Fantasies rooted in diversity and culture are our bread and butter here at THP. So you can imagine our delight when we saw the release of Katrina Kwan’s new book, The Legend of the Nine-Tailed Fox!
The Legend of The Nine-Tailed Fox draws inspiration from—you guessed it—the legend of the nine-tailed fox. Typically found in East Asian folklore, nine-tailed foxes are shapeshifters that feed on human souls. In this novel, Yue is one such creature, who’s forced to work with a demon hunter to find her way out of Hell.
A dark, gripping fairy tale for adults, this story had us in a chokehold. (No, really. We finished reading in only a matter of hours.) Here are three of our favorite things about The Legend of the Nine-Tailed Fox by Katrina Kwan!
Book Overview: The Legend Of The Nine-Tailed Fox
Content warnings: death, murder, graphic violence, gore, bodies, corpses, burns, hostages, forced captivity, poisoning, scars, weapons (Read at your discretion!)
Summary: Yue may be the last of her kind. At night, she stalks the streets of the capital city of Longhao, luring in unsuspecting victims with the mask of a beautiful woman, then consuming them in her true form of the nine-tailed fox.
When she is captured by a powerful demon hunter named Sonam and banished to Hell, she manages one final act of revenge: dragging him—and two of his subordinates—down with her.
Now trapped in an abyss with unimaginable terrors, they’ll need each other’s help to navigate Hell and bypass the gods who preside over each circle, each of whom presents the group with a unique and deadly challenge. Forced to depend on one another as they claw their way out of the underworld, both demon and demon hunter discover that there might be more to the other than meets the eye.
Yue’s Humanity
We love nothing more than when a demon or commonly villainized character flips their script. The Legend of the Nine-Tailed Fox paints Yue as a demon with morals. She only targets the worst, most abusive humans to eat. She possesses a humanity that other demons and gods don’t have. We see that in her connections with Sonam and his subordinates, Sooah and Wen. Then once we get a look into more of Yue’s backstory, we learn that her humanity has been there for years. It’s subversive and empowering, which we can always appreciate.
The Trials In Hell
Another thing we love about The Legend of the Nine-Tailed Fox is what kind of trials Yue, Sonam, Sooah, and Wen go through in Hell. This unlikely quartet faces temptation, captivity, and so much violence. Luckily, everyone knows how to fight well and overcome less-than-ideal conditions (which would be an understatement). All the while, someone from Yue’s past continues to haunt her, chasing her through Hell and beyond. The setting feels all the more lively and immersive when literally anything is possible.
Sonam’s Solution
The Legend of the Nine-Tailed Fox also has an incredibly well-written and satisfying resolution. Don’t worry; we don’t spoil endings here at THP. Once Sonam and Co. get back to the palace, they stop at nothing to carry out their jobs and protect the humans from demons. To do this, Sonam must get creative and use his imagination to the fullest extent possible. He taps into his love of art and even pushes his own abilities past the limits. Of course, we need to give Sonam props for standing on business concerning Yue as well.
A breathtaking fantasy adventure rooted in culture and loving one’s flaws, you don’t want to miss The Legend of the Nine-Tailed Fox by Katrina Kwan!
The Legend of the Nine-Tailed Fox by Katrina Kwan comes out February 24th. You can order a copy of it here!
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