VICIOUS SPIRITS

When danger lurks from beyond the grave, supporting characters find themselves in the limelight in this enthralling sequel to Wicked Fox (2019).

Half-human/half-gumiho (Korean fox demon) Miyoung recently lost her mother, Yena. But lately Yena has been haunting her dreams, cryptically speaking of the threat of a powerful enemy and lamenting that she did not adequately prepare her daughter. Meanwhile Miyoung’s reluctant goblin ally, Junu, gets a visitor of his own. Hyuk, who is a reaper, speaks of a mysterious connection between the worlds of the living and the dead—a tear that allows ghosts and malevolent spirits to visit Earth. He hints that the tear is possibly related to Miyoung and the soul bead she lost. Junu is given seven days to fix things and restore balance before the reaper does. The familiar crew—Miyoung, Jihoon, Junu, and Somin—plot to retrieve the soul bead, but this time it is Junu and tough-girl Somin who take the lead. The quickly evolving narrative engages the characters in battles against supernatural beings as well as confrontations with ghosts of their pasts, both literal and figurative. Once again Cho artfully balances Korean-inspired folktales, K-drama motifs, emotionally complex characters, and unpredictable plot twists. Readers should begin with the first installment to fully appreciate this entry.

This folktale fantasy will not disappoint.