SYNOPSIS

Seokga, was the god of mischief, who attempted a coup against his brother Emperor Hwanin to take the throne. When the coup fails, Seokga is forced to be a detective in the human realm to protect humans from Unruly creatures. Only after he sends 20,000 to the Underworld can he become a god and return home.

His Chief decides he needs an assistant to help him with his task, especially with the return of the infamous Scarlet Fox and a new creature, the eoduksini, who wants to turn the human realm into the Dark realm.

What could happen?

RECAP AND REVIEW

This is the first book in a fantasy series. The second book is due to come out in June. It’s told in the third person of Hani and Seokga.

Seokga is cold and bitter. He thinks humans are stupid and easy to manipulate- they don’t even realize there’s a glamour on part of their realm. He’s forced to live with the embarrassment of a failed coup, while only having a fraction of his original power. And there’s a gumiho that always messes up his coffee order and just threw it all over him on the way to work.

Hani likes annoying Seokga and messing up his coffee order, but hates him otherwise. She is clever, witty, and the infamous Scarlet Fox, who ate the souls and livers of thousands of men, storing the power she gained in her fox bead.

For hundreds of years, she’s been out of trouble, until one night, she’s being catcalled and followed. After a discussion they have, she wants to give her coworker a taste of human liver. Once the bodies are found, she becomes Seokga’s assistant to throw him off her scent.

I don’t know much about Korean mythology- gods or creatures- but the author does a great job of explaining what is important to know for this story, and in a way that didn’t feel like large groups of info-dumping, to me. (Based on other reviews it’s a loose interpretation).

I loved this book. Parts of it were funny, without being over the top, the attraction building up between the two was sudden but believable to me, the mysteries they’re solving kept my attention, and the end made my cry. I also enjoyed Seokga and Hani’s back and forth.

The story is adventures, with the two following clues, and Hani sabotaging when she could. From the beginning, we know that Hani is the Scarlet Fox, and as the story progresses, it was nerve-racking to watch it all play out and for her to be caught, especially with how smitten Seokga became.

Read for

🔎 Korean mythology (loose interpretation)

🔎 Secret identity

🔎 Enemies-to-lovers

🔎 Workplace romance

🔎 Mysteries to be solved

OVERALL

Overall, I give this a 5 out of 5 stars. I had a great time reading this and I didn’t expect the end to make me cry, but it did. I got invested in the characters and their journey and I recommend it.