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The Legend of Akikumo
Ketsueki would give anything to find out why her mentor Akikumo, the last wolf in Japan, abandoned her. He left her with other kitsune at the Inari Shrine, but she doesn’t fit in. And now the other kitsune are bullying her and saying Akikumo is dead. After causing trouble for the hundredth time, the Inari, instead of punishing her, has given Ketsueki a she must find out what happened to Akikumo. She quickly agrees, not realizing the delinquent son of the shrine’s head priest must accompany her. Will Ketsueki be able to make peace with a human? Or will her years of resentment make this partnership impossible?
316 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 15, 2020
6 people are currently reading
407 people want to read
About the author
Dani Hoots
72 books417 followersDani Hoots is a science fiction, fantasy, romance, and young adult author who loves anything with a story. She has a B.S. in Anthropology, a Masters of Urban and Environmental Planning, a Certificate in Novel Writing from Arizona State University, and a BS in Herbal Science from Bastyr University.
Currently she is working on a YA urban fantasy series called Daughter of Hades, a YA urban fantasy series called The Wonderland Chronicles, a historic fantasy vampire series called A World of Vampires, and a YA sci-fi series called Sanshlian Series. She has also started up an indie publishing company called FoxTales Press. She also works with Anthill Studios in creating comics through Antik Comics.
Her hobbies include reading, watching anime, cooking, studying different languages, wire walking, hula hoop, and working with plants. She is also an herbalist and sells her concoctions on FoxCraft Apothecary. She lives in Phoenix with her husband and visits Seattle often.
Feel free to email her with any questions you might have!
danihootsauthor (at) gmail (dot) com
Check out her websites and follow her on social media:
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
August 11, 2020
It's a book that follows Ketsueki, a fox spirit, investigating the disappearance of her mentor.
I was skeptical at first. It seemed like a book by an American author a bit too fascinated by anime and manga.
The first thing that struck (and irritated) me was all the romaji dropping. Never have I ever seen a translator leaving words like "ara ma" or "baka" in the translated text, so I see no reason why anyone would put them in a book inspired by the Japanese culture. I understand the use of words like torii or geta, but not terms that are easy to translate. It was ridiculous to read the narrator swear like a yakuza member. Ok, we get it, it's happening in Japan. There is no need to additionally foreignize the setting. And there is definitely no need to invent some fake-ass readings of common kanji just to fit your made-up names.
Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against being inspired by the Japanese culture. I think this book would be awesome if it was just inspired by manga or Japanese folklore. What I dislike is exoticizing the culture to the extent that the text becomes difficult to read with a straight face.
The story wasn't particularly interesting. 20% in and it was all flashbacks, slurs, and no plot. After that, the characters spent too much time hanging around, waiting for trains, talking. It seemed like the author had no idea for the novel outside of its setting.
The characters were boring and none of them seemed to have a unique personality. Sometimes, the narrator displayed some features of those "born sexy yesterday" characters. She was a 700-year-old spirit who had to ask a man for help with train tickets or reading a map. Oh, the tropes.
If you're thinking about reading this book, seriously, read some Noragami instead, you'll enjoy it more.
I was skeptical at first. It seemed like a book by an American author a bit too fascinated by anime and manga.
The first thing that struck (and irritated) me was all the romaji dropping. Never have I ever seen a translator leaving words like "ara ma" or "baka" in the translated text, so I see no reason why anyone would put them in a book inspired by the Japanese culture. I understand the use of words like torii or geta, but not terms that are easy to translate. It was ridiculous to read the narrator swear like a yakuza member. Ok, we get it, it's happening in Japan. There is no need to additionally foreignize the setting. And there is definitely no need to invent some fake-ass readings of common kanji just to fit your made-up names.
Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against being inspired by the Japanese culture. I think this book would be awesome if it was just inspired by manga or Japanese folklore. What I dislike is exoticizing the culture to the extent that the text becomes difficult to read with a straight face.
The story wasn't particularly interesting. 20% in and it was all flashbacks, slurs, and no plot. After that, the characters spent too much time hanging around, waiting for trains, talking. It seemed like the author had no idea for the novel outside of its setting.
The characters were boring and none of them seemed to have a unique personality. Sometimes, the narrator displayed some features of those "born sexy yesterday" characters. She was a 700-year-old spirit who had to ask a man for help with train tickets or reading a map. Oh, the tropes.
If you're thinking about reading this book, seriously, read some Noragami instead, you'll enjoy it more.
August 8, 2020
Let's talk about this cover!! OMG this cover is so gorgeous! The characters were amazing and the story was just beautiful. I hope to get more from this author in the future. I think lovers of fantasy will dive into this one and not let it go!!
October 17, 2020
This was really difficult to get through.
It reads like a middle grade and has a ridiculous amount of Japanese terms with zero context. I felt like I was reading a testing exam rather than enjoying a book. The characters were flat and the narrative felt like it was plucked from a slow-paced, forgettable slice of life anime.
This one was unfortunately a miss for me.
Thank you to netgalley for providing a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
It reads like a middle grade and has a ridiculous amount of Japanese terms with zero context. I felt like I was reading a testing exam rather than enjoying a book. The characters were flat and the narrative felt like it was plucked from a slow-paced, forgettable slice of life anime.
This one was unfortunately a miss for me.
Thank you to netgalley for providing a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 30, 2020
I love japanese-themed books and therefore had some hope for this one. It reminded me a lot of “Wicked Fox” by Kat Cho (even if that's a Korean-themed world) when I first read the synopsis. But where Wicked Fox does it right, The Legend of Akikumo does it all wrong.
The writing style is so bad. I hated every word I read and it was a torture to finish this book. And as if that wasn't bad enough, the attempt to force more and more random japanese words into every sentence made me cringe so hard. I got it, the author really loves anime and likes to show that by adding a lot of "baka!" and “kuso!” into this text. It read like a weird and way too long anime-fanfic.
The plot was bad, too. It was boring and felt like nothing really happened at all. Maybe the author wanted to write this anime-fanfiction, but couldn't think of a plot for it? I already can't remember anything and I finished this book just yesterday.
And by the way, we all know what a kimono is. You don’t have to repeat over and over again how it works just to force more japanese into your story.
I think everyone who considers reading this is better off by watching an anime with kitsune in it.
Thanks to Victory Editing and NetGalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The writing style is so bad. I hated every word I read and it was a torture to finish this book. And as if that wasn't bad enough, the attempt to force more and more random japanese words into every sentence made me cringe so hard. I got it, the author really loves anime and likes to show that by adding a lot of "baka!" and “kuso!” into this text. It read like a weird and way too long anime-fanfic.
The plot was bad, too. It was boring and felt like nothing really happened at all. Maybe the author wanted to write this anime-fanfiction, but couldn't think of a plot for it? I already can't remember anything and I finished this book just yesterday.
And by the way, we all know what a kimono is. You don’t have to repeat over and over again how it works just to force more japanese into your story.
I think everyone who considers reading this is better off by watching an anime with kitsune in it.
Thanks to Victory Editing and NetGalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 18, 2023
Before I started reading I thought I wouldn't leave a low star review because this was a small local author. However, when I found out the book was sold at Barnes & Noble... I decided to just be as fair as I would to any other book in there.
This book sucks on every level possible. The characters are fundamentally unlikeable, the plot is pointless and boring, the worldbuilding is inconsistent and underdeveloped, and the actual quality of the writing and the choices the author made are terrible. I was shocked to find out that this book had an editor and consultants for the Japanese used in it. If you put a gun to my head and told me to guess if that was true I would be DEAD.
I won't be commenting on the characters, setting, or plot because the other negative reviews touch on the points already.
Quality
The quality of this book is so abysmally low. Here are some of the most embarrassing mistakes:
"I nodded, a little subconscious that this kami was having to deal with my worries." - pg 50
Girl do you mean SELF CONSCIOUS?
"It is in the Okayama providence.” - pg 168
I think the author meant to say 'province'. Even if she did, Okayama *province* has never existed. Okayama *prefecture* was created around 1860-1870s in what used to be an area of a couple provinces. Even worse than this is the absolute flop of worldbuilding. This sentence is said by a yokai. Why would a little creature that lives in the mountains away from all humans use a human govt term to describe the area in which they live? It's like if we found martians on Mars and they used human terms to refer to their planet's geography.
"I followed Akikumo as he sat down in the middle of the shoin-zukari-style room, laying his katana at his side. " -pg 63
Why would Ketsueki, the girl who HATES humans and has lived in willful ignorance of everything about them know a reference to a certain military architectural style? And what the hell does this add to the scene other than another moment I have to flip to the glossary?
"The farther we descended the mountain, the thicker the miasma of the human city became." - pg 69
Not sure why the author had miasma, a Greek word, included in the glossary along with all of the other Japanese terms. Take note that she forgot to include the word 'matsuri', an actual Japanese word, in the glossary despite Akikumo using it. (page 244)
Japanese
For some reason the author thought if she shoved enough random Japanese into the book we would get so tired from flipping pages back and forth we'd miss all the mistakes in the text. I am going to be kind of anal in this section sorry in advance.
I will try to keep this simple and pretty generalized. In Japanese, there are multiple ways to read one kanji (flip to the glossary if you need a refresher for this vocab word teehee). This means that people will often describe which specific kanji is used in their name by describing the parts it is made of/a word it's used in.
Akikumo's name:
On page 92, Yamato randomly decides to ask Ketsueki what the kanji for Akikumo's name is. Here is her answer:
If we take her answer we would get this:
Akikumo: 日月雲
Tsuki Ketsueki: 月血
The kanji for sun and moon do not come together in any way to give us the pronunciation "Aki". (The kanji for cloud is pronounced "kumo", so that tracks.)
It is here when I realized that the author must be referring to the kanji 明 which can be read as "Aki". If you notice, it has sun and moon as the *parts* that make up that kanji, but in no planet would someone describe it as the book did. (As the kanji itself. This is a frequent beginner mistake for people new to kanji/hanzi.) This also makes it that much funnier how often the book says Akikumo gave her a kanji from his name.
Ketsueki's name:
Moving on to Tsuki Ketsueki's name. Her last name, Tsuki, is fine. Her first name, Ketsueki, does not make sense. The character for blood is 血. (why did Akikumo think it was a good idea to name a child 'blood' when she just barely survived the massacre of her village?) This would be read as "Chi" when alone, and it could be read as "Ketsu" if you go off the Chinese pronunciation. (Not getting too deep into this) You may be wondering... where did the author get the "eki" part in the name Ketsueki?
Here's my guess:
By going to jisho.org, a english-japanese dictionary site, typing in the word 'blood', and choosing the first result: Ketsueki
How do you write this word? 血液 So yes. She took one of the words for blood and took the pronunciation of TWO SEPARATE characters and just said it was the pronunciation for 血.
And this all has absolutely no reason to be in the story!! Instead it is mindless filler for people without Japanese knowledge and a distracting mistake for those that have it.
Honorifics & Familial Terms
The author yet again makes unnecessary additions of Japanese in situations where it does not even make sense.
The writing goes on tangents of having Ketsueki use the suffix "-chan" at the end of Akikumo's name. Many characters comment on how this makes them seem close, etc, etc. The suffix was not even in use back in the 1300s when Akikumo tells her to call him with that suffix. The author wants to use all this Japanese for... god knows what purpose, but leaves in distracting mistakes. Don't write historical settings if you can't be bothered to factcheck. The dialogue concerning so much of the Japanese language use is so stilted and unnatural too augh.
Sorry if this next part is a little confusing, it's a little hard to describe if you don't already have a frame of reference for it in your language/culture.
In many cultures, younger siblings will refer to their siblings by a title instead of their name. This is true both when talking directly to their older sibling as well as talking about their older sibling to other people. Akikumo has a younger brother. It makes sense when that younger brother refers to Akikumo as his "onii-san" to other people and calls him "onii-san" directly to him.
Older siblings may refer to their younger sibling by a title when talking to other people. This is often not the case when talking directly to that sibling. They just use their name. There is no reason for Akikumo to call his brother "otouto" directly to him. It sounds incredibly strange. He would just use his name!
Bonus points on page 224 when Akikumo calls his younger brother "otousan". This is the word for father. Why bother using Japanese and crediting THREE people as helping you with Japanese when you leave such glaring mistakes in the text.
If I am wrong about any of this, then sorry I'm an asshole! But the universe is an even bigger asshole for aligning the stars in such a way that I paid real money for this book.
I need the author to realize that no one will read this book BECAUSE of the random Japanese thrown in. They will read it DESPITE all of this. Please read the multitudes of reviews that echo this sentiment. Or better yet, don't bother writing a book in a setting you aren't familiar with again. Especially considering how little you and your editor/consultants seem to care.
This book sucks on every level possible. The characters are fundamentally unlikeable, the plot is pointless and boring, the worldbuilding is inconsistent and underdeveloped, and the actual quality of the writing and the choices the author made are terrible. I was shocked to find out that this book had an editor and consultants for the Japanese used in it. If you put a gun to my head and told me to guess if that was true I would be DEAD.
I won't be commenting on the characters, setting, or plot because the other negative reviews touch on the points already.
Quality
The quality of this book is so abysmally low. Here are some of the most embarrassing mistakes:
"I nodded, a little subconscious that this kami was having to deal with my worries." - pg 50
Girl do you mean SELF CONSCIOUS?
"It is in the Okayama providence.” - pg 168
I think the author meant to say 'province'. Even if she did, Okayama *province* has never existed. Okayama *prefecture* was created around 1860-1870s in what used to be an area of a couple provinces. Even worse than this is the absolute flop of worldbuilding. This sentence is said by a yokai. Why would a little creature that lives in the mountains away from all humans use a human govt term to describe the area in which they live? It's like if we found martians on Mars and they used human terms to refer to their planet's geography.
"I followed Akikumo as he sat down in the middle of the shoin-zukari-style room, laying his katana at his side. " -pg 63
Why would Ketsueki, the girl who HATES humans and has lived in willful ignorance of everything about them know a reference to a certain military architectural style? And what the hell does this add to the scene other than another moment I have to flip to the glossary?
"The farther we descended the mountain, the thicker the miasma of the human city became." - pg 69
Not sure why the author had miasma, a Greek word, included in the glossary along with all of the other Japanese terms. Take note that she forgot to include the word 'matsuri', an actual Japanese word, in the glossary despite Akikumo using it. (page 244)
Japanese
For some reason the author thought if she shoved enough random Japanese into the book we would get so tired from flipping pages back and forth we'd miss all the mistakes in the text. I am going to be kind of anal in this section sorry in advance.
I will try to keep this simple and pretty generalized. In Japanese, there are multiple ways to read one kanji (flip to the glossary if you need a refresher for this vocab word teehee). This means that people will often describe which specific kanji is used in their name by describing the parts it is made of/a word it's used in.
Akikumo's name:
On page 92, Yamato randomly decides to ask Ketsueki what the kanji for Akikumo's name is. Here is her answer:
"With the kanji for sun and moon, and the kanji for cloud. My name, Tsuki Ketsueki, is the kanji for moon and blood. He gave me the kanji for blood and took th[sic] kanji for moon from his name and gave it to me as a family name since he didn't have one."
If we take her answer we would get this:
Akikumo: 日月雲
Tsuki Ketsueki: 月血
The kanji for sun and moon do not come together in any way to give us the pronunciation "Aki". (The kanji for cloud is pronounced "kumo", so that tracks.)
It is here when I realized that the author must be referring to the kanji 明 which can be read as "Aki". If you notice, it has sun and moon as the *parts* that make up that kanji, but in no planet would someone describe it as the book did. (As the kanji itself. This is a frequent beginner mistake for people new to kanji/hanzi.) This also makes it that much funnier how often the book says Akikumo gave her a kanji from his name.
Ketsueki's name:
Moving on to Tsuki Ketsueki's name. Her last name, Tsuki, is fine. Her first name, Ketsueki, does not make sense. The character for blood is 血. (why did Akikumo think it was a good idea to name a child 'blood' when she just barely survived the massacre of her village?) This would be read as "Chi" when alone, and it could be read as "Ketsu" if you go off the Chinese pronunciation. (Not getting too deep into this) You may be wondering... where did the author get the "eki" part in the name Ketsueki?
Here's my guess:
By going to jisho.org, a english-japanese dictionary site, typing in the word 'blood', and choosing the first result: Ketsueki
How do you write this word? 血液 So yes. She took one of the words for blood and took the pronunciation of TWO SEPARATE characters and just said it was the pronunciation for 血.
And this all has absolutely no reason to be in the story!! Instead it is mindless filler for people without Japanese knowledge and a distracting mistake for those that have it.
Honorifics & Familial Terms
The author yet again makes unnecessary additions of Japanese in situations where it does not even make sense.
The writing goes on tangents of having Ketsueki use the suffix "-chan" at the end of Akikumo's name. Many characters comment on how this makes them seem close, etc, etc. The suffix was not even in use back in the 1300s when Akikumo tells her to call him with that suffix. The author wants to use all this Japanese for... god knows what purpose, but leaves in distracting mistakes. Don't write historical settings if you can't be bothered to factcheck. The dialogue concerning so much of the Japanese language use is so stilted and unnatural too augh.
Sorry if this next part is a little confusing, it's a little hard to describe if you don't already have a frame of reference for it in your language/culture.
In many cultures, younger siblings will refer to their siblings by a title instead of their name. This is true both when talking directly to their older sibling as well as talking about their older sibling to other people. Akikumo has a younger brother. It makes sense when that younger brother refers to Akikumo as his "onii-san" to other people and calls him "onii-san" directly to him.
Older siblings may refer to their younger sibling by a title when talking to other people. This is often not the case when talking directly to that sibling. They just use their name. There is no reason for Akikumo to call his brother "otouto" directly to him. It sounds incredibly strange. He would just use his name!
Bonus points on page 224 when Akikumo calls his younger brother "otousan". This is the word for father. Why bother using Japanese and crediting THREE people as helping you with Japanese when you leave such glaring mistakes in the text.
If I am wrong about any of this, then sorry I'm an asshole! But the universe is an even bigger asshole for aligning the stars in such a way that I paid real money for this book.
I need the author to realize that no one will read this book BECAUSE of the random Japanese thrown in. They will read it DESPITE all of this. Please read the multitudes of reviews that echo this sentiment. Or better yet, don't bother writing a book in a setting you aren't familiar with again. Especially considering how little you and your editor/consultants seem to care.
September 26, 2020
My Blog
ENGAGING
The Legend of Akikumo opens with a flashback to a brutal incident in the past and instantly engaged my attention. It has dual timelines – one in the modern-day, and another journaling Ketsueki and Akikumo’s time with each other over a thousand years. The dual timelines were well executed.
I found the book easy to read. There is a smattering of Japanese words throughout the novel. However, after reading the glossary twice, I got the hang of the Japanese words and it was easy to follow the story after that.
FULL OF ADVENTURES AND JAPANESE FOLKLORE
Although this is my first time reading a Japanese folktale inspired novel, I enjoyed reading it. The book is full of adventures and richly imbued with Japanese folklore. The story flows smoothly and is written in a lucid language. Although the target audience is YA, even teens can read it due to the use of simple language. However, people looking for an intricately detailed book may find it lacking.
A SPUNKY HEROINE
I loved Ketsueki in this novel. She is spunky and does not accept injustice. Despite being a thousand-year-old kitsune, she possesses a childlike innocence and fierce loyalty to Akikumo who fills the role of a guardian in her life. Further, the relationship between Akikumo and Ketsueki was endearing.
The last fifty pages elevated the book to the level of 3.5 stars for me. The climax was poignant and beautiful. Who knew so deep a loss could lead to freedom?
The Legend of Akikumo by Dani Hoots is recommended for young adult readers looking for a story of self-discovery that combines fantasy and Japanese folklore.
Many thanks to the publisher for my copy of the book. This does not affect my opinion on the book.
September 18, 2020
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This was an interesting fantasy infused with Japanese culture, and I liked it!
The characters are interesting and I loved the concept of spirit animals. It was fun visualizing them in their spirit form and going on their adventures. Ketsueki is nice in the lead, and I enjoyed her scenes with Akikumo and Yamato.
Moreover, I love learning reading stories based off various cultures, and this book did a very nice job of incorporating various Japanese traits in it. I also appreciate the author for putting a section to explain the various terms. Also, I liked how the story alternates between the two timelines, one with the past between Ketsueki and Akikumo, and the other with Ketsueki and Yamato. Similarly, the author does a beautiful job by contrasting the old Japan from ages ago with the present timeline.
Also, I liked the author’s style of writing. True, it is not as complex as I expected, but I liked how the author describes it in a simple, straight forward manner. I think this book will be great for middle grade readers because of its style of writing. On a side note, how gorgeous is the cover of the book?
However, there were some parts which I felt could have been better. For instance, some of the scenes, especially the action ones with Yamato and Ketsueki, felt repetitious. Also, there were times where the story focused too much on the past, and did not progress with the current story-line. Additionally, I also had trouble with Ketsueki at times with her maturity level and her hatred for humans.
But overall, this was a decent read, and I liked it because I like middle grade novels and this fell really nicely in that category.
October 7, 2020
I received an eARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
A Japanese inspired story that had some good moments in it but sadly was just missing it's golden nugget of authenticity.
The author, like myself, is a huge fan of Japanese culture and their history, which shows within the story. But at times the writing style seemed a little sluggish.
I enjoyed the concept of the main character and her personality, she just needed to be a little more polished. I also enjoyed her interactions with others and there were some quite sad but also some quite lovely moments.
For anyone who doesn't enjoy stories that flick from past to present every other chapter then just be aware that this is what this story does.
I liked it but I wasn't in love with it sadly.
A Japanese inspired story that had some good moments in it but sadly was just missing it's golden nugget of authenticity.
The author, like myself, is a huge fan of Japanese culture and their history, which shows within the story. But at times the writing style seemed a little sluggish.
I enjoyed the concept of the main character and her personality, she just needed to be a little more polished. I also enjoyed her interactions with others and there were some quite sad but also some quite lovely moments.
For anyone who doesn't enjoy stories that flick from past to present every other chapter then just be aware that this is what this story does.
I liked it but I wasn't in love with it sadly.
June 2, 2023
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I had high hopes for this book, particularly because I usually find Japanese-inspired fantasy books enjoyable. However, despite my best efforts, I struggled to connect with it. While I found the first ~50 pages somewhat enjoyable, the story failed to hold my attention afterwards. The writing came across as immature, and the dialogues felt forced and unnatural. The main character seemed immature as well, and the supporting characters lacked depth. I couldn't develop any investment in them, which made the supposedly emotional ending fall flat for me.
I had high hopes for this book, particularly because I usually find Japanese-inspired fantasy books enjoyable. However, despite my best efforts, I struggled to connect with it. While I found the first ~50 pages somewhat enjoyable, the story failed to hold my attention afterwards. The writing came across as immature, and the dialogues felt forced and unnatural. The main character seemed immature as well, and the supporting characters lacked depth. I couldn't develop any investment in them, which made the supposedly emotional ending fall flat for me.
August 24, 2020
I really enjoyed this book and found the mythology aspect to be very interesting. I also loved the use of Japanese terms as many of these lose meaning when translated into English. The flashbacks were really interesting and as a fan of Japanese history, I noted the important dates that were included. It was clear the author did a lot of research for this book and I am very impressed.
November 12, 2021
Initial Thoughts
I found this book in the Read Now section on NetGalley and thought it sounded interesting. I really like Japanese mythology and thought maybe it would be similar to Julie Kagawa’s Shadow of the Fox series.
Some Things I Liked
Dual time line. Kitsune are a species that lives for thousands of years so I liked the way we got to see a very large chunk of time in the main character’s life.
Lite romance. This book isn’t romantic but it hints at romance. It’s much more of a coming of age story and I think younger YA readers would enjoy that.
Some Things I Wasn’t Crazy About
Clunky use of language. The Japanese words were defined in a very long glossary in the beginning of the book but they weren’t used in an organic way. They felt tossed into dialogue and the writing for the sake of using them, not because they felt right. They also had very little context. Therefore, the reader would have to constantly reference back to the glossary.
Not much plot. Unfortunately, the plot here was rather lackluster. Our main character sets out on a journey to find her missing mentor after over a century without him. The whole set up felt forced and not believable.
Series Value
I think there could be more adventures set in this world but if the writing continues in the way of this book, it would be better pitched as an upper middle grade series.
Final Thoughts
This book was ok. I didn’t love it but I didn’t hate it. It wasn’t Shadow of the Fox and it didn’t have romance. But, it did have some good elements that readers can appreciate.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
I found this book in the Read Now section on NetGalley and thought it sounded interesting. I really like Japanese mythology and thought maybe it would be similar to Julie Kagawa’s Shadow of the Fox series.
Some Things I Liked
Dual time line. Kitsune are a species that lives for thousands of years so I liked the way we got to see a very large chunk of time in the main character’s life.
Lite romance. This book isn’t romantic but it hints at romance. It’s much more of a coming of age story and I think younger YA readers would enjoy that.
Some Things I Wasn’t Crazy About
Clunky use of language. The Japanese words were defined in a very long glossary in the beginning of the book but they weren’t used in an organic way. They felt tossed into dialogue and the writing for the sake of using them, not because they felt right. They also had very little context. Therefore, the reader would have to constantly reference back to the glossary.
Not much plot. Unfortunately, the plot here was rather lackluster. Our main character sets out on a journey to find her missing mentor after over a century without him. The whole set up felt forced and not believable.
Series Value
I think there could be more adventures set in this world but if the writing continues in the way of this book, it would be better pitched as an upper middle grade series.
Final Thoughts
This book was ok. I didn’t love it but I didn’t hate it. It wasn’t Shadow of the Fox and it didn’t have romance. But, it did have some good elements that readers can appreciate.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
September 14, 2020
I saw this cover and the summary and was hooked. I had my fingers crossed that I’d be approved for an ARC and I was! I looked at the reviews before reading (which I normally don’t do, but I’ve been burned a lot this month so far and I wanted appropriate expectations going on). The reviews were… bad. I still had hope but it was a bit tempered.
However!!! I felt like I was transported back to my anime-loving younger self! It gives me all the vibes of InuYasha, despite it being completely different story wise. I loved it immediately.
The story is told in dual POV: one contemporary and one historic but both Kestueki. It was done marvelously. You can tell the different maturity level between the POVs.
I also got some mushy feelings surrounding the relationship bonds between the characters. It was very “homey”.
My only complaints are that I hate the last page of the book (and really that whole chapter shouldn’t be there!) and that I wish there was more banter between Ketosis and Yamato. Otherwise, I loved it.
If you are (or were) an anime fan, I recommend. It does have a slow-pace with pops of actions, exactly like InuYasha.
I would be interested in seeing this expanded into a series because I want to see what happens!
However!!! I felt like I was transported back to my anime-loving younger self! It gives me all the vibes of InuYasha, despite it being completely different story wise. I loved it immediately.
The story is told in dual POV: one contemporary and one historic but both Kestueki. It was done marvelously. You can tell the different maturity level between the POVs.
I also got some mushy feelings surrounding the relationship bonds between the characters. It was very “homey”.
My only complaints are that I hate the last page of the book (and really that whole chapter shouldn’t be there!) and that I wish there was more banter between Ketosis and Yamato. Otherwise, I loved it.
If you are (or were) an anime fan, I recommend. It does have a slow-pace with pops of actions, exactly like InuYasha.
I would be interested in seeing this expanded into a series because I want to see what happens!
November 22, 2020
I have received an arc of this book from Netgalley and the publisher. What drawn me to the book first was that beautiful cover.
The legend of Akikumo is a Japanese fantasy. And I have really love this tale.
Ketsueki is a kitsune. When she was young, the village she was leaving in was attack and her parents killed. She was adopted by the last okami, a wolf, of all Japan. The story goes back and forth between past and present. As Akikumo and Ketsueki travels Japan and this one is trying to help her trust human again. One day they reach he Inari Shrine and Akikumo left Ketsueki without saying goodbye. Just a letter saying that it would be better for her to be with other kitsune. But she don't fit in since she wasn't born to the shrine and the other are bullying her and saying that her mentor won't return for her since his death. But she refuse to believe it.
One day, after again causing trouble, she tought she would be punished but instead Inari have a task for her, find out what happen to Akikumo. She will agree without hesitation but regret a bit when learning that a human will come with her. A strange boy, son of the shrine’s head priest. He can see yokai, wich is really common in preseng Japan. Can she learn to finally trust a human again...
The legend of Akikumo is a Japanese fantasy. And I have really love this tale.
Ketsueki is a kitsune. When she was young, the village she was leaving in was attack and her parents killed. She was adopted by the last okami, a wolf, of all Japan. The story goes back and forth between past and present. As Akikumo and Ketsueki travels Japan and this one is trying to help her trust human again. One day they reach he Inari Shrine and Akikumo left Ketsueki without saying goodbye. Just a letter saying that it would be better for her to be with other kitsune. But she don't fit in since she wasn't born to the shrine and the other are bullying her and saying that her mentor won't return for her since his death. But she refuse to believe it.
One day, after again causing trouble, she tought she would be punished but instead Inari have a task for her, find out what happen to Akikumo. She will agree without hesitation but regret a bit when learning that a human will come with her. A strange boy, son of the shrine’s head priest. He can see yokai, wich is really common in preseng Japan. Can she learn to finally trust a human again...
September 25, 2020
In reading Dani Hoots’ Legend of Akikumo, I was definitely reliving that feeling of settling down for a new anime series. The tone reminded me of Inuyasha meets Rurouni Kenshin–a story of a traveling outcast with a long-term goal, accented by various smaller struggles along the way.
Ketsueki is a feisty and sympathetic protagonist. Rejected by her fellow kitsune (wolf spirits), she sets off on a journey to find her long-lost mentor. While many believe him dead, she is sure he is alive, although doubt does threaten to drag her down from time to time. Accompanying Ketsueki is a strange human who can see yokai (spirits) like her. It’s the relationship of these two, mirrored by her past relationship with her mentor that really drives the story. Ketsueki constantly struggles to understand humans, and often makes rash judgments. In both her present and her past–the book gives roughly equal pages to both–her traveling companion helps bring out the best in her. The book doesn’t dump lengthy backstory but reveals just enough to be relevant and interesting. Finishing the novel left me with that same feeling I got when I’d completed the first arc of a long-but-promising series.
The book contains a glossary at the start, filled half with terms I was familiar with from studying Japanese and half with terms I had yet to learn. There’s a lot of debate around how many non-English words should be used when English isn’t the language the characters are presumably speaking. My philosophy is to assume the audience has no experience in the language and save the non-English words for those terms which truly have no English equivalent. For example, there’s no good substitute for terms like kimono, but words like baka (idiot) could be translated. I leave this not as a criticism but as an observation, since I know not everyone takes the same point of view. Many writers and readers feel non-English words should be used more liberally, and there’s certainly no right or wrong here.
Overall, Legend of Akikumo was a relaxing book with a strong set-up for future stories.
Ketsueki is a feisty and sympathetic protagonist. Rejected by her fellow kitsune (wolf spirits), she sets off on a journey to find her long-lost mentor. While many believe him dead, she is sure he is alive, although doubt does threaten to drag her down from time to time. Accompanying Ketsueki is a strange human who can see yokai (spirits) like her. It’s the relationship of these two, mirrored by her past relationship with her mentor that really drives the story. Ketsueki constantly struggles to understand humans, and often makes rash judgments. In both her present and her past–the book gives roughly equal pages to both–her traveling companion helps bring out the best in her. The book doesn’t dump lengthy backstory but reveals just enough to be relevant and interesting. Finishing the novel left me with that same feeling I got when I’d completed the first arc of a long-but-promising series.
The book contains a glossary at the start, filled half with terms I was familiar with from studying Japanese and half with terms I had yet to learn. There’s a lot of debate around how many non-English words should be used when English isn’t the language the characters are presumably speaking. My philosophy is to assume the audience has no experience in the language and save the non-English words for those terms which truly have no English equivalent. For example, there’s no good substitute for terms like kimono, but words like baka (idiot) could be translated. I leave this not as a criticism but as an observation, since I know not everyone takes the same point of view. Many writers and readers feel non-English words should be used more liberally, and there’s certainly no right or wrong here.
Overall, Legend of Akikumo was a relaxing book with a strong set-up for future stories.
September 16, 2020
This story was incredible until it ended. A great adventure that mixed two time lines (contemporary Japan and several centuries of old Japan), added kami (Japanese spirits), a pinch of found families and a quest and you get the core of The Legend of Akikumo.
We start following a very mischievous fox spirit (kitsune) with a wrecked past that was left "safe" in a shrine by her mentor/savior, a lone wolf spirit (more of an ancient god servant), and after a fall out with some of the local kitsune is assigned a task: finding her lost mentor and making sense of may strange things happening around.
But alas, she can run a quest on her own and so she will find her path (literally, since she is incapable of moving around the human contemporary world being a 700+ year old kami) thanks to the son of the shrine's priest (human obviously) and would uncover a hard truth.
This contemporary adventure is accompany, chapter in, chapter out, by the background story that links Aki-chan and Kat-chan in this sweet fatherly like relation of two spirits roaming together old Japan or almost 400 years (yeah they get to see a lot happening!).
I was hooked up from the beginning, since the author's writing style is very cinematic and you feel like you are moving around with the characters, it actually reminded me a lot of anime like Inuyasha, in its duality of times, quest sense and Japanese culture.
An added bonus is the glossary included that would help those not so acquainted with the Japanese terminology, well spread throughout the book.
The only downfall for me would be the ending scene, where I found a lack of purpose towards the following challenges introduced. I would had also enjoy it more if it development a deeper relation between the main character and her human companion, since it felt like bits were missing or underdeveloped.
Still, is a very recommended read if you wish to have a great time traveling around, learning more about Japanese culture and history and at the end of the day, finding you place in the world.
An ARC of this book was kindly provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
We start following a very mischievous fox spirit (kitsune) with a wrecked past that was left "safe" in a shrine by her mentor/savior, a lone wolf spirit (more of an ancient god servant), and after a fall out with some of the local kitsune is assigned a task: finding her lost mentor and making sense of may strange things happening around.
But alas, she can run a quest on her own and so she will find her path (literally, since she is incapable of moving around the human contemporary world being a 700+ year old kami) thanks to the son of the shrine's priest (human obviously) and would uncover a hard truth.
This contemporary adventure is accompany, chapter in, chapter out, by the background story that links Aki-chan and Kat-chan in this sweet fatherly like relation of two spirits roaming together old Japan or almost 400 years (yeah they get to see a lot happening!).
I was hooked up from the beginning, since the author's writing style is very cinematic and you feel like you are moving around with the characters, it actually reminded me a lot of anime like Inuyasha, in its duality of times, quest sense and Japanese culture.
An added bonus is the glossary included that would help those not so acquainted with the Japanese terminology, well spread throughout the book.
The only downfall for me would be the ending scene, where I found a lack of purpose towards the following challenges introduced. I would had also enjoy it more if it development a deeper relation between the main character and her human companion, since it felt like bits were missing or underdeveloped.
Still, is a very recommended read if you wish to have a great time traveling around, learning more about Japanese culture and history and at the end of the day, finding you place in the world.
An ARC of this book was kindly provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Read
September 15, 2020So I was super excited for this book as soon as I saw the cover and noticed one of my favorite types of mythical, magical, fluffy creatures: kitsune! And that cover! Muah! Perfection! And if anyone knows me, they know I’m a sucker for a good cover. So two things for an instant win with me!
This book definitely reads like an anime, it’s quirky and wild and might not have that much story but is still highly enjoyable because of that. So if you love animes you’ll probably enjoy this book. But don’t go into it expecting something else, it’s just a fun story to read. I also feel as if this book is intended for younger YA audiences, as it’s a nice quick read that doesn’t go too in depth. The story is very interesting and I love the mythology explored, but I also wanted more. But then again I like my lengthy never ending books!
While some people might get disgruntled over some of the language used within (there are quite a few Japanese terms used), I found it kind of endearing. But maybe it’s my obsession with animes that made me not really notice it while reading. But if you’re not familiar with these terms, there is a glossary so don’t fret! Plus I think it just helps add to the quirkiness that I’ve come to expect with anything Japanese themed.
You can view my full review & giveaway on my blog! I also post about a lot of different types of books!
Reader | Bookstagrammer | Blogger | Reviewer
@ya.its.lit - https://www.instagram.com/ya.its.lit/
Blog - https://yaitslitblog.wordpress.com/
This book definitely reads like an anime, it’s quirky and wild and might not have that much story but is still highly enjoyable because of that. So if you love animes you’ll probably enjoy this book. But don’t go into it expecting something else, it’s just a fun story to read. I also feel as if this book is intended for younger YA audiences, as it’s a nice quick read that doesn’t go too in depth. The story is very interesting and I love the mythology explored, but I also wanted more. But then again I like my lengthy never ending books!
While some people might get disgruntled over some of the language used within (there are quite a few Japanese terms used), I found it kind of endearing. But maybe it’s my obsession with animes that made me not really notice it while reading. But if you’re not familiar with these terms, there is a glossary so don’t fret! Plus I think it just helps add to the quirkiness that I’ve come to expect with anything Japanese themed.
You can view my full review & giveaway on my blog! I also post about a lot of different types of books!
Reader | Bookstagrammer | Blogger | Reviewer
@ya.its.lit - https://www.instagram.com/ya.its.lit/
Blog - https://yaitslitblog.wordpress.com/
September 16, 2020
Enter to win an amazing giveaway for a $10 Amazon gift card, here!
The Legend of Akikumo is a heartwarming and adventurous story about the journey of a kitsune and a human towards discovering the truth and their true purpose.
Ketsueki, the kitsune that has lived for centuries, has been living in a shrine after her mentor and best friend, Akikumo, left her there a few centuries after their travels all across Japan began. Her parents were killed by humans and she has been left feeling angry towards them since then.
After all these years, she has now set off on a new journey, this time accompanied by a human.
And, what a journey that was! Full of Japanese mythological beings and adventures.
I particularly enjoyed the fact that as we followed Ketsueki's present journey we also got glimpses of her past travels with Akikumo across time and history.
The Japanese culture has always been alluring to me, and this novel felt like watching a fun but also extremely informative anime show.
Ketsueki, despite being centuries old, gave off a somewhat childish vibe, but I was pleasantly surprised with her growth throughout this book.
Her human companion, Yamato, was extremely likeable and his personality added so much to the story.
I would totally recommend this story to fans of Japanese mythology, culture and history, as well as to those interested in finding out more about it.
All in all, 4 stars for an entertaining trip to Japan and its myths!
The Legend of Akikumo is a heartwarming and adventurous story about the journey of a kitsune and a human towards discovering the truth and their true purpose.
Ketsueki, the kitsune that has lived for centuries, has been living in a shrine after her mentor and best friend, Akikumo, left her there a few centuries after their travels all across Japan began. Her parents were killed by humans and she has been left feeling angry towards them since then.
After all these years, she has now set off on a new journey, this time accompanied by a human.
And, what a journey that was! Full of Japanese mythological beings and adventures.
I particularly enjoyed the fact that as we followed Ketsueki's present journey we also got glimpses of her past travels with Akikumo across time and history.
The Japanese culture has always been alluring to me, and this novel felt like watching a fun but also extremely informative anime show.
Ketsueki, despite being centuries old, gave off a somewhat childish vibe, but I was pleasantly surprised with her growth throughout this book.
Her human companion, Yamato, was extremely likeable and his personality added so much to the story.
I would totally recommend this story to fans of Japanese mythology, culture and history, as well as to those interested in finding out more about it.
All in all, 4 stars for an entertaining trip to Japan and its myths!
September 15, 2020
*ARC received from Netgalley in return for an honest review*
Video Review: https://youtu.be/hx2cOhi9_KE
I wanted to love this one so much. It has my aesthetic. It has my vibes. It has all the things that I really love. It just didn't quite get there.
This is the story of Ketsueki, who is one of the last kitsunes to be born in the last several hundred years. At this point, she's about 700 years old and she hasn't seen her best friend and mentor, Akikumo, for quite a long time. She's pretty confident that he's still alive but everyone else is telling her that he's probably dead. She is sent out to go and find him and figure out what has happened. But she is not sent out alone, with the task she is accompanied by a human who has the ability to see yokai. It flips back and forth between the past when she first met Akikumo and the present where she is searching for him.
The premise of this book is fascinating. I love Japanese culture and this had a lot of that embedded in it. It was very helpful that at the beginning it had a section that explained all of the different terms and all of the different people. It was a little disconcerting at times having to flip back and forth trying to understand the terms if you don't have an understanding of Japanese culture.
The way it is written, it's marketed as YA, but it reads a bit more middle grade. The main character, while she is 700 years old, it is hard to imagine that she has those years of experience behind her. She acts very young which is why I started to get some of these middle-grade vibes. Especially with how she interacts with the human that she's a companion with and a lot of the authority figures. She's constantly demeaning humans and downgrading them into something that isn't worth it. It gets very repetitive in that mindset. It's constantly this human bashing. I sort of understand where she is coming from. She's got a lot of back history. But it's hard to get through this read when it is every other sentence or three times on one page and then three times on the next page. It gets a little grating.
A lot of characters didn't feel like they had any heart and soul. They felt very flat and they could have been switched out for anybody else. I don't think this was as developed as it could have been to really make this epic adventure in finding oneself or just giving it some kind of climactic experience. This book didn't really have that. You kind of go through and you're supposed to connect with Ketsueki and you just don't. It didn't have enough humanity in it to really build it up into a place where there was this development or there was that pull. This book was marketed as this grand adventure of figuring out what happened to her mentor, to her best friend, and it kind of got there but didn't. Yeah, there was some journey. Yeah, there was meeting some of these more monstrous yokai. But it didn't bring any passion to it and I think that's what was lacking for me in this story. I want to see more of that development. I want there to be this journey. I want to feel the journey. I just don't want to be given a bunch of words on a page that say:
- She started out here
- Some things happen
- You're supposed to feel some things because this is her backstory
- Humans are bad
- Here's the ending
That is what I feel like I got. I need to feel like I went on a journey and I can now sit down and relax. but it felt like I was driven around in a circle and dropped off on the wrong street.
There's so much going for it. The cover is absolutely gorgeous and it does play with a lot of those anime and manga themes that I really like. But it felt like a slight ripoff of some of those story arcs. So would I recommend this read? Maybe not. I mean if you like reading in this genre, I mean, you might find some pieces you really truly enjoy in this read.
Video Review: https://youtu.be/hx2cOhi9_KE
I wanted to love this one so much. It has my aesthetic. It has my vibes. It has all the things that I really love. It just didn't quite get there.
This is the story of Ketsueki, who is one of the last kitsunes to be born in the last several hundred years. At this point, she's about 700 years old and she hasn't seen her best friend and mentor, Akikumo, for quite a long time. She's pretty confident that he's still alive but everyone else is telling her that he's probably dead. She is sent out to go and find him and figure out what has happened. But she is not sent out alone, with the task she is accompanied by a human who has the ability to see yokai. It flips back and forth between the past when she first met Akikumo and the present where she is searching for him.
The premise of this book is fascinating. I love Japanese culture and this had a lot of that embedded in it. It was very helpful that at the beginning it had a section that explained all of the different terms and all of the different people. It was a little disconcerting at times having to flip back and forth trying to understand the terms if you don't have an understanding of Japanese culture.
The way it is written, it's marketed as YA, but it reads a bit more middle grade. The main character, while she is 700 years old, it is hard to imagine that she has those years of experience behind her. She acts very young which is why I started to get some of these middle-grade vibes. Especially with how she interacts with the human that she's a companion with and a lot of the authority figures. She's constantly demeaning humans and downgrading them into something that isn't worth it. It gets very repetitive in that mindset. It's constantly this human bashing. I sort of understand where she is coming from. She's got a lot of back history. But it's hard to get through this read when it is every other sentence or three times on one page and then three times on the next page. It gets a little grating.
A lot of characters didn't feel like they had any heart and soul. They felt very flat and they could have been switched out for anybody else. I don't think this was as developed as it could have been to really make this epic adventure in finding oneself or just giving it some kind of climactic experience. This book didn't really have that. You kind of go through and you're supposed to connect with Ketsueki and you just don't. It didn't have enough humanity in it to really build it up into a place where there was this development or there was that pull. This book was marketed as this grand adventure of figuring out what happened to her mentor, to her best friend, and it kind of got there but didn't. Yeah, there was some journey. Yeah, there was meeting some of these more monstrous yokai. But it didn't bring any passion to it and I think that's what was lacking for me in this story. I want to see more of that development. I want there to be this journey. I want to feel the journey. I just don't want to be given a bunch of words on a page that say:
- She started out here
- Some things happen
- You're supposed to feel some things because this is her backstory
- Humans are bad
- Here's the ending
That is what I feel like I got. I need to feel like I went on a journey and I can now sit down and relax. but it felt like I was driven around in a circle and dropped off on the wrong street.
There's so much going for it. The cover is absolutely gorgeous and it does play with a lot of those anime and manga themes that I really like. But it felt like a slight ripoff of some of those story arcs. So would I recommend this read? Maybe not. I mean if you like reading in this genre, I mean, you might find some pieces you really truly enjoy in this read.
April 2, 2023
I was given an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I am a Teen and YA reviewer, and this was marketed to me as a Teen and YA book, but it is quite clearly an elementary or middle grade read. The actions and prose of the main character speak to a 4th or 5th grade reading level and while I'm sure people looking for that type of reading experience would greatly appreciate this book, I personally feel lied to about what I thought would be a Japanese Mythological Young Adult Book experience. So, unfortunately, I would not recommend this book as it is currently marketed, but I feel like it would make a great addition to a 4th-7th grade library.
I am a Teen and YA reviewer, and this was marketed to me as a Teen and YA book, but it is quite clearly an elementary or middle grade read. The actions and prose of the main character speak to a 4th or 5th grade reading level and while I'm sure people looking for that type of reading experience would greatly appreciate this book, I personally feel lied to about what I thought would be a Japanese Mythological Young Adult Book experience. So, unfortunately, I would not recommend this book as it is currently marketed, but I feel like it would make a great addition to a 4th-7th grade library.
March 6, 2023
If I were the tree that was cut down to become this book I would haunt the shit out of the author. Instead I have all but written an essay about why I feel that way.
This book was bad in every way that a book can be: the writing style, the editing, the characters, the plot... it was all just awful and nonsensical.
The writing style
The writing style had so much unnecessary Japanese romanizations that I would believe the author was paid per use. It read like playing madlibs with a weeb. You know what's not a fun reading experience? Consulting a glossary three times in a sentence. Examples:
The editing
I was honestly shocked that an editor was even credited. I wasn't even necessarily bothered by the punctuation errors or typos (that shit happens in huge, internationally-acclaimed books too). What got my goat was huge errors like blatantly using the wrong words and huge plot inconsistencies. Again, examples:
Then in one attack, Yamato is struck through the arm by a monster's hair. After the fight, it's suddenly a leg injury and he can't walk on it. The author literally forgot that it was his arm that was injured, not his leg.
The characters
The main character, Ketsueki, is defined by three things:
-She's racist
-She's obsessed with Akikumo
-She likes to eat aburaage
Everything she does and every thought she has is the direct result of one of these things. She is exactly the same on the first page as she is on the last. Unrelentingly unlikable.
The author makes a very odd choice to have both Akikumo and Ketsueki adamantly deny their father/daughter type relationship repeatedly. This coupled with Ketsueki's obsession with him makes Akikumo read as though he is grooming her throughout the entire book. , but every chapter before that felt like I was a paragraph away from a Lolita situation. Also, Ketsueki's terrible personality is the same or WORSE after having Akikumo as a mentor for hundreds of years, so what was the point.
Yamato could be replaced by a GPS and the story would be exactly the same. I have nothing to say about him because he was nothing.
The plot
There really isn't much of a plot to this at all, just tropey scenes put together in succession. What I will say is how bizarre it is of the book to end on . The revelation of Akikumo being morally gray or lowkey shitty would be interesting if it felt like it was acknowledged in the narrative, but I feel like this author just thinks he's some kind of inspirational Mufasa-type character. No. He taught Ketsueki nothing and then abandoned her.
Also why the fuck did Akikumo go out of his way to warn some town that Christians were coming in 100 years?? Imagine going back in time to stop Hitler but you go back to the early 1800s. And then it was never mentioned again.
Bonus! The lack of research
Half of this story takes place from around the 1300s to the 1500s. During that time, the author consistently references things that are historically inappropriate, like measuring things in meters (which wasn't a system for another 300-400 years), or having Ketsueki hate agriculture because it's a new human thing (despite agriculture existing in Japan since before she was born). Is this nitpicky? Maybe. And if that were the only fault in this book, I could roll with it. Instead, it's yet another indicator of how little care was put into writing this story.
This whole thing was such a flop. I didn't even have an ARC copy like the rest of these reviewers. I paid for this book with my adult dollars and now I have to live with that.
This book was bad in every way that a book can be: the writing style, the editing, the characters, the plot... it was all just awful and nonsensical.
The writing style
The writing style had so much unnecessary Japanese romanizations that I would believe the author was paid per use. It read like playing madlibs with a weeb. You know what's not a fun reading experience? Consulting a glossary three times in a sentence. Examples:
He straightened his black haori he wore over his white nagagi. I wanted to spill matcha on his nagigi so he would have to purchase a new one.
I did my best to straighten and tighten my obi and center my obidome, even though the ohashori didn’t look quite right.
The editing
I was honestly shocked that an editor was even credited. I wasn't even necessarily bothered by the punctuation errors or typos (that shit happens in huge, internationally-acclaimed books too). What got my goat was huge errors like blatantly using the wrong words and huge plot inconsistencies. Again, examples:
I nodded, a little subconscious that this kami was having to deal with my worries.
"Yamiyo and I were created to be opposites, sort of like two swords of the same coin or two sides of a katana.”
Then in one attack, Yamato is struck through the arm by a monster's hair. After the fight, it's suddenly a leg injury and he can't walk on it. The author literally forgot that it was his arm that was injured, not his leg.
The characters
The main character, Ketsueki, is defined by three things:
-She's racist
-She's obsessed with Akikumo
-She likes to eat aburaage
Everything she does and every thought she has is the direct result of one of these things. She is exactly the same on the first page as she is on the last. Unrelentingly unlikable.
The author makes a very odd choice to have both Akikumo and Ketsueki adamantly deny their father/daughter type relationship repeatedly. This coupled with Ketsueki's obsession with him makes Akikumo read as though he is grooming her throughout the entire book. , but every chapter before that felt like I was a paragraph away from a Lolita situation. Also, Ketsueki's terrible personality is the same or WORSE after having Akikumo as a mentor for hundreds of years, so what was the point.
Yamato could be replaced by a GPS and the story would be exactly the same. I have nothing to say about him because he was nothing.
The plot
There really isn't much of a plot to this at all, just tropey scenes put together in succession. What I will say is how bizarre it is of the book to end on . The revelation of Akikumo being morally gray or lowkey shitty would be interesting if it felt like it was acknowledged in the narrative, but I feel like this author just thinks he's some kind of inspirational Mufasa-type character. No. He taught Ketsueki nothing and then abandoned her.
Also why the fuck did Akikumo go out of his way to warn some town that Christians were coming in 100 years?? Imagine going back in time to stop Hitler but you go back to the early 1800s. And then it was never mentioned again.
Bonus! The lack of research
Half of this story takes place from around the 1300s to the 1500s. During that time, the author consistently references things that are historically inappropriate, like measuring things in meters (which wasn't a system for another 300-400 years), or having Ketsueki hate agriculture because it's a new human thing (despite agriculture existing in Japan since before she was born). Is this nitpicky? Maybe. And if that were the only fault in this book, I could roll with it. Instead, it's yet another indicator of how little care was put into writing this story.
This whole thing was such a flop. I didn't even have an ARC copy like the rest of these reviewers. I paid for this book with my adult dollars and now I have to live with that.
August 17, 2020
Honestly, it is my first time reading inspired-Japanese novels and unfortunately, The Legend of Akikumo is a disappointing read for me. It took me days to write a review about it since I wasn't heavily invested to see this story in a different light because no matter how much I tried, this book, indeed, didn't tug any strings of interest within me.
Synopsis
This story follows about a Kitsune (a fox spirit) named Ketsueki who would give anything to find out why her mentor, Akikumo, the last wolf in Japan, abandoned her. He left her with other kitsune at the Inari Shrine but she doesn't fit in the circle due to insufficient tails she has and how she looks like a mess. These predicaments have resorted to others to bully her, saying that she's a Yokai (demon) instead of a Kitsune and most of all, saying her beloved mentor, Akikumo is already dead. The last statement has really infuriated her, thus she's started showing her rebellious scheme by causing trouble around the shrine. For example, she will give jump scare to naughty teenagers who roam around the shrine at nights in her kitsune form.
That's just a mild and harmless jump scare, not a bloody murder, perhaps that's what Ketsueki thought of but the result of her actions has ingrained in the minds of people that the shrine is really haunted by the fox spirit, thus least visitors come praying at the shrine. Instead of punishing for her deeds, Inari, the head of the shrine, has finally assigned Ketsueki a task; she must find out what happened to Akikumo. She quickly agrees, not realizing the delinquent son of the shrine’s head priest must accompany her. Will Ketsueki be able to make peace with a human? Or will her years of resentment towards humans make this partnership impossible?
Review
First of all, I thought this book would have a series of groundbreaking scenes but there isn't so much into that department. Through her journey finding Akikumo, both Ketsueki and the delinquent son of the shrine, Yamato has encountered a lot of demons. But all of those fighting scenes are so monotone and predictable. The narration of these particular scenes is a very simple and straightforward kind of style. For readers who adore fully-maximized actions then this book doesn't appeal in you that aspect.
Second, there are so many info dumps which make the story is less focused on crafting its word-building. I've found myself keep turning back and forth between the pages and the terminology to find out the meaning of Japanese terms written in the form of romaji - which tired me out, drastically.
Third, the characters' developments are underdeveloped. Though I could see the relationship between a mentor and mentee in Akikumo and Ketsueki but sadly, I don't see how much interactions incurred between Yamato and Ketsueki. It's all kind of hasty developments, with each chapter goes back and forth to the past - Ketsueki and Akikumo's story and to the present - Ketsueki and Yamato's story.
Fourth, I'm not a fan of the writing style in this book. They sound immatured and some sentences do feel odd when I've read them. It isn't enjoyable to read but alas, I admitted that the idea of the storyline could be far more than amazing if the writing style is up to date.
In terms of plotwise, there were some plot holes that the author missed to explain explicitly especially at the part 'the cause that has taken Akikumo's life' and the unfinished resolution about the harbored hatred in Ketsueki towards the human. The way the story is ended just single-handledly leaving me dangling on a cliff wondering 'is that all?'
Lastly, I hope that the author tries to make the world-building of the story more intricately explained, detailed, and not just dumping the whole info in the preface. I think young teens out there would enjoy the simplicity in this story and treat it as a quick read. As for me, this story doesn't meet up my taste in young adult fiction.
Thank you Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and Foxtale Press for providing me an e-arc of The Legend Of Akikumo in return for an honest review.
Synopsis
This story follows about a Kitsune (a fox spirit) named Ketsueki who would give anything to find out why her mentor, Akikumo, the last wolf in Japan, abandoned her. He left her with other kitsune at the Inari Shrine but she doesn't fit in the circle due to insufficient tails she has and how she looks like a mess. These predicaments have resorted to others to bully her, saying that she's a Yokai (demon) instead of a Kitsune and most of all, saying her beloved mentor, Akikumo is already dead. The last statement has really infuriated her, thus she's started showing her rebellious scheme by causing trouble around the shrine. For example, she will give jump scare to naughty teenagers who roam around the shrine at nights in her kitsune form.
That's just a mild and harmless jump scare, not a bloody murder, perhaps that's what Ketsueki thought of but the result of her actions has ingrained in the minds of people that the shrine is really haunted by the fox spirit, thus least visitors come praying at the shrine. Instead of punishing for her deeds, Inari, the head of the shrine, has finally assigned Ketsueki a task; she must find out what happened to Akikumo. She quickly agrees, not realizing the delinquent son of the shrine’s head priest must accompany her. Will Ketsueki be able to make peace with a human? Or will her years of resentment towards humans make this partnership impossible?
Review
First of all, I thought this book would have a series of groundbreaking scenes but there isn't so much into that department. Through her journey finding Akikumo, both Ketsueki and the delinquent son of the shrine, Yamato has encountered a lot of demons. But all of those fighting scenes are so monotone and predictable. The narration of these particular scenes is a very simple and straightforward kind of style. For readers who adore fully-maximized actions then this book doesn't appeal in you that aspect.
Second, there are so many info dumps which make the story is less focused on crafting its word-building. I've found myself keep turning back and forth between the pages and the terminology to find out the meaning of Japanese terms written in the form of romaji - which tired me out, drastically.
Third, the characters' developments are underdeveloped. Though I could see the relationship between a mentor and mentee in Akikumo and Ketsueki but sadly, I don't see how much interactions incurred between Yamato and Ketsueki. It's all kind of hasty developments, with each chapter goes back and forth to the past - Ketsueki and Akikumo's story and to the present - Ketsueki and Yamato's story.
Fourth, I'm not a fan of the writing style in this book. They sound immatured and some sentences do feel odd when I've read them. It isn't enjoyable to read but alas, I admitted that the idea of the storyline could be far more than amazing if the writing style is up to date.
In terms of plotwise, there were some plot holes that the author missed to explain explicitly especially at the part 'the cause that has taken Akikumo's life' and the unfinished resolution about the harbored hatred in Ketsueki towards the human. The way the story is ended just single-handledly leaving me dangling on a cliff wondering 'is that all?'
Lastly, I hope that the author tries to make the world-building of the story more intricately explained, detailed, and not just dumping the whole info in the preface. I think young teens out there would enjoy the simplicity in this story and treat it as a quick read. As for me, this story doesn't meet up my taste in young adult fiction.
Thank you Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and Foxtale Press for providing me an e-arc of The Legend Of Akikumo in return for an honest review.
August 11, 2020
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
First of all, look how pretty the cover is! It's gorgeous! I was drawn to this book primarily by the cover, but I ultimately read it because I love Asian fantasy, especially ones that revolve around the culture of Japan. That being said, this book didn't quite live up to my expectations.
Ketsue-chan is a kitsune, a fox spirit, who spent many years traveling with Akikumo, an okami. Eventually he leaves her at the Inari shrine with other kitsune. However, the other kitsune bully her and treat her horribly. One day, Inari sends Ketsue-chan to search for her beloved Akikumo, but there’s one condition: she must travel with Yamato, the delinquent son of the priest who can apparently see yokai. Ketsue-chan is not a fan of humans, but she relents and begins her search for Akikumo with Yamato at her side.
I think I expected this book to be a bit more similar to Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa. Ketsue-chan and Yamato are pretty bland as far as characters though. They seemed a little stiff and I just didn’t really care for either of them. At the front of the book there’s a glossary. I’m fairly familiar with a lot of the words used as well as the concept/characteristics of the kami, but most readers would have to frequently utilize the glossary which might get annoying after a while. Not to mention that some Japanese words were just thrown in at random which just seemed unnecessary. However, I truly do like the setting and mythology so I appreciate the concept this book was aiming for. At some points, I felt like this book was more intended for younger audiences so maybe I just wasn’t in that audience. This book seems like it might be perfect for a rather specific group of readers, but I’m sad to say that I’m just not one of them. It’s also a pretty short read, so it’s possible I would have enjoyed it more if the Japanese mythology/folklore had been explored a bit more.
First of all, look how pretty the cover is! It's gorgeous! I was drawn to this book primarily by the cover, but I ultimately read it because I love Asian fantasy, especially ones that revolve around the culture of Japan. That being said, this book didn't quite live up to my expectations.
Ketsue-chan is a kitsune, a fox spirit, who spent many years traveling with Akikumo, an okami. Eventually he leaves her at the Inari shrine with other kitsune. However, the other kitsune bully her and treat her horribly. One day, Inari sends Ketsue-chan to search for her beloved Akikumo, but there’s one condition: she must travel with Yamato, the delinquent son of the priest who can apparently see yokai. Ketsue-chan is not a fan of humans, but she relents and begins her search for Akikumo with Yamato at her side.
I think I expected this book to be a bit more similar to Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa. Ketsue-chan and Yamato are pretty bland as far as characters though. They seemed a little stiff and I just didn’t really care for either of them. At the front of the book there’s a glossary. I’m fairly familiar with a lot of the words used as well as the concept/characteristics of the kami, but most readers would have to frequently utilize the glossary which might get annoying after a while. Not to mention that some Japanese words were just thrown in at random which just seemed unnecessary. However, I truly do like the setting and mythology so I appreciate the concept this book was aiming for. At some points, I felt like this book was more intended for younger audiences so maybe I just wasn’t in that audience. This book seems like it might be perfect for a rather specific group of readers, but I’m sad to say that I’m just not one of them. It’s also a pretty short read, so it’s possible I would have enjoyed it more if the Japanese mythology/folklore had been explored a bit more.
August 12, 2020
I wanted to love this book. The cover is absolutely stunning, and the premise and the fact that it revolved around Kitsune and Yokai meant that I was immediately intrigued. Unfortunately, this book wasn't for me.
The main issue I had with it as the overuse of romanji in the text. It might have worked better if the words hadn't been italicized as well, because the change in font kept throwing me out of the text. However, it was also the inclusion of unnecessary words. I could understand using the romanji for certain words like 'torii' and the names of the Gods, but most of the words were easily translated and would have had more impact if the english had been used. It felt as though the language was being used as a crutch to create the setting, rather than the worldbuilding, and I feel that a bit more time spent on the world-building would have created the same effect. What I did like was the glossary at the start, which was well laid out in segments, although it was fustrating having to turn back so often for the words that I didn't know.
However, I also found the characters and world somewhat lacking, and I found myself unable to become invested - especially with the characters which fell a little more flat especially the main characters - Ketsue-chan and Yamato, and they felt stiff around one another, and while I understand they didn't like one another especially at the start it lacked any kind of dynamic to make me want to care about them or their interactions.
Overall, this was a disappointing read for me. However, I do feel that it will appeal to certain readers, especially younger ones, as to some extent it felt as though the writing was targeted at the younger end of YA.
The main issue I had with it as the overuse of romanji in the text. It might have worked better if the words hadn't been italicized as well, because the change in font kept throwing me out of the text. However, it was also the inclusion of unnecessary words. I could understand using the romanji for certain words like 'torii' and the names of the Gods, but most of the words were easily translated and would have had more impact if the english had been used. It felt as though the language was being used as a crutch to create the setting, rather than the worldbuilding, and I feel that a bit more time spent on the world-building would have created the same effect. What I did like was the glossary at the start, which was well laid out in segments, although it was fustrating having to turn back so often for the words that I didn't know.
However, I also found the characters and world somewhat lacking, and I found myself unable to become invested - especially with the characters which fell a little more flat especially the main characters - Ketsue-chan and Yamato, and they felt stiff around one another, and while I understand they didn't like one another especially at the start it lacked any kind of dynamic to make me want to care about them or their interactions.
Overall, this was a disappointing read for me. However, I do feel that it will appeal to certain readers, especially younger ones, as to some extent it felt as though the writing was targeted at the younger end of YA.
April 11, 2021
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a review copy of the book. The opinions expressed are my own.
It's been a while since I've rated a book 2 stars. Here goes.
The Legend of Akikumo follows a kitsune(fox spirit) Tsuki Ketsueki who searches for her mentor, Akikumo. I'm a huge fan of Japanese mythology and the cover is very pretty too. Wicked Fox by Kat Cho was the book which came to my mind when I came across this book. I was very excited to delve into this.
The premise of this book was exciting. I'll give it that. Unfortunately, the plot was non existent. It felt as if nothing happened even though I was almost halfway though the book. It wasn't attention grabbing for me and I kept waiting for something to happen but it just fell flat.
The narration was very simple and straight forward. It reads more like middle grade instead of YA. The dialogues sounded very immature and a few parts sounded weird after I finished reading them. The random Japanese words dropped from time to time was very annoying. I really didn't care for any of the characters in the book and they fell flat without any dynamics.
This book suffers a lot from more telling rather than showing. An exciting premise what could have blossomed into an interesting fantasy was bogged down by unedited writing and the non existence of a strong plot or unique characters.
It's been a while since I've rated a book 2 stars. Here goes.
The Legend of Akikumo follows a kitsune(fox spirit) Tsuki Ketsueki who searches for her mentor, Akikumo. I'm a huge fan of Japanese mythology and the cover is very pretty too. Wicked Fox by Kat Cho was the book which came to my mind when I came across this book. I was very excited to delve into this.
The premise of this book was exciting. I'll give it that. Unfortunately, the plot was non existent. It felt as if nothing happened even though I was almost halfway though the book. It wasn't attention grabbing for me and I kept waiting for something to happen but it just fell flat.
The narration was very simple and straight forward. It reads more like middle grade instead of YA. The dialogues sounded very immature and a few parts sounded weird after I finished reading them. The random Japanese words dropped from time to time was very annoying. I really didn't care for any of the characters in the book and they fell flat without any dynamics.
This book suffers a lot from more telling rather than showing. An exciting premise what could have blossomed into an interesting fantasy was bogged down by unedited writing and the non existence of a strong plot or unique characters.
August 11, 2020
*I was given a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review*
I loved the concept of The Legend of Akikumo. A Japanese-inspired fantasy based around the legends of kitsune and okami seemed right up my alley. I’m a dedicated mythology fan and, although I don’t know much about Japanese legends, I knew enough to feel excited about this book.
Sadly it just wasn’t for me. I felt that there was a little too much Romanised Japanese used throughout, despite the helpful glossary at the beginning (which was very nicely laid-out, by the way). It almost felt superficial, and I wished there was a little more grounding in the physical world around our main character. I would have loved more descriptions of the rich world that obviously surrounds the cast, but I found it lacking.
That being said, the book was a nice quick read and I could certainly see it appealing to younger teenagers. It’s a pity it wasn’t up my alley, but I’m sure the right readership is out there somewhere!
I loved the concept of The Legend of Akikumo. A Japanese-inspired fantasy based around the legends of kitsune and okami seemed right up my alley. I’m a dedicated mythology fan and, although I don’t know much about Japanese legends, I knew enough to feel excited about this book.
Sadly it just wasn’t for me. I felt that there was a little too much Romanised Japanese used throughout, despite the helpful glossary at the beginning (which was very nicely laid-out, by the way). It almost felt superficial, and I wished there was a little more grounding in the physical world around our main character. I would have loved more descriptions of the rich world that obviously surrounds the cast, but I found it lacking.
That being said, the book was a nice quick read and I could certainly see it appealing to younger teenagers. It’s a pity it wasn’t up my alley, but I’m sure the right readership is out there somewhere!
September 30, 2020
I recieved an arc of this digitally and initially was intrigued by the premise. The story of a kitsune and human going on a journey to find a lost friend seemed like one that could be filled with mystery. The first thing to put me off was the lengthy guide at the beginning. It seemed over done and off putting. This also became somewhat condescending when all the words in the guide were in italics in the text. If this was actually for emphasis it fell short. The story was drawn out descriptions of the world that were too lengthy at time’s and lead me to skim past to dialogue. The mc seem very immature for 700+ year old kitsune. Just as the story came to a more interesting point it was over, being a stand-alone seemed to leave tuis feeling very flat and drawn out for not a lot of plot progression. The ebook file was also badly displayed, the bird picture at the chapter start often obscuring the text. One chapter was repeated twice. This story did have potential but for me did not fulfill it.
October 16, 2020
Thank-you to netgalley and the publisher for an earc in exchange of an honest review.
I had to DNF this after 11%. I don’t like to do it but I knew very quickly that this wouldn’t hold my attention.
The writing is very stilted and more like a middle grade novel than a YA.
Further to that the random Japanese word drops was incredibly annoying. It’s totally fine to include another culture and the author obviously has an understanding of these things, but there are ways to include them in a novel without italicising every foreign word.
I guess I’m also not a fan of first person narratives and this felt more like a self insert fan fiction than a polished novel. I definitely see that there is potential here, but I think it needs a lot more work to be engaging. Everything felt so rushed and the characters didn’t really feel real.
I would definitely read more of the authors work in the future, but I think it would need more beta readers and editing passes.
I had to DNF this after 11%. I don’t like to do it but I knew very quickly that this wouldn’t hold my attention.
The writing is very stilted and more like a middle grade novel than a YA.
Further to that the random Japanese word drops was incredibly annoying. It’s totally fine to include another culture and the author obviously has an understanding of these things, but there are ways to include them in a novel without italicising every foreign word.
I guess I’m also not a fan of first person narratives and this felt more like a self insert fan fiction than a polished novel. I definitely see that there is potential here, but I think it needs a lot more work to be engaging. Everything felt so rushed and the characters didn’t really feel real.
I would definitely read more of the authors work in the future, but I think it would need more beta readers and editing passes.
August 15, 2020
I was looking forward to this book but am disappointed. The plot could have been amazing, however the writing and characters dampen what could have been a really interesting Japanese inspired book. The writing felt immature and lots of the Japanese words such as "Baka" felt out of place, especially when used in the past. If you are like me and have a love and knowledge of Japanese culture, this book may be hard for you to read. I felt as if the author was expecting us to know nothing of the culture. What is a beautiful country, felt flat. I was very disappointed that the amazing looking female lead (the cover is stunning!) Came off very immature and instead I was focused more on the male lead. Unfortunately I could not recommend this book.
October 19, 2020
Thank you to the publisher for an early copy! Unfortunately, due to personal matters I could not finish this book before release.
This is one of those books that caught my eye because of the summary and promise, but it fell flat. It’s very descriptive in its events and leaves almost no space to get involved or immersed. And this is something I’ve found myself hating, especially in fantasies.
I also found that the writing isn’t my cup of tea and felt unedited and juvenile.
I think this book can use more editing and a complete change of writing style. It seems to be more of a contemporary style, rather than fantasy. I also didn’t feel like the characters had any life or personality in them.
This is one of those books that caught my eye because of the summary and promise, but it fell flat. It’s very descriptive in its events and leaves almost no space to get involved or immersed. And this is something I’ve found myself hating, especially in fantasies.
I also found that the writing isn’t my cup of tea and felt unedited and juvenile.
I think this book can use more editing and a complete change of writing style. It seems to be more of a contemporary style, rather than fantasy. I also didn’t feel like the characters had any life or personality in them.
December 27, 2022
I thought it was a fun introduction to Japanese culture and folklore. The story is well written and accelerates to the end. Even though it is a stand-alone, I wouldn't mind seeing future adventures of Ketsueki and Yamato.
I would consider it YA, yet I enjoyed reading it despite being well past YA age.
I purchased my signed paperback copy at an author signing event, and I am pleased to have added it to my library.
I would consider it YA, yet I enjoyed reading it despite being well past YA age.
I purchased my signed paperback copy at an author signing event, and I am pleased to have added it to my library.
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