complete challenge. You may find the spreadsheet with monthly categories HERE. We will be using the 2024 version again this year.

• To claim a book, it must fit one of the categories for the month you wish to fulfill. Unless otherwise specified, the category is fulfilled within the actual story. for instance, if you are claiming the book for December and want to use "Christmas" as the category, then Christmas figure in some in the plot. Did someone poison the plum pudding? Did Great-Uncle Whozit invite all the family home for Christmas so he could tell them he plans to change his will?

• The "wild card" book is exactly that. If July is your birth month (as mine is), then for category #9 you may read any mystery book you want. It does not have to connect with July in any way--other than a July baby chose it. The other eleven months, you must do the alternate category #9 if you want to fulfill that slot.

• Chinese Zodiac: Animal must be important to the book in some way. Examples: animal name appears in title (stand-alone, not part of another word); animal itself is important to the story; animal appears on cover; important character is associated with the animal (nickname--for instance, owns one as a pet, etc.) OR book may have been published in a year that corresponds to the Zodiac year.

• Books may only count for one month and one category, but they may count for other challenges (such as my Vintage Scavenger Hunt Challenge). If it could fulfill more than one category or month, then you are welcome to change it at any time prior to the final wrap-up.

• Books do not have to be read during the month for which they qualify. So--if you're feeling like a little "Christmas in July" (or May or...), then feel free to read your book for December whenever the mood strikes.

• A wrap-up post/comment/email will be requested that should include a list of books read and what category they fulfilled. [Example: January: The House of Sudden Sleep by John Hawk (original pub date January 1930)]

• The headquarters link in the left-hand sidebar of the My Reader's Block blog will be updated in January for 2025 for easy access to this original challenge post, monthly review link-ups, and the final wrap-up. The final wrap-up link will not go live until the end of 2025, so please save your notification until that time.

• If you post on Facebook, Instagram, or other social media to log a book, please use #CalendarOfCrime2025.

2025 Key Word Reading Challenge

 

Kim and Tanya at the Chapter Adventure blog are once again hosting the Key Word Reading Challenge. It is one of my favorite challenges so I will be rejoining the challenge in 2025.

The challenge Rules are simple: 

1) Read a book each month with one (or more) of the key words in the title. Variations of key words are allow. For example: Drown, Drowning, Drowned are all okay for the key word ‘drown’.

2) Follow @chapter_adventure on Instagram and Threads if you’re on there. And/or join our Goodreads Group (GXO Reading Challenges). The challenge has also been added to Storygraph if you prefer to track your progress there! Post about your read for that month on our monthly check-in post here or at any of the platforms previously mentioned with the hashtag #keywordreadingchallenge⁠.

3) The challenge runs the calendar year.

4) Link your book reviews on the Chapter Adventure site.

The 2025 key words are below:

JAN– Storm, Time, Know, Return, Break, Hour, Twist, Silence

FEB– Art, Golden, Dream, First, Club, Went, Stay, Live

MAR– Deep, Clever, Sand, Little, Happy, Date, Guest, Over

APR– Rest, Days, Upstairs, Sing, Shell, Starlight, Life, Couple

MAY– Lost, City, Wind, Hide, Lie, Fan, Room, Clear

JUN– Great, Wander, Child, Mine, Book, Watch, Heart, Save 

JUL– Sunrise, Deepen, Story, Sweet, Resort, Good, Left, Ever

AUG– Side, World, Sound, Trial, Word, Hotel, Now, Say⁠

SEP– Borrow, Survive, Listen, Where, Sleeping, Crash, Please, Count

OCT– Bury, Ghost, Chain, Glass, Moon, Last, One, Street

NOV– Tale, Final, Feast, Bloom, Cliff, Wide, Memory, Always

DEC– Fable, Flirt, Truly, Shop, Winter, Yours, Warm, Love

She's Running on Fumes

She's Running on Fumes is a 2024 Comixology Original comic book. The book I read contained all 6 releases of the comic. The story takes place in Deepwater, Missouri in 1984. Note that this is a book for adults only as there is a ton of foul language, violence and dialogue about sex.

The publisher's summary is short:

When I was 3-years-old, my mother started a chop shop with a junkyarder named Corn Dog. My criminal father’s brain was damaged in a wreck that almost killed him. With hospital bills piling, us kids to feed and fifty-thousand dollars of biker cocaine gone missing, grand theft auto was Mom’s best shot at survival.

While the comic has an extensive plot that is well-written, I did not like how the characters spoke to each other. They were rude and crude with each other which created a stressful atmosphere. While I am aware that there is a segment of society that behaves this way, I wouldn't want to socialize with this group. That said, the author wrote a realistic portrait of this particular fringe group of hoodlums. The narrator was the son of Jody and Jeanne. Jody is the character whose brain was damaged in a car wreck. I feel that Jeanne should have left Jody long before she ended up with two rowdy kids. She is stuck accepting lousy, small paying jobs for the foreseeable future. I would have never put myself in this situation. 

The story was inspired by the author’s family history. Dennis Hopeless stated in an online interview with IGN:

“When I was 3-years-old my mother started a chop shop with a half-wit junkyarder named Corn Dog,” said Hopeless in a statement. “Dad was the criminal. Mom had never broken a law in her life, but with him brain-damaged, fifty-thousand dollars of cocaine gone missing and hospital bills piling up, grand theft auto was our only hope.”

Hopeless continued, “She’s Running on Fumes is based on the true story of how my mom lied, cheated and stole her way through dad’s tire fire and the freedom she found out the other side. The story is based on family stories and my father’s near-fatal accident from when I was a toddler. As I grew older, details were added that made it clear my father was a criminal and many of the events of my childhood were driven by his criminal dealings. The seeds of the idea came from asking my mother about these old stories as an adult and getting the real dirt.”

The illustrations were drawn by Tyler Jenkins with watercolor art painted by Hilary Jenkins. The letters were written by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.  The drawings looked sketchy to me but I believe that they matched the type of story that was told. 

4 out of 5 stars.

The Fox Maidens

Robin Ha, author of Almost American Girl, is one of my favorite graphic novelists. Her 2024 graphic novel, The Fox Maidens, is based on a famous character from Korean mythology, Gumiho. The story takes place 400 years ago in Korea during the reign of the Joseon Dynasty and it was a fun read.

The publisher's summary:

Kai Song dreams of being a warrior. She wants to follow in the footsteps of her beloved father, the commander of the Royal Legion. But while her father believes in Kai and trains her in martial arts, their society isn’t ready for a girl warrior.

Still, Kai is determined. But she is plagued by rumors that she is the granddaughter of Gumiho, the infamous nine-tailed fox demon who was killed by her father years before.

Everything comes crashing down the day Kai learns the deadly secret about her mother’s past. Now she must come to terms with the truth about her identity and take her destiny into her own hands. As Kai desperately searches for a way to escape her fate, she comes to find compassion, and even love, in the most unexpected places.

Set in sixteenth-century Korea and richly infused with Korean folklore, The Fox Maidens is a timeless and powerful story about fighting for your place in the world, even when it seems impossible.

First of all, I cannot be more excited about a comic's illustration than with The Fox Maidens. The color palette is gorgeous. Most of the comic book strips are drawn and colored with cool tones of every color but with a splash of bright colors such as red. It's very appealing.

Concerning the writing, it is fast paced with compelling characters and an action packed plot. Kai is the main character. She is presented as a feminist by her desire to fight alongside the men in her village. She is fearful of marrying and having children and hopes that her parents won't force her into marriage. At the end of the story we see her love for another female character. Kai's mother, Meorhu, is a physically fragile woman with a surprising past as a fox maiden. She hopes that her daughter will be able to escape the same fate. Then there is Gumiho. Gumiho is the deadly fox spirit who destroys the lives of all the others with her magic. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this story but must say that the first half was more exciting. During this part of the story we read about Kai as a human being. Her life in the village depicted the type of life a girl in Joseon Korea would live. In the second half she becomes a fox and here we really see the fantasy aspect of the story. The author’s note at the end explains her inspiration for writing this graphic novel. I found it as fascinating as the story itself.

4 out of 5 stars.