The Fox Maidens: A Graphic Novel

by Robin Ha, Robin Ha (Illustrator)

Overview

From the bestselling, award-winning creator of Almost American Girl comes an epic new graphic novel fantasy—a queer, feminist reimagining of the Fox Maiden legend from Korean mythology. Perfect for fans of Nimona, Squire, and The Prince and the Dressmaker.

Kai Song dreams of being a warrior. She wants to follow in the footsteps of her beloved father, the commander of the Royal Legion. But while her father believes in Kai and trains her in martial arts, their society isn’t ready for a girl warrior.

Still, Kai is determined. But she is plagued by rumors that she is the granddaughter of Gumiho, the infamous nine-tailed fox demon who was killed by her father years before.

Everything comes crashing down the day Kai learns the deadly secret about her mother’s past. Now she must come to terms with the truth about her identity and take her destiny into her own hands. As Kai desperately searches for a way to escape her fate, she comes to find compassion, and even love, in the most unexpected places.

Set in sixteenth-century Korea and richly infused with Korean folklore, The Fox Maidens is a timeless and powerful story about fighting for your place in the world, even when it seems impossible.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062685131
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	02/13/2024
Pages:	320
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	13 - 17 Years

About the Author

Robin Ha is the New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of Cook Korean!: A Comic Book with Recipes, as well as the graphic novel memoir Almost American Girl and historical fantasy graphic novel The Fox Maidens. Her comics and illustrations have also appeared in various publications, including The Washington Post and The Los Angeles Times, as well as in anthologies highlighting Asian American culture: Rise: A Pop History of Asian America from the Nineties to Now, New Frontiers: The Many Worlds of George Takei, and Shattered: The Asian American Comics Anthology (Secret Identities). Robin grew up reading and drawing comics. At fourteen she moved to the United States from Seoul, Korea. She studied illustration at Rhode Island School of Design. She now lives in Virginia. 

Robin Ha is the New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of Cook Korean!: A Comic Book with Recipes, as well as the graphic novel memoir Almost American Girl and historical fantasy graphic novel The Fox Maidens. Her comics and illustrations have also appeared in various publications, including The Washington Post and The Los Angeles Times, as well as in anthologies highlighting Asian American culture: Rise: A Pop History of Asian America from the Nineties to Now, New Frontiers: The Many Worlds of George Takei, and Shattered: The Asian American Comics Anthology (Secret Identities). Robin grew up reading and drawing comics. At fourteen she moved to the United States from Seoul, Korea. She studied illustration at Rhode Island School of Design. She now lives in Virginia. 

Editorial Reviews

Ha puts a queer and feminist twist on the origins of the Fox Maiden from Korean folklore in this fantastical graphic novel. 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.” — Publishers Weekly

“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.” — Kirkus Reviews

"Ha’s magnificent storytelling reclaims, reveals, and honors [Korean women's] strength." — Booklist (starred review)

"A worthy addition to the canon of myths retold through the female lens that will appeal to any who enjoys the monster’s backstory." — School Library Journal

“Action packed and exciting, this family drama is full of unexpected twists and turns. The art is rich with historical details, beautiful nature scenes, and fast paced fight scenes. Lovers of ghost stories, kdramas, and queer retellings of fairy tales will find much to enjoy here.” — Maia Kobabe, author and illustrator of Gender Queer

"A book that makes you want to devour the patriarchy. The Fox Maidens is a beautiful dive into Korean history, mythology, and social issues we can all learn from." — Laura Gao, author and illustrator of Messy Roots

“Robin calls forth her entire self to elevate Korean folklore to a haunting, horrifying, and enchanting epic about what (and who) we would sacrifice for love and redemption. Truly a femme fatale I wish I had growing up.” — Deb JJ Lee, creator of In Limbo

Praise for ALMOST AMERICAN GIRL: “A powerful memoir that not only shows what it’s like to be in a new town or a new school, but what it’s like to move to an entirely new country! It’s an amazing journey that is sure to promote empathy with readers.” — Jerry Craft, author of New Kid

“Incredibly honest, poignant, and ultimately triumphant, Almost American Girl is a treasure.” — Michael Cho, author of Shoplifter

“Robin’s story is both utterly her own and deeply resonant for anyone who’s felt lost in the world and fought to carve out a place for themselves.”  — Hazel Newlevant, author of No Ivy League

“This heartfelt memoir from an author who shares her honest, personal experiences. An insightful, moving coming-of-age tale.”  — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"A poignant and unvarnished depiction of immigration—both the heartache and the rewards." — School Library Journal (starred review)

“With unblinking honesty and raw vulnerability [and] presented in full-color splendor, her energetic style mirrors the constant motion of her adolescent self, navigating the peripatetic turbulence toward adulthood.” — ALA Booklist (starred review)

“Touching and subtly humorous, this emotive memoir is as much about the steadfast bond between a mother and daughter as it is about the challenges of being an immigrant in America.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Ha successfully brings to life the wide range of emotions that both tell the story and provide evidence that the comic medium has been a healing force for her and perhaps could be for readers who have walked similar paths.”  — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“Ha effectively uses the comic book format to recall her own memories of dislocation, explore a testy mother-daughter relationship and ultimately chronicle a poignant search for identity.” — San Francisco Chronicle

From the Publisher

2023-11-04
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)

Kirkus Reviews