The Fox Maidens
Age 13+
Comic Strip Fiction / Graphic Novels
A sapphic fantasy adventure graphic novel inspired by the Korean folklore of Gumiho, the nine-tailed fox.
Kai has trained all her life in her father’s martial arts school. Though she is looked down upon for being a girl, she proves her courage when assassins launch a ruthless attack on her family. Yet Kai is the inheritor of a dark secret: each month she is transformed into a fox demon, and must hunt and kill a man so she can return to her life as a young woman. As the deaths mount and the townspeople start to voice their suspicions, Kai desperately searches for a way out.
Meanwhile, there is a mysterious girl who shares a secret bond with Kai, and whose love may be the key to breaking her curse . . .
Inspired by the ancient nine-tailed fox legends of Korea, The Fox Maidens is a searing, thrilling fantasy romance told in beautiful, striking graphic art.
Creators
Robin Ha grew up in Seoul, South Korea, and moved to the United States at age fourteen. After graduating from the Rhode Island School of Design, she moved to New York City and worked in the fashion industry for several years before diving into comics.
She is the author and the illustrator of Almost American Girl, a 2020 Harvey Award nominee and 2021 Walter Award honoree, and Cook Korean!: A Comic Book With Recipes, a New York Times bestselling cookbook graphic novel. Her comics and illustrations have appeared in various publications including The Washington Post and LA Times. She lives in Virginia, USA.
Reviews
Filled with Korean folklore and terrific graphic details in the illustrations, I found this to be an engrossing book from start to finish and I highly recommend it to secondary students aged 13 to 16.
Lamont Books
Robin Ha deftly combines a narrative of real-world oppression with the ancient Korean folk tale of Gumiho, a fox demon trapped within an animal form due to the cruelty of men. It is difficult not to become quickly invested in the journeys of the female protagonists as they struggle to express their true selves in a society that rejects them. The mixture of both historical fiction and fantasy makes The Fox Maidens appealing for fans of both genres, but general readers will relate to the themes of fighting against adversity, feminism and being true to oneself. Scenes of intense conflict balance with moments of profound sadness, making the book quite a turbulent and touching read. Ha’s illustrations are full of energy, as well as being visually exciting. A small colour palette is used to great effect. A highlight of the novel are the fight scenes between characters: the movement from image to image is perfectly paced so as to mirror the quick jabs and dives of a sparring match, and the use of sound effects throughout these scenes makes them even more visceral.
Megan Moriarty
