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A review by chaptersofmads
The God and the Gumiho by Sophie Kim
adventurous
dark
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
"There are no happy endings in your story. The god and the gumiho ends with tragedy."
ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
A fun and creative read that's sure to delight romantasy fans!
It's a testament to Sophie Kim's writing abilities that I enjoyed this story as much as I did. I started with anticipations high - due to the author's Talons series being one of my favorite trilogies - but quickly realized there were a lot of things about this story that clashed with my personal tastes. Particularly the fact the LI read like a Snape and Loki crossover, which is not my cup of tea.
However! Even with these personal issues and some technical ones, this was still a fun time. I had to look past certain things (such as how icky the fmc is. why was she consistently sticky and chewing weirdly?) but I was invested in the plot and ultimately, did care about their relationship.
This is sure to be a win with trope-driven readers, as this book is filled with many beloved tropes (sunshine x grumpy, forced proximity, etc.) without them feeling out of place. Due to the nature of the story and the fact it never took itself too seriously, these things felt like fun inclusions rather than eye-roll inducing fan-service.
I don't know if contemporary fantasy is one of my favorite things, but I will say that I appreciated how the author incorporated real world elements with her fantastical beings. It was reminiscent of how mystical creatures exist in the Shadowhunters world, while very much remaining its own story.
Overall, while this was not to my personal taste and it was a bit flawed, I still emphatically recommend this. If you're someone that wants a quick romantasy where the plot isn't lost to the romance and the characters have their own driving forces beyond their hormones, I do think you will love this.
Beyond anything else, looking past the stickiness, it is a fun time.
ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
A fun and creative read that's sure to delight romantasy fans!
It's a testament to Sophie Kim's writing abilities that I enjoyed this story as much as I did. I started with anticipations high - due to the author's Talons series being one of my favorite trilogies - but quickly realized there were a lot of things about this story that clashed with my personal tastes. Particularly the fact the LI read like a Snape and Loki crossover, which is not my cup of tea.
However! Even with these personal issues and some technical ones, this was still a fun time. I had to look past certain things (such as how icky the fmc is. why was she consistently sticky and chewing weirdly?) but I was invested in the plot and ultimately, did care about their relationship.
This is sure to be a win with trope-driven readers, as this book is filled with many beloved tropes (sunshine x grumpy, forced proximity, etc.) without them feeling out of place. Due to the nature of the story and the fact it never took itself too seriously, these things felt like fun inclusions rather than eye-roll inducing fan-service.
I don't know if contemporary fantasy is one of my favorite things, but I will say that I appreciated how the author incorporated real world elements with her fantastical beings. It was reminiscent of how mystical creatures exist in the Shadowhunters world, while very much remaining its own story.
Overall, while this was not to my personal taste and it was a bit flawed, I still emphatically recommend this. If you're someone that wants a quick romantasy where the plot isn't lost to the romance and the characters have their own driving forces beyond their hormones, I do think you will love this.
Beyond anything else, looking past the stickiness, it is a fun time.