"The Fox Maidens" presents a captivating and unique concept that immediately hooks readers into its world of mystery and folklore. While the overall story is a fairly good read with its intriguing premise, there are moments where the narrative loses momentum, causing some struggles to stay fully engaged. Despite this, the allure of the concept and the intriguing elements woven throughout the story make "The Fox Maidens" a worthwhile read for those interested in folklore-inspired tales with a twist.

the art of this was incredibly beautiful, and the story was so cool! i wish there were more time to spend on the romance so it'd be less insta-love-y, but that's often the tradeoff you take with mythology / fairytales and it was worth it.

Kai wants nothing more than to be a warrior like her father, and while her father believes in her their time in history doesn’t view women in combat roles well at all. Meanwhile the rumors about her are running rampant, but could they be true?
This was a good book full of action and suspense. Being a female veteran, I will always be on team Kai. I liked the Korean Lore, and all the imagery of the foxes. But the secrets will also kill.

Kai Song is not like the other girls in her village who are happy to be married off as a possession and trophy. She longs to blaze a life of adventure as a warrior. She is fierce and wild and a talented martial artist who her father trains to become the best student in his academy. But while her parents love her dearly, she is despised by her half brothers and her father’s second wife as an embarrassment. Worse yet, rumors circulate that she is in fact the granddaughter of Gumiho, a wicked fox demon that’s feeds on men. I spite of all this, she struggles to prove them all wrong, but her mother’s mysterious and dark past may be the key to her undoing.

This is the best kind of fiction, rich in culture and lovingly crafted to capture the eye and the heart. Kai is a wonderful hero, very inspiring and full of determination and git and courage, but also vulnerable as a young woman is . I loved reading her story and learning about Korean folklore and culture as well as history. This book drew me in with its simple but emotional and beautiful art and never let me go till the last page.

The Fox Maidens by Robin Ha, is a wonderful retelling of the legend of the nine tailed fox demon of Korean folklore following Kai Song and her dream of becoming a warrior in a time when it is not allowed for women. Plagued by rumors of being related to and thus destined to become a nine tailed fox demon, Kai must overcome not only her fate but her womanhood as well. It is a fast paced read with compelling characters, and a well developed plot. The illustrations and coloring are gorgeously done. The story is a powerful coming of age set in a storied age, with the links to the legend are wonderfully wrought. All in all it is a great read that I highly recommend.

It was a cute concept and an alright read. I have to admit that the setup to the girls getting together I wasn’t as engaged with as I could be, but I wanted to read after they got together

Kai is the only daughter in her family and even though she is a girl, her father still teaches her how to fight alongside her brothers. On her thirteenth birthday she discovers that her mother made a deal with Gumiho in order to have a child and the rumors that follow her and her mother have more truth to them than she imagined.

This was such an interesting graphic novel! I really liked that there was a prelude to the story that detailed historical context and Korean mythology. I also really appreciated the annotations throughout the novel.

I love stories where characters meet as children and then come to find each other again later in life. Kai and Sura’s relationship was not the full focus of the story but it was nice to read about.

Thank you to NetGalley for making this available in exchange for an honest review!

I was so excited for The Fox Maidens having heard of Ha's previous book Almost American Girl. This YA fantasy retelling of the Fox Maiden legend does a phenomenal job at conveying this sense of action from the graphic novel. It's hard to do in 2D, but for the battle and action scenes you got a sense of the movement. In The Fox Maidens is a story about what we would do if we had to, to survive, but also what we chose not to do.

I will never not go wild for a queer graphic novel. Fox Maidens was no exception. Throw in mythology and I’m not moving from my front and center space.

The art was exceptional. I love how it had the classic comic style feel to it while having its own style. I think the style and colors fit the storyline really well.

Overall, this was a solid graphic novel. I loved the Korean lore aspects and how it was tied into Kai’s life. I only thought the romance aspect could’ve been better it felt rushed and the storyline got a little muddled towards the end. Will always defend women’s wrongs though so Kai as a Fox timeline was perfect to me.

This is a beautifully illustrated update to a popular story from Korean folklore. This story is set 400 years ago and tells the story of a mother and daughter that find their lives intertwined with the Gumiho.

The only drawback I found with this story was the abrupt ending. The setup is very in depth, but a love story appears out of nowhere toward the end and then it is over. I’m only upset because I wanted more happiness to balance out the earlier pain.

Recommended for: fairytale and folklore retelling readers

Content warning: violence; nudity

I received a digital ARC of this graphic novel from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

As someone unfamiliar with the mythology around Gumiho, I was very intrigued by the premise of this book. I loved the historical setting and learning more about a culture I don't have much familiarity with. Kai was a compelling main character and I enjoyed seeing her grow to embrace her fox side. The gorgeous illustrations truly brought Joseon to life. Overall, I really liked this!

The Fox Maidens is a queer, feminist retelling of the fox maiden legend from Korean mythology and it absolutely delivered on every possible way. It deals with generational trauma, gender inequality, queerness, and fighting for your place in the world. I can't recommend it enough.

"The Fox Maidens" by Robin Ha is a graphic novel fantasy—a queer, feminist reimagining of the Fox Maiden legend from Korean mythology.

While graphic novels aren't my preferred reading format, I took a chance on this book because its description was so captivating. "The Fox Maidens" is a timeless and powerful story about fighting for your place in the world, even when it seems impossible, and finding compassion and love in the most unexpected places. The artwork was incredible and really helped move the story along. Make sure you read the author's note, because her inspiration and insight made me love the whole story just a little bit more.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for the ARC. This story is perfect for students middle grade & above and I'd highly recommend it -- especially to those who love graphic novels, comics, or manga.

What an excellent graphic novel! I enjoyed Robin Ha's graphic memoir Almost American Girl, so I was excited to receive this ARC of The Fox Maidens, having already heard early positive reviews. Wow, a great read! It follows Kai, a young woman living in 16th century Korea who dreams of being a warrior. She faces people who do not want this path for a woman, but her father insists because she is so skilled. Rumors abound, however, that she is the granddaughter of Gumiho, the nine-tailed fox demon. While she attempts to run away from her fate, she faces many experiences at home and off in the woods. This YA graphic novel is based on Korean folklore but has many themes still relevant for today. It is engaging and balances action and character development. The graphics are good for a range of readers. I recommend it for high school purchases. Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the ARC.

A genuine Korean story illustrated with lots of details from the period and culture. As a lover of Korean historical shows, I love this story. Gumiho, the nine-tailed fox is my favorite Asian myth in any Asian culture.

In this graphic novel, we follow a young girl who loves martial arts and doesn't want to be ladylike and marry. Kai wants to learn how to fight and help her father investigate crime, but when she comes of age secrets unravel and she learns more about her mother, how a Gumiho helped her mother, and why Kai became a fox as well. Kai must choose what to do next and who to become. She will struggle and find despair but also the love of another girl who is unique.

I loved each chapter and the ending even more.

Well-written and beautifully illustrated. For teens and older readers.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for this e-ARC

"From the bestselling, award-winning creator of Almost American Girl comes an epic new graphic novel fantasy - a queer, feminist reimagining of the Fox Maiden legend from Korean mythology. Perfect for fans of Nimona, Squire, and The Prince and the Dressmaker.

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."

It's no joke, I love reinterpretations of the wonderful Fox Maiden legend.

The story was really compelling and I was really drawn in. I couldn’t believe that this was your first graphic novel it was really well done. It was interesting to learn about “Gumiho”, Kai, and how the story came to a conclusion. I liked how some resolutions were unexpected.

I unfortunately do not have any negative feedback or any critiques for you. I’m very impressed by this book and can’t wait to read it again when it is finally published!

I’ve always been fascinated with the legends and myths of the nine tailed fox so I was very excited for this graphic novel. More than just a new take on Korean folklore, this story is about generational trauma, gender inequality and fighting to be yourself in a world that wants you to stay in line. I thought the illustrations were really wonderful and fit the story extremely well. Kai was an amazing main character and I loved her journey. I also really loved seeing the flashback of how her mother and father met and how Gumiho fit into their lives. I did think the ending was a little rushed and I had to reread it to make sure I understood it. I really liked the pages at the beginning which explain the legend of the nine tailed fox and also Joseon society. It was very helpful to have that information and also the notes peppered throughout the pages with asterisks. Overall, I really enjoyed this graphic novel!
CW: death, violence, murder

Thank you to NetGalley and Balzar + Bray for an advanced digital reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

This started out as an interesting graphic novel and I really enjoyed the parts with Gumiho and Kai's parents, but the "romance" was awful. I don't think it meshed well at all with the story and didn't really happen until chapters 9 and 10 (of 10 total). Either there should have been more hints to the romance throughout the story, or there should have been none at all. It really soured the ending for me and left me confused (are they human now? are one or both immortal?).

I absolutely loved this graphic novel. I previously enjoyed the author’s graphic novel about her life moving to America, and this one was just as great in its own way. I loved the main character and her determination, and her anger at how she and her mother were treated by the rest of her family, as well as society. I did not expect the ending, and the queer turn the graphic novel took was quite surprising as well, but definitely enjoyed. I like the art style, and I did like how words that I was unfamiliar with were explained at the bottom, but even without that, it could still be inferred for the most part. Overall, I really enjoyed this read!