The issue with this book as with so many fantasy reads lately, is that I neither liked nor outright disliked it - I just feel meh about it.
I was waiting to connect to the characters and sadly, there just wasn't a moment where it clicked - they could have died at any time and I would have not cared. At all. I mean, I spent a good 400 pages with them and I can't even recall their names. And that's not a good sign.
The insta-love didn't make it any better. We're introduced to the love interest as the "most handsome man I'd ever seen." While this is a trope that has been in countless YA novels, at this point, I demand more variety.
But the plot didn't live up to the hyped reviews either, instead it came across as ridden with tropes and sadly, too predictable. Some parts dragged on forever while others felt too rushed, the pacing just seemed off. The journey went on forever until we got to the actual "fun" part.
I knew I had issues with Kagawa's writing in the past and so thought I needed to give her another go, but her writing style just isn't for me - it never draws me in. Instead, it leaves me yawning at times, frustrated to get to the point at others.
In all honesty, this just felt too generic and a bit outdated for YA and me. But I did like the beautiful cover and the mythology that we get glimpses at in this novel.

I didn’t hate this book. But I didn’t love it and ended up DNF-ing which was unfortunate. It was nothing against the book, I actually really liked so many aspects of the story but I think it was very much I was not in the mood for the book and something didn’t click and so I ended up DNF-ing at the end of 2018.

This book seriously made me question at what point you should DNF. I found the story interesting and original. The exploration of Japanese mythology and folklore was fascinating and done well so that someone knows very little (like me) didn’t feel lost within the story but instead felt like they were being told but it also wasn’t too heavy handed so you feel overloaded with information either. It was gradually interspersed and that made me like it so much. I think my issue was very much I wasn’t in the mood for this book but also I didn’t connect with the characters. This may have been because there were multiple POV and we all know how I feel about those, or maybe my not being in the mood drive a wedge which stopped connecting, whatever the case it was very much a ‘it’s not you it’s me’ moment in DNF-ing. I felt so bad and questioned whether or not I should persist for the story but I knew how it would end. Me in a slump disliking the book when it really was a good story.

I did try and push through my mood and see if the characters would click for me but sadly that did not happen. If you are looking for a book with an interesting storyline with mythology and folklore you may be unfamiliar with then this is for you. There are plenty of far more positive reviews out there which shows it wasn’t the books fault.

I loved this book!
The story follows Yumeko, a half kitsune who was raised by monks and grew up in a temple, and Kage Tatsumi, a samurai of the Shadow Clan. Brought together by fate, they have to go on a journey that revolves around the search for the ancient Scroll of a Thousand Prayers.

Reading this book felt just like watching an anime. The descriptions of the setting and of all the creatures Yumeko and Tatsumi encounter were incredibly vivid and the action scenes were great.
The lack of the YA typical instalove made this book even better.

I’m pretty sure that fans of anime and Japanese folklore will enjoy “Shadow of the Fox“ a lot. I certainly did.

- I received a free copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. -

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me this ARC.

I absolutely LOVED this book! It's a Japanese mythical story about a girl who is half fox (Kitsune) and a legend about a dragon whose time to be summoned is coming soon. To summon the dragon, one must recite the prayers written on 3 scrolls - one of which the girl, Yumeko, has in her protection. On her quest to protect the scroll, she comes across a few samurai's, demons, kami's (gods), an emperor and more, some of whom become her companions along the way.
The story is told from the perspective of Yumeko and Tatsumi, a shadow samurai who possesses the Kamigoroshi sword, AKA the demon slayer sword.

I have never read a book from Japanese culture and I don't know much about the country's history and myths, so I absolutely LOVED this! I couldn't put it down! It held my attention the whole time I was reading it! I was so into the myths and characters and the story line as a whole, I just want more! Thankfully, the sequel is coming out in 6 months I think, but I can't wait!

Also, my obsession with foxes has multiplied by 1000, and it was pretty high to begin with! I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good journey, myths, Japanese folklore and adventure.

I liked Kagawa's Talon series, but hated the other one so much that i can't even remember what it's called, and the cover is appealing! We get multi POVs in this book, and i listened to the audio, where they did have the money to hire a male and female narrator, always a good things. One MC is a orphan basically living among monks, who happens to be a fox, very strange. Another MC is a samurai who has this cool demon soul that could take over his body at any moment. World building was on point for this book, and the blood magic's and just the magic in general was explained well but not cumbersome. The ending was a cliff hanger for me for sure, i need to know who that stranger was and what the heck is happening next!

Really enjoyed this sino-fantasy, full of thrills and peril. Each character with as much to hide as an Agatha Christie dinner party. Looking forward to the sequel.

3,5 stars

Over the years I’ve tried to read a few Kagawa books. The original Iron Fey books and later even Talon. None could really satisfy me when it came to characters or story. Was Shadow of the Fox amazing? No. But it was better than anything I’ve read of this author before.

I feel like this story shows in some writing that Kagawa did mature in her writing. I feel like the characters are less walking clichés and while the plot didn’t go entirely like I wanted to it also didn’t quite go the walked route either which I really enjoyed. So I am pleased with Shadow of the Fox on this front.

Shadow of the Fox is inspired by Japanese mythology and I really enjoyed that. There are so many familiarities that as a manga and anime fan I came across. In terms and used mythology. But there were also things that I hadn’t heard of before. So there were still new things to discover as well. I enjoyed the mythology aspects.

As for the story I liked the start. Initially it really grabbed me with Yumeko as a character. But as the plot really started it kind of dwindled. It stagnated as I didn’t get the sense of urgency from our characters as they traveled that the mission required. In the end however the story picked up tremendous speed and things really took off.

The combination of Yumeko with Tatsumi was also a factor in this. The story is told through dual first person point of view and while I mostly enjoyed Yumeko’s, Tatsumi’s was another matter. He was rather on the bland side to follow. And while I understand why that is, it didn’t make for a very interesting read. Normally I like characters like him, but I missed the interaction with the demon in his chapters. I missed the subtle influences the demon should be having on him. It made the ending a bit of a sudden emergence for me.

Yumeko was just a marvel. A wide-eyed, naïve but mischievous half Kitsune that suddenly gets thrown into having a task, a purpose, having lost everyone she’s known since birth. I loved how they picked up some strays along the way. The sarcastic rounin and our determined noble. It created an amusing group nearing the end. Something that the start missed.

Overal I think this is a good start to the series and if I have to rec anyone a Kagawa book, it certainly will be this one!

Full of Kagawa's tropes this first installment in a series let me down; it not only was predictable and instalovey but also had the heroine surrounded by prominent male characters as if she couldn't have been strong on her own.

Yumeko is just peasant girl to most peoples eyes, but some can see through the cloaking to her ears and tail, she is half fox. The monks received a note telling them that she would be the savior, so they took her in, trained her and then entrusted her with a secret.

Yumekos journey across the .lands makes her friends and enemies, and some find that the path they thought they were on isnt as simple as the mission should be.

If you like a little YA fantasy this is the book for you, personally I struggled with the amount of words that meant nothing to me, which isnt unusual as the first book in the series, but there were just so many, along with names I couldnt pronounce in my head I really had to pay attention. Theres a glossary at the back that is useful ( so Id suggest the 'real' version over the eBook) but I found it too late.

Thank you NetGalley for this opportunity to read and review this awesome book!!

Shadow of Fox synopsis:
One thousand years ago the great Kami Dragon was summoned to grant a single wish and the land of Iwagato was plunged into ago of darkness.

Now, whoever holds the scroll of thousand prayers, a new wish will be granted and a new age will be dawn.

And its up to Yumeko, a yokai, who must hide her identity, that she is half kitsune and that she has the sacred scroll and Kage Tatsumi, a samurai of Shadow Clan, who has a demon inside him, that is more deadly than demons or monsters after them and the scroll!!

This epic fantasy book is full of much color!!
Strong world building, unique, loveable, interesting characters, japanese mythology, action, adventure!! Everything you want in a book!! The description of monsters, demons and characters brought to live!! Cant rave enough, how I love this book!! Cant wait for next book in this series Soul of the Sword!!

I was a little bit wary going in to this book as the hype around is was so big, however it was truly worth it.
This does have a lot of your typical YA tropes however as the setting and story itself is so unusual i found them to be a lot more bearable.
The characters in this story were also great, i liked both of the main characters and loved that i got to experience this story from both of their point of views.

Definitely worth a read if you fancy a "typical" YA story with a twist!

I’m gong to say that Shadow of the Fox is something pretty magical. From the incredible world building to the fantastic characters this ticked all the right boxes for me. Yumeko’s mischievous Kitsune is wonderful, she’s like that friend who always seems to get away with things no matter how much trouble they cause! She is the perfect antidote to the serious and sensible Kage. The story itself is set in 3 parts alternating between Yumeko and Kage for the main chapters. I really enjoy dual POV books and the additional insight they give in a first person narrative. What is a little different though, is that each part is opened by Suki, who we meet at the very start and her pages help to fill in the blanks whilst the main players are on their adventure and adventure is what this book is at its heart. Like your favourite anime series met Wizard of Oz, Yumeko is on a journey fraught with dangers but meets those on her way who help in ways she didn’t know she needed. Each place she finds herself she is met with a new test, a new boss battle of sorts with each being more terrible than the last. I loved the use of magics in the writing and how everything from forest spirits to angered ghosts make an appearance. Everything is described with such vivid beauty and the #ownvoice adds a depth and warmth to the pages where the Japanese flows seamlessly.

What was also refreshing is that any romance was kept to blushes and glances, yes there is a hint of inevitability as to where things are leaded (i’m pretty certain love will save the day eventually) but Yumeko is not to be distracted from her task and rightly so given the lives that were lost to set her on her path. Given her sheltered upbringing anything more would not have been authentic to the story. There was nothing I didn’t love about this story, and that includes a potentially inadvertent Monty Python moment (a knight, a bridge, non shall pass…) which may go over the heads of some, but tickled me none the less. Shadow of the Fox is a wonderful addition to the recent flurry of Asian mythology, with fantastic characters that you can’t help but cast in your head, gorgeous surroundings and heart in mouth set pieces. If you want a book to get truly lost in then this will certainly be the one to do it!

5*

A touch slow to start and took a little time to get into, this is a great read. I am a fan of Julie kagawa and was not disappointed at all, I love the world she has created a mythical world where all the creatures from Japanese mythology come to life , all the nods to Japanese culture even etiquette are well done and I can't wait for the next in the series. 4 stars largely due to taking time to get into.

2.75

I was really looking forward to reading "Shadow of the Fox" because I liked the idea of a novel based on Japanese mythology. Unfortunately, this book didn't meet my expectations.

The mythology was fine, but the characters just weren't all that well developed and acted and interacted in a rather forced and unrealistic fashion.

The female protagonist is presented in a painfully naive fashion, doesn't in any way react to the traumatic events she undergoes at the very start of the novel, and somehow has been raised by warrior monks without having picked up any notable combat skills.

The male protagonist's storyline was predictable but also confusing due to some inconsistencies in his backstory: he's introduced as an amazing assassin but constantly has to be saved by his magic sword, and he is a special kind of super secret assassin even though basically everyone he meets immediately knows who he is.

The supporting characters are all rather underdeveloped (even Okame is rather one-note) and the antagonist for some reason constantly talks to herself even though spirits are all around her and she knows they can hear her.

The plot itself was fine but it dragged in a lot places, spending time on countless subplots that don't really tie into the overall story and therefore feel rather underdeveloped and unnecessary.

Overall, I liked the idea of this novel more than the actual novel.

I'm so happy I read this book. It was really refreshing!
I've never read a book from Julie Kagawa, so I decide to start with her last creature to see how she writes and how she works. Her writing was really good, the plot was solid, the characters challenging and the setting fabulous.
I want to start with the setting. It reminds me a lot of Inuyasha. It's not just the atmosphere, with temples and Woods and spirit animals. It was the climate, the images, the scenes: everything reminds me of this anime. I was so happy about that! I dreamed of an ancient Japan just like the one Kagawa describes. But there were different things than anime vibes anyway, and they were the strongest aspect of this book.
The main protagonist is a girl who can switch into a fox: she is something like an outcast, because her species is considered unreliable. She lives in a temple, with monks who educate her, while she reciprocates by working for them. The other character is a demonslayer and he works for his clan, out of the laws. He is an assassin with a powerful sword. Their characters are the opposite: she is sunny, he is cloudy, she is gentle, he is cold.
Everything starts when they discover the importance of a scroll, which can change the world. At some point they meet and their "friendship" begins.
The fantasy elements were fantastic! I appreciate the great number of Japanese legends and traditions that form the background of the fantasy world created by the author. It was rich and full of surprising ideas.
However, there are some scenes really boring. At the end of the book I was feeling annoyed and not so interested in the plot or in the characters anymore. Maybe it was a my problem, but the book started feeling dry and not so charming as the first reading experience.

I don't like long reviews, so I stop here.
This novel was good, refreshing and stimulant, but I lost interest at the end.
I know this review is all over the place, but I'm in my exams session and I stole some time from the study to write this not-so-homogeneous thing. Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for sending me this free digital copy in Exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much again #Netgalley, the publisher & the author, for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.

Story: 4/5 When she flees from the demons who burned down the home she lived in, she walks into a member of
the Shadow Clan who is able to kill those demons. The decision that has been made to travel together, things work out fine
for the both of them right?

Characters: 4/5 We follow two main characters; Yumeko, who was raised by monks and was told to bring the scroll to
safety within another temple, so that the monks there will be able to protect it.
And Kage, from the Shadow Clan (I was/am not sure to actually trust..). He is looking for a scroll, not knowing that ever since
they met, Yumeko has that certain scroll strapped to her body. This is not he only thing he doesn't know about her...

Writing: 4/5 I personally like it when words in another language are thrown in, but only when they add to the story.
And they did! And I loved how they added another layer to the story.

Reread: Yes, I think I will. Also want to read the next book in this trilogy.

Finally, I get the feudal Japan-inspired story full of mythology. I was hoping for just that in an earlier release this year, and was sadly disappointed. But my faith has been rewarded with Shadow of the Fox! It was very well done. The setting felt so familiar – having seen a lot of period drama’s from Japan – and there were so many mythological beings, some known and also a few unfamiliar ones. I liked seeing both the temple life, rural villages, as well as the larger cities with their splendour. The world is very much Japan-inspired, with similar names, language, culture and mythology, but a different history, leading to different type of clans and structure to society. It feels like a very natural version, like this is what it might have looked like, had youkai existed. We get all the staples of feudal Japan, even ninjas which are called shinobi which I like much better, ‘ninja’ just sounds so cringy to me.

I ended up really liking the group of characters that come together in this story. We only get two main perspectives, which is for the best I think. They sound and feel very different, and each get enough time to tell their side of the story. Yumeko got on my nerves a little bit at the start. She was very naïve, and while it made sense with her upbringing at the temple, at a certain point her not understanding sarcasm or jokes wasn’t believable anymore. Luckily the naiveté didn’t extend to dangerous situations, so in the end I came to like what she brought to the story. Tatsumi is our typical stoic male lead, with an interesting backstory which creates some believable tension. What was very refreshing was that there is actual communication between our leads. While of course not all secrets are shared, there is very little of the usual ‘mysterious male being frustratingly vague about why he’s dangerous’. Tatsumi tells her fairly quickly, and is as open as he can be, and I love him for it. It lets their connection build in a very believable way between them, and it’s a nice change from the usual scenarios in these stories. The supporting characters are all varied and cover a variety of backgrounds and motivations. Okame delivers some much need criticism of the honour system of the samurai, and society in general, and his sarcasm is a nice change from both Yumeko and Tatsumi’s tone. I love that we have now a noble, a miko and a priest along for the next leg of the journey, such a varied group. When it’s just the two of them you are kind of waiting for romance to develop – I liked that it wasn’t instantaneous, and that even near the end of the book we’re still just at the level of interest and a connection, enough to help the story, but not so much that it becomes unrealistic. I do wish that Tatsumi’s initial reaction to her was more due the fact that he could sense her half-youkai-ness rather than attraction – and who knows, maybe it was?

Now this is going to sound like a criticism, but it really isn’t. When I first started reading, the story reminded me very much of an anime I used to watch back in the day – one of the first ones I ever watched actually. Featuring a group of unlikely companions travelling through feudal Japan with youkai (demons) and yurei (ghosts), with one of them being a hanyou (their name for half-demons), hunting for parts of a magical object that can grant immense power – You can see how it sounds the same on paper. This is not a gripe though! I felt such nostalgia, and the characters and elements added to the story are different enough that it does its own thing. I adore this set up, and will always be there to read more of it. There was a nice variety in pacing between action scenes and more character-driven moments. My main and only gripe is that, for me, the writing had a tendency to be repetitive when it came to motivations – after a certain amount of time spent reading about characters I would hope that we know the character well enough to understand a certain motivation, when it has already been mentioned about ten times. I don’t need an explanation every time a characters makes a decision based on that motivation. There was also some over-explanation, where less would have been more, not to mention it made certain twists less surprising. Examples of the former would be Tatsumi constantly mentioning why he couldn’t have feelings every time he suppressed them. At some point we get it. An example of the latter would be Okame when the gang leader ordered them killed. Him saying out loud that he had promised they would be left alive, sounded not only naïve, but also made it quite obvious that he was going to switch sides. A disgruntled look, and perhaps an comment AFTER he double-crosses the gang, would have left at least some uncertainty as to what he was going to do. And this is really my only gripe with the story, over-explanation and too much emphasis where it didn’t need it for me. Maybe other people appreciated that more. It wasn’t enough to annoy me, it just made me start skimming those lines. There were plenty of things to make up for it.

This was a very enjoyable read, as my review already showed. It took me a minute to get the mood and pace of the story, and once I did, I was hooked. I flew through the book, coming back to it. I will definitely be picking up the next one, as I want to know where this story is going to go. It’s also really making me want to rewatch that anime!

I was a little wary going into this book because I'd tried to read another book by this author earlier in the year and I really didn't get along with it. Thankfully, I loved this one!

This is a fantasy featuring a Kitsune and lots of Japanese folklore that was action packed and I can't wait for the next one!

Dear Julie Kagawa, publishers and netgalley, I am so grateful to you guys for allowing me to read this early because it was one hell of a ride. I mean, what more can I ask for? Dragons, it got ‘em. Adventure, it’s got it. It was simply a masterpiece. Let me start from the beginning.

Every thousand years, this sacred Dragon is able to grant the wish of anybody who goes to him. But in order to call upon Kami The Dragon, you must read a prayer to him. However, to stop the bad guys getting the wish, the prayer has been split into many parts. The Scroll, which holds the prayer, is hunted for generations and generations in order to get the wish. Enter Kumeko, as her local temple burns to the ground, she escapes with its treasure; a piece of the scroll. She then encounters many people who would kill in order to get the full scroll. She must keep the secret of the scroll or her life will be on the line.

Overall I would give this read 4 out of 5 stars.

Shadow of the Fox Showed Flashes of Brilliance

*Received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

Let’s jump right into this shall we? Because this book doesn’t waste any breath throwing you into the mysterious and immersive world of Japanese myths. With an ominous tone, which foreshadows some of the darker themes, the scene is set. As someone who is fascinated by legends of kitsune, I found this more than lived upto any conception I had of it. I adored how distinctive stories, imbedded in a rich culture, were threaded through the narrative to create an exquisite reading experience.

One of the most effective ways this was achieved was through the fantastic characterisation of the main character- the girl who is half human, half mythical fox. Her voice was strong and had a wonderful comedic edge, which made the mood feel as perfectly balanced as a sword in the hand of a Samarai. Yumeko’s way of talking had a unique sense of innocence, while maintaining a humorous edge. Though she felt reminiscent of Puck from Kagawa’s Iron Fey series, she was also entirely distinctive and it felt great to have such a joyful character in the starring role for a change.

In case that wasn’t enough, comic relief came through in many of the other characters and really bounced off the more serious figures in the story. Through this contrast, the more murky personalities had a greater chance to shine. There were times when it did feel a bit headhoppy for me, but I also appreciated how every character- from Okame to the Kage warrior- had such strong and individual voices that this didn’t matter.

In terms of the rest of the writing, there was plenty of stunning imagery to maintain the illusion of this fantastical world. I especially appreciated how some images were cast against others in dichotomous harmony. Some descriptions were a tad samey- particularly since I saw exact words and images repeated on the same page- which, may seem like a nitpicky point (cos it is), made some parts feel repetitive. All in all, though, there were some standout lines in the book and the prose had a life of its own.

Though at times the story felt somewhat generic, the tension did climb towards the end. As much as I liked the way it started, the conclusion was even better. In a sensational finale, the book both closed a lot of chapters, but also opened up a path for new adventures. I for one can’t wait for more!

I’ll admit, I’ve had my ups and downs with Kagawa over the years- but one can’t argue that any of her books are ever the same. Sure, she plays to some of her strengths here, and that works a charm. Yet what’s really remarkable here is what she does differently. For all the teeny tiny flaws, this was a definite return to form for an excellent author. So all that’s left to say is I WANT MORE!

Rating: 4/5 bananas