Book Summary and Reviews of The God and the Gumiho by Sophie Kim

The God and the Gumiho by Sophie Kim

The God and the Gumiho

by Sophie Kim

  • Critics' Consensus (5):
  • Published:
  • Jun 2024, 416 pages
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About this book

Book Summary

In this sly and dazzling contemporary fantasy, the most notorious nine-tailed fox in Korea pairs up with a trickster god–turned–detective to track down a wrathful demon ... before it can destroy the mortal world.

Kim Hani has retired from a life of devouring souls. She is, simply put, too full. Once known as the infamous Scarlet Fox, she now spends her days working in a coffee shop and annoying a particularly irritating, if unfairly handsome, trickster god as often as she can.

That god is Seokga the Fallen. Exiled from the heavenly kingdom of Okhwang, he now begrudgingly resides in the mortal realm, working toward his redemption and suffering through his interactions with the particularly infuriating, if sneakily charming, gumiho barista at his favorite café. 

But when a powerful demon escapes from the underworld and threatens to end all of humanity, Okhwang's emperor offers Seokga an enticing bargain: Kill this rogue creature, as well as the legendary and elusive Scarlet Fox, and he will be reinstated as a god. Hani, however, has no intention of being caught. Seokga might be a trickster god, but she has a trick of her own that he'll never see coming: teaming up. As Seokga's assistant, Hani will undermine and sabotage his investigation right under his overly pointy nose. Sure, she'll help him kill the demon, but she certainly won't allow him to uncover her secret identity while they're at it.

As the bickering partners track their case down a path of mayhem and violence, the god and the gumiho find themselves inescapably drawn to each other. But will the unlikely couple stand together to prevent the apocalypse, or will they let their secrets tear them—and the world—apart?

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Reviews

Media Reviews

"Enchanting fantasy ... With an intoxicating mix of action, mystery, and deliciously angsty romance, this reads like the most bingeable K-drama." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"YA author Kim's adult debut is an action-filled contemporary fantasy based in Korean mythology, featuring morally gray characters and a little heat." —Library Journal (starred review)

"Korean folklore, murder mystery, and a quirky love/hate story combine in this highly entertaining novel. The God and the Gumiho is one of a kind!" —Juliet Marillier, author of the Sevenwaters series and the Blackthorn & Grim series

"The tastiest treat for fantasy lovers ... Following the perfect drama between two sneaky immortals, The God and the Gumiho glows with its supernatural antics and sumptuous world." —Chloe Gong, #1 New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights

This information about The God and the Gumiho was first featured in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.

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Author Information

Sophie Kim

Sophie Kim has a penchant for writing stories that feature mythology, monsters, mystery, and magic. Her work includes young adult novels such as the Talons series and books on the adult spectrum such as The God and the Gumiho.

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