The Fox Maidens

November 20, 2023
Ha (Almost American Girl) puts a queer and feminist twist on the origins of the Fox Maiden from Korean folklore in this fantastical graphic novel. The only daughter of famed General Song, 10-year-old Kai desperately wants to be a fighter like her older brothers. But her father will only train her secretly, believing that the patriarchal Joseon society will never accept a female warrior. The rumors that she’s a descendant of Gumiho, a nine-tailed fox demon, ostracize her further. But her strong sense of justice emboldens her to stay on the warrior path and prompts her to aid a thief in their escape. On the day she experiences her first moonblood, or period, Kai’s life changes drastically, forcing her mother to reveal the truth about her own past—and about Kai’s destiny. Across cleanly rendered, digitally illustrated panels with starkly highlighted hues in reds, blues, greens, and yellows, Kai tenaciously attempts to change her fate, encounters a familiar face on a parallel journey, and finds compassion and love along the way. Front matter provides context into historical worldbuilding. An author’s note concludes. Characters are Korean. Ages 13–up. Agent: Samantha Haywood, Transatlantic Literary.

March 15, 2024
Grades 8-12 *Starred Review* Award-winning Korean American graphic artist Ha (Almost American Girl, 2020) returns to her birth country with a story set four centuries ago, in the rigidly striated society of Hanyang (now Seoul). Kai, however, is a singular outlier, trained to be a warrior by her revered father, General Song, who was elevated to the top class of yangban after killing Gumiho, the powerful nine-tailed fox able to shape-shift into a beautiful woman. The Gumiho link continues to haunt the Song family, fed by rumors that Kai's mother is Gumiho's daughter, which explains Kai's prowess that far surpasses her older half brothers' abilities. When a long-ago clan war reignites, Kai becomes a target, and her survival demands she confront her inevitable legacy. "When I first conceived of this graphic novel about Gumiho, I thought it would be a fun, action-packed, fantastical thriller, full of cool scenes for me to draw," Ha writes in her can't-miss author's note. She's succeeded stupendously, her panels gorgeously fluid with motion, saturated colors, and empathic emotions. "What I've actually made is a book about generational trauma," she elucidates, highlighting "Korean women . . . [who] live with the heavy burden of generational trauma caused by the patriarchy and war . . . Korea was built on the backs of Korean women who sacrificed their entire lives for their country." Ha's magnificent storytelling reclaims, reveals, and honors their strength.

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March 15, 2024

Gr 7 Up-From monster to mistreated, Ha redefines our understanding of the Gumiho-the nine-tailed fox of Korean folktales-by infusing the female perspective. Kai wants nothing more than to live her life how she wants. Sadly, it's a near impossibility in the Joseon era-a time where a society run by men relegated women to traditional roles. Those who did not fit, like this talented martial artist, were often ostracized. Still, Kai tries to meet the expectations of her supportive family, even after discovering she is a fox demon. No matter her actions, the story revolves around the inner turmoil between being herself versus her morals. However, the late-game LGBTQIA+ love link resolves the issue. Ha ties the mythical symbol of a powerful, monstrous woman to the trauma of women forced into monstrous choices. For those unfamiliar with the source material, she provides a foreword and footnotes with further explanation, as well as certain cultural and linguistic particularities. Her art fittingly takes influence from Joseon-era paintings with pops of red, yellow, and blue surrounded by muted hues, while calligraphic brushwork is seen in the digital line art.VERDICT A worthy addition to the canon of myths retold through the female lens that will appeal to any who enjoys the monster's backstory.-Rachel Forbes.

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 1, 2023
Noted graphic memoirist Ha makes her fiction debut with this feminist retelling of the legend of the Gumiho, set in Korea during the Joseon dynasty. Kai Song is no ordinary general's daughter: She was born with a gift for fighting and has been trained in martial arts by her father, General of the Royal Legion and a hero of the dynasty who's known for slaying Gumiho (a nine-tailed fox demon that can shapeshift into a beautiful woman). Wild, spirited Kai has no patience for Joseon social norms, which dictate that she should become a subservient wife or a courtesan to high-status men. Her unusual upbringing doesn't help curb the widespread rumors that Kai and her mother are descendants of the very demon her father defeated. Through the years, Kai's talent becomes more of a liability as she begins to attract unwanted attention around her village and from her father's enemies. When Kai unexpectedly learns the true nature of her abilities, deeply hidden family secrets come to light, and she's set on a tumultuous path of self-discovery. Ha employs a limited but versatile color palette to create a world that feels grounded in real history yet imbued with magic. The inkbrush-like digital illustrations are evocative of traditional Asian art and contrast poignantly with the book's contemporary treatment of nonconformity, queerness, and intergenerational trauma. A lushly illustrated fantasy that feels ancient and modern at the same time. (author's note) (Graphic fantasy. 13-18)

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