Shadow of the Fox (Shadow of the Fox, #1)

by Julie Kagawa

[nightingalereads]

*arc review*

4.5 stars.

I don’t normally do a lot of gushing, so just brace yourself for this review. Because this book was amazing. I knew exactly 62 pages in that I was going to love this story. Shadow of the Fox is one of those rare books where you completely forget that you're reading, because you're so immersed in what's happening.

My History with Julie Kagawa's Books:

So I enjoyed the first three books in Julie Kagawa’s Iron Fey series, despite some flat characterization and the romance not going the way I wanted. I'd also read the first two books in Julie's Immortal Rules series, and had the same reaction - enjoyed the books, wasn't really there for the romance. (She wrote a series about dragons too, which I never picked up because I’m not huge on dragons.) Despite having a positive experience with most of her series, none of them hold a candle to this new book. The development of the world, the intricacy of the plot, and most of all, the strength of the characterization, blew my mind. Shadow of the Fox is in a field all on its own.

The Characters:

Yumeko is our tricksy but well-intentending kitsune protagonist, and I absolutely loved her. She always gave people a chance no matter their reputation, and she was reluctant to provoke animosity with anyone. While some may view this as naive, I think it made her brave. To always see or hope for the best in people is an act of courage unto itself.

And then there's Tatsumi. Poor demon-possesed Tatsumi, who stole my heart and made me want to weep. If you’ve read Julie's Iron Fey series, Tatsumi is the character I wished Ash could have been. He’s dark and quiet and broody, and *cough* slightly evil, but he’s his own unique character and I loved getting to see inside his head. He’s one of those protagonists(?) who immediately feels like a real person, like someone you’re meeting and not just reading about.

The side characters were also awesome. I won't name all of them, but halfway through we’re introduced to a character named Okame who made me laugh in almost every scene he was in. The story also introduces many different kinds of villains, who were all great in that I absolutely hated the lot of them. If you like reading about terrible female villains, this book has what you're looking for.

Lastly, the romance was just...perfect. And agonizing. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, and to say I’m dying for the sequel would be an understatement. Whether or not you’ve read Julie’s books before, let me help sway you now. YOU WANT THIS BOOK.