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The Worlds Behind #1
A Whisker Behind
Searching for redemption in the shifting realm between the human and fae worlds, not-so-reformed fae steward Athelas seems likely instead to find death, dismemberment, and deadly magic…
Exiled, excommunicated, and with a bounty on his head, Athelas is lying low in Seoul for exactly one reason: he has a wedding to attend. Whether or not he’s welcome is another matter.
Luckily for Athelas, several bodies have turned up with their soft insides gnawed out, whether by magic or Behindkind—and the latest of those bodies is at the very wedding hall he has been staking out. The Behindkind investigators suspect one of Athelas' housemates: YeoWoo, a gumiho with a thirst for revenge and an even greater appetite for soft underbelly than Athelas. To buy herself time, YeoWoo barters alibis with the suspiciously quiet fae sharing her house, but to remain free, she must find the real murderer.
By joining the investigation, Athelas has exactly the chance he needs to prove that he is now a repentant, changed, and selfless fae, bent on atoning for former deeds…no matter how many Behindkind and humans he has to cut through to confirm that impression.
Exiled, excommunicated, and with a bounty on his head, Athelas is lying low in Seoul for exactly one reason: he has a wedding to attend. Whether or not he’s welcome is another matter.
Luckily for Athelas, several bodies have turned up with their soft insides gnawed out, whether by magic or Behindkind—and the latest of those bodies is at the very wedding hall he has been staking out. The Behindkind investigators suspect one of Athelas' housemates: YeoWoo, a gumiho with a thirst for revenge and an even greater appetite for soft underbelly than Athelas. To buy herself time, YeoWoo barters alibis with the suspiciously quiet fae sharing her house, but to remain free, she must find the real murderer.
By joining the investigation, Athelas has exactly the chance he needs to prove that he is now a repentant, changed, and selfless fae, bent on atoning for former deeds…no matter how many Behindkind and humans he has to cut through to confirm that impression.
265 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 15, 2023
168 people are currently reading
285 people want to read
About the author
W.R. Gingell
46 books1,086 followersW.R. Gingell is a Tasmanian author of urban fantasy, fairy-tale retellings, and madcap science fiction who doesn’t seem to be able to write a book without a body suddenly turning up. She solemnly swears that all such bodies are strictly fictional in nature.
W.R. spends her time reading, drinking a truly ridiculous amount of tea, and slouching in front of the fire to write. Like Peter Pan, she never really grew up, and is still occasionally to be found climbing trees.
GOODREADS FRIEND POLICY: I don't tend to friend anyone unless they're a personal friend or someone from my close author circle. I have a limited social battery which needs constant care. If you want to keep up with my reading/writing, you can absolutely follow me here or on pretty much any social media site.
W.R. spends her time reading, drinking a truly ridiculous amount of tea, and slouching in front of the fire to write. Like Peter Pan, she never really grew up, and is still occasionally to be found climbing trees.
GOODREADS FRIEND POLICY: I don't tend to friend anyone unless they're a personal friend or someone from my close author circle. I have a limited social battery which needs constant care. If you want to keep up with my reading/writing, you can absolutely follow me here or on pretty much any social media site.
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November 1, 2023(UPDATE: listening to the audiobook of this was absolutely delightful. Matthew Lloyd Davies is exactly Athelas' voice)
my (not so) penitent murderous fae is about to meet a gumiho, Korean pigeons, and his match, all in one glorious book
this is only book one, but the other four books are coming in swift succession; all five will be published in 2023 and i cannot WAIT
i'm really not sure if Athelas is more pained by constantly having to take off his shoes to adhere to local customs, or the fact that there is, once again, a small australian child in his kitchen...
my (not so) penitent murderous fae is about to meet a gumiho, Korean pigeons, and his match, all in one glorious book
this is only book one, but the other four books are coming in swift succession; all five will be published in 2023 and i cannot WAIT
i'm really not sure if Athelas is more pained by constantly having to take off his shoes to adhere to local customs, or the fact that there is, once again, a small australian child in his kitchen...
February 15, 2023
ehehehehehehehe Athelas is BACK and as sneaky as ever
EDIT: Now that I've read the finished book, I think it was very nice of Wendee to tailor this book precisely to my tastes! This feels like Wendee's richest and most mature work yet, a bit more serious than CITY BETWEEN. It's such fun to read an urban fantasy set in Seoul, and the city is so lushly painted. We meet Athelas' new partner in investigation, YeoWoo, who is devastatingly honest and his opposite in almost every way, and a bunch of other colourful characters including a traumatised little boy, a good-looking but untrustworthy gumiho elder...and, last but not least, the one person who seems able to bring Athelas to his knees.
Make sure to read this after CITY BETWEEN to get the full benefit of being stabbed in the feels at every turn.
EDIT: Now that I've read the finished book, I think it was very nice of Wendee to tailor this book precisely to my tastes! This feels like Wendee's richest and most mature work yet, a bit more serious than CITY BETWEEN. It's such fun to read an urban fantasy set in Seoul, and the city is so lushly painted. We meet Athelas' new partner in investigation, YeoWoo, who is devastatingly honest and his opposite in almost every way, and a bunch of other colourful characters including a traumatised little boy, a good-looking but untrustworthy gumiho elder...and, last but not least, the one person who seems able to bring Athelas to his knees.
Make sure to read this after CITY BETWEEN to get the full benefit of being stabbed in the feels at every turn.
January 19, 2023
Really glad to be back in this story world, even if not following Pet around (or at least I'm not). And YeoWoo is a great addition!
February 9, 2023
Athelas is BACK and he is aping reformation but he’s twistier than ever. My guy has planned it down to the minute how he’s going to get back in a certain group’s good graces and PROVE that he is A Good Person, and sets up a lot of bloody dominoes to do so. Very irritating that his new housemates keep getting in his way and tripping him and telling him “That’s not how this works, that’s not how any of this works.” Buddy, you’ve got a Big Storm Coming 😁😁😁
YeoWoo in particular was SO fun because she, as a gumiho (no, autocorrect, not a humidor), has a much more feral approach than Athelas’s suave hits, and she has no illusions about her hands being clean. Seeing both of them play off each other was a delight. The new setting of South Korea and new locales and characters for Between and Behind were great as well.
That said, you totally must read the BETWEEN series before you read the BEHIND books. It’s just better.
Athelas: *manipulates, maneuvers, and machinates through all of Seoul *
Seoul inhabitants: we don’t trust you
Athelas: my goodness, how rude
And the ENDING: hoisted by his own petard!!!!! We love to see it. CANNOT WAIT for book 2. Five stars!!!
I was provided an arc copy by the author and this is my honest review. A Whisker Behind comes out February 15!
YeoWoo in particular was SO fun because she, as a gumiho (no, autocorrect, not a humidor), has a much more feral approach than Athelas’s suave hits, and she has no illusions about her hands being clean. Seeing both of them play off each other was a delight. The new setting of South Korea and new locales and characters for Between and Behind were great as well.
That said, you totally must read the BETWEEN series before you read the BEHIND books. It’s just better.
Athelas: *manipulates, maneuvers, and machinates through all of Seoul *
Seoul inhabitants: we don’t trust you
Athelas: my goodness, how rude
And the ENDING: hoisted by his own petard!!!!! We love to see it. CANNOT WAIT for book 2. Five stars!!!
I was provided an arc copy by the author and this is my honest review. A Whisker Behind comes out February 15!
November 9, 2023
*4.5 stars
you know, I expected this to be "athelas and his new friends solve crimes in korea" not "gingell punches me in the throat" but i definitely should have anticipated the latter 😭
you know, I expected this to be "athelas and his new friends solve crimes in korea" not "gingell punches me in the throat" but i definitely should have anticipated the latter 😭
February 20, 2023
It's always a pleasure to return to the world Between and Behind — just as it's a pleasure to revisit our favorite twisty, lavender-grey, murderous fae.
It's been some years since the world-shaking events of the City Between series, and Athelas is . . . well, rather less than thoroughly reformed, but he's certainly trying to convince others he is. Thus why he's in Seoul, in order to prove his reformed-ness in hopes of regaining some of his former standing (and maybe get rid of one of the bounties on his head) . . . and thus why he gets involved when bodies start turning up and his gumiho housemate, YeoWoo, is accused of creating them. What follows is a thrilling and properly twisty mystery as Athelas and YeoWoo work to clear YeoWoo's name and stay alive while doing it.
As this story has Athelas and YeoWoo at its helm, it has a rather different vibe than the City Between series, but it's nonetheless very enjoyable. It's fascinating to get a look inside Athelas's mind — he's no less twisty or inclined to scheme than he was when last we saw him, and he certainly still has the use-or-be-used perspective that informs most of those schemes. It's interesting to read, but I do look forward to hopefully seeing him grow beyond it over the course of the series.
On a related note, I absolutely love how well Athelas's housemates, primarily YeoWoo and Camellia, see through him. I don't have the exact quote, but at one point, YeoWoo calls him out on thinking himself the "Grand Tragedy Who Walks Alone" even though he doesn't necessarily need to be so — becoming otherwise would just take effort. I think it'll be good for Athelas to once again have people around him who won't take any of his bushwa (even if he might disagree with me), and again, I look forward to seeing where it goes.
And speaking of Athelas's housemates . . . oh, I do like YeoWoo. It took me a chapter or two to warm up to her, but once I had a feel for her and we started getting into her character and her past more, I got quite attached. She's clever, but far more direct than Athelas, and it makes for a nice dynamic between the two of them. I also enjoy Camellia, though my estimation of her skyrocketed towards the end of the book. Excellent woman! I look forward to discovering more about her, who she is, and how she became so comfortable with Behindkind and so knowledgeable about dealing with them.
Those looking forward to a lot of crossover and recurring characters from City Between should be aware that . . . well, we don't really get that. We see frequent glimpses of old friends, and one does show up in a somewhat significant way, but for the most part, the focus is on Athelas and the new cast. That's arguably as it should be, but I do want to make people aware of that before they go into the book.
I'm sure I'll have to go back and reread this one later to catch all the clues and hints I didn't see the first time, but that'll be later — for now, I'm just looking forward to Book 2.
It's been some years since the world-shaking events of the City Between series, and Athelas is . . . well, rather less than thoroughly reformed, but he's certainly trying to convince others he is. Thus why he's in Seoul, in order to prove his reformed-ness in hopes of regaining some of his former standing (and maybe get rid of one of the bounties on his head) . . . and thus why he gets involved when bodies start turning up and his gumiho housemate, YeoWoo, is accused of creating them. What follows is a thrilling and properly twisty mystery as Athelas and YeoWoo work to clear YeoWoo's name and stay alive while doing it.
As this story has Athelas and YeoWoo at its helm, it has a rather different vibe than the City Between series, but it's nonetheless very enjoyable. It's fascinating to get a look inside Athelas's mind — he's no less twisty or inclined to scheme than he was when last we saw him, and he certainly still has the use-or-be-used perspective that informs most of those schemes. It's interesting to read, but I do look forward to hopefully seeing him grow beyond it over the course of the series.
On a related note, I absolutely love how well Athelas's housemates, primarily YeoWoo and Camellia, see through him. I don't have the exact quote, but at one point, YeoWoo calls him out on thinking himself the "Grand Tragedy Who Walks Alone" even though he doesn't necessarily need to be so — becoming otherwise would just take effort. I think it'll be good for Athelas to once again have people around him who won't take any of his bushwa (even if he might disagree with me), and again, I look forward to seeing where it goes.
And speaking of Athelas's housemates . . . oh, I do like YeoWoo. It took me a chapter or two to warm up to her, but once I had a feel for her and we started getting into her character and her past more, I got quite attached. She's clever, but far more direct than Athelas, and it makes for a nice dynamic between the two of them. I also enjoy Camellia, though my estimation of her skyrocketed towards the end of the book. Excellent woman! I look forward to discovering more about her, who she is, and how she became so comfortable with Behindkind and so knowledgeable about dealing with them.
Those looking forward to a lot of crossover and recurring characters from City Between should be aware that . . . well, we don't really get that. We see frequent glimpses of old friends, and one does show up in a somewhat significant way, but for the most part, the focus is on Athelas and the new cast. That's arguably as it should be, but I do want to make people aware of that before they go into the book.
I'm sure I'll have to go back and reread this one later to catch all the clues and hints I didn't see the first time, but that'll be later — for now, I'm just looking forward to Book 2.
April 6, 2023
4 stars // read April 2023
While this is a spin-off to the City Between series, it definitely has a different flavor, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing- more atmospheric and slower paced. It took me a while to finish, the character development, world building, and Very Good Twists ( “Ruth could take everything you threw at her” ) make me excited to continue the series.
While this is a spin-off to the City Between series, it definitely has a different flavor, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing- more atmospheric and slower paced. It took me a while to finish, the character development, world building, and Very Good Twists ( “Ruth could take everything you threw at her” ) make me excited to continue the series.
December 14, 2023
Re-Read Review: Even better the second time around! The audiobook narration is very well done!
Original Review:
I'd been counting down to the release of the City Between spin off series, and it did not disappoint!
Athelas makes for an interesting main character. I'm normally not the type of enjoy reading from the POV of someone so murderous and lacking in morals, but the author pulls it off in this book! She manages to write Athelas's view point without condoning his manipulative actions.
YeoWoo made for an interesting addition as viewpoint character. So different from Pet, yet with such an interesting story to tell.
I can already tell I'm going to fall in love with this cast of characters. I can't wait for the next adventure!
Original Review:
I'd been counting down to the release of the City Between spin off series, and it did not disappoint!
Athelas makes for an interesting main character. I'm normally not the type of enjoy reading from the POV of someone so murderous and lacking in morals, but the author pulls it off in this book! She manages to write Athelas's view point without condoning his manipulative actions.
YeoWoo made for an interesting addition as viewpoint character. So different from Pet, yet with such an interesting story to tell.
I can already tell I'm going to fall in love with this cast of characters. I can't wait for the next adventure!
March 12, 2023
There were so many things I loved about this book:
* the setting was so alive and vital
* the exploration of consequences + redemption
* CAMELLIA
* YeoWoo, Peregrine, Harrow
* how Athelas isn’t allowed to escape himself and his sins
* CAMELLIA
* the banter
* the wistfulness, the longing, the piercing glimpses of characters from the previous series
* the mystery + over-arching mysteries
* CAMELLIA
HAVE I MENTIONED CAMELLIA!?
* the setting was so alive and vital
* the exploration of consequences + redemption
* CAMELLIA
* YeoWoo, Peregrine, Harrow
* how Athelas isn’t allowed to escape himself and his sins
* CAMELLIA
* the banter
* the wistfulness, the longing, the piercing glimpses of characters from the previous series
* the mystery + over-arching mysteries
* CAMELLIA
HAVE I MENTIONED CAMELLIA!?
February 27, 2023
If you’ve read the City Between series by W.R. Gingell, you know what you’re getting into. But to summarize:
Everyone’s favorite traitor is back!
The twisty Athelas is in South Korea in an attempt to get into a certain someone’s good graces again, after certain events that happened in the last few books of City Between. In an effort to do gain back his former family’s approval, he decides to help YeoWoo, a gumiho, solve a murder that’s being pinned on her.
Is it good? Magnificently so.
Is it everything I wanted in a sequel about Athelas? ABSOLUTELY. (Though I do miss Pet and the rest of the psychos. Especially Zero. T_T)
And does it hold up to the City Between series? 100%, in my opinion. Lots of mysteries unfolding. Lots of characters. Lots of quotes that hit you in the gut. And we’re just getting started, too!
And.
No spoilers.
But.
THAT. END.
*screams*
And this is the first time I have to WAIT for a Gingell book to be released. (I just finished reading City Between for the first time just in time for this release after discovering the series in December.)
IS THIS WHAT THE REST OF YOU WENT THROUGH FOR EVERY RELEASE?!
So, yes. My thoughts will be consumed with this book, it’s great, and I need the 2nd one in about 5 minutes, please and thank you. :)
P.S.—might I request a Zero sequel plz and thank you 🥲
Everyone’s favorite traitor is back!
The twisty Athelas is in South Korea in an attempt to get into a certain someone’s good graces again, after certain events that happened in the last few books of City Between. In an effort to do gain back his former family’s approval, he decides to help YeoWoo, a gumiho, solve a murder that’s being pinned on her.
Is it good? Magnificently so.
Is it everything I wanted in a sequel about Athelas? ABSOLUTELY. (Though I do miss Pet and the rest of the psychos. Especially Zero. T_T)
And does it hold up to the City Between series? 100%, in my opinion. Lots of mysteries unfolding. Lots of characters. Lots of quotes that hit you in the gut. And we’re just getting started, too!
And.
No spoilers.
But.
THAT. END.
*screams*
And this is the first time I have to WAIT for a Gingell book to be released. (I just finished reading City Between for the first time just in time for this release after discovering the series in December.)
IS THIS WHAT THE REST OF YOU WENT THROUGH FOR EVERY RELEASE?!
So, yes. My thoughts will be consumed with this book, it’s great, and I need the 2nd one in about 5 minutes, please and thank you. :)
P.S.—might I request a Zero sequel plz and thank you 🥲
February 15, 2023
Oh my.
Athelas has a very twisty head and after being in his head for around half this book, my own poor head is starting to spin.
That being said, it is ENTIRELY delightful to be back in this literary world with characters new and old.
YeoWoo is a lovely character and an excellent foil for our leading fae and the slight but stark differences between the two of them makes for a very interesting read. I look forward to learning more about her as well as Camellia and Harrow, as all three are very interesting and at least two of the three have no problem seeing right through Athelas and his machinations and seeing them deliver sharp truth to him in...varied and creative ways was altogether wonderful.
Athelas has a very twisty head and after being in his head for around half this book, my own poor head is starting to spin.
That being said, it is ENTIRELY delightful to be back in this literary world with characters new and old.
YeoWoo is a lovely character and an excellent foil for our leading fae and the slight but stark differences between the two of them makes for a very interesting read. I look forward to learning more about her as well as Camellia and Harrow, as all three are very interesting and at least two of the three have no problem seeing right through Athelas and his machinations and seeing them deliver sharp truth to him in...varied and creative ways was altogether wonderful.
April 1, 2024
Is it valid to put a book on my "had to put down the book and squee" shelf when the squee in question was because of a poisoning rather than a romantic development? The questions W.R. Gingell forces me to ask myself.
October 18, 2023
We get to see our twisty old fae again. This book is setting the new level. Athelas is up to his old tricks trying to control everyone around him so that he gets what he wants. He hasn't yet learned nor is he redeemed. But, we get to see him meet some new folks that will walk along with him in the path.
I put it as a four-star right now because this isn't fully satisfying. I might up the stars later after I finish this series.
I put it as a four-star right now because this isn't fully satisfying. I might up the stars later after I finish this series.
January 10, 2024
I'm so here for the redemption and moral and ethical discourse we're gonna get.
That said. I'm already attached to the new characters, honestly...they were very well written and make good foils to our twisty fae. I also liked the dual PoVs - the balance let the book flow a lot easier. Plot wise, I am very intrigued to see where this goes as it seems to be a slightly less world shaking plot so far, more taking us through each character's journey. But if I'm 100% honest, what pulled me into the book was the moral quandraries and discourse on redemption, guilt, etc.
Content: Well, murder and gore involved, as well as a lot of death and blood and viscera. Allusions to sexual abuses but nothing explicitly shown. (Spoilers to come) Manipulation is also there (in many ways)...but it's tastefully handled. No language, though.
That said. I'm already attached to the new characters, honestly...they were very well written and make good foils to our twisty fae. I also liked the dual PoVs - the balance let the book flow a lot easier. Plot wise, I am very intrigued to see where this goes as it seems to be a slightly less world shaking plot so far, more taking us through each character's journey. But if I'm 100% honest, what pulled me into the book was the moral quandraries and discourse on redemption, guilt, etc.
Content: Well, murder and gore involved, as well as a lot of death and blood and viscera. Allusions to sexual abuses but nothing explicitly shown. (Spoilers to come) Manipulation is also there (in many ways)...but it's tastefully handled. No language, though.
July 8, 2024
Oh, I waited until eighty-eight percent to hear Zero's cold voice and SCREAM. Who knew how much one missed Lord Sero until one meets him again? And also, 'The twisty tea-drinker hadn't counted on everything' about sums up my unhinged delight. Yes, that's about it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 4, 2023
Content:
Language: None, unless there was something in Korean that I totally missed.
Violence: High Moderate. There is a lot of talk of murdering, ripping out throats, lots of fights where blood is in play. The author is however good at not being gratuitously graphic in her depictions of said bloody fights. She's quite clinical and objective about it. But it's there. A lot.
Sexual: None.
TW: This is dealing with Athelas's story, so it's got lots of emotional weight. Spoiler for the City Between Series: . There is also some child endangerment portrayed.
THE FOLLOWING WILL HAVE SPOILERS FOR THE CITY BETWEEN SERIES
I was so hesitant to read this spinoff from City Between. I did NOT like how the last book ended. That's not to say it wasn't masterfully written and absolutely amazing. It just ripped my poor little heart out and left me rather numb for weeks. Mostly because of Athelas.
So, when I heard this series was happening, I had a glimmering little hope for some kind of redemption for Athelas, whom I quite adored through the City Between Series up until that ending. But how in the world could he possibly redeem himself? I almost talked myself out of reading the book altogether to spare my heart, until I read one of the short stories in the Between Friends anthology of stories.
Let's just say, I really want to see how Athelas goes from where he was at the end of Between Kings to where he ended up in that short story. Holy smokes.
So in this book, the first of five I believe, takes place in Seoul South Korea, which knowing only periphery facts about Korea was a bit of a struggle for me to visualize. But knowing the research that went into this book I have plans to now go look up the districts/streets etc. that are mentioned in the book. And Kimchee pots. I need to know what they look like, because apparently they are everywhere.
Athelas is still a creepy tea drinker with sneaky plans in this book. He has no illusions about what he is: a murderer who blew up the entire system of Behind, betraying the trust of everyone in his life. Now, W.R. Gingell is masterful at creating realistic characters, and Athelas is fascinating. And incredibly sad. Athelas explains a bit of what life looked like for him in a very simplistic way, basically starting with being sold as a kid, killing to survive, then killing to be merciful, then killing to burn the system that was so wretched. I really liked understanding where Athelas is at mentally, and seeing glimpses of where he might end up because of the people now in his life in Seoul.
Enter YeoWoo, the Gumiho, who is a violent bean that is too impulsive for Athelas's taste, but he seems to enjoy pulling her proverbial tails. YeoWoo, on the other hand, well...she hates him. A lot. While YeoWoo has a lot of blood on her hands herself, she has rules that she follows, one being that humans don't get hurt (sounds familiar eh?) and children are off limits. Any guesses why Athelas gets her ragey? Oh, and she's not a beat around the bush gal, she's blunt, and literally goes for the throat. Athelas mildly reproaches her for her lack of finesse a lot.
These two together is intriguing. They weirdly compliment each other, but also both have sooooo much baggage and are broken in different ways. Them coming together to solve a mystery in Seoul was fun, and while I was frustrated with Athelas's thought processes and motivations, I saw some little moments of self awareness from him that made me wonder if he can change even just a little. I mean, he didn't do anything about his mistakes, but at least he was able to acknowledge them.
Oh, and Camellia at the end there, nice play lady. Nice play. Only Athelas would
I'm intrigued to find out more about Harrow too. Poor kid. I'm truly truly hoping that Athelas will be able to do something in fellow feeling for the traumatized kid. As the adult version of a horrendously traumatized and abused child, I'm hoping that he'll figure out how to break someone's cycle of trauma.
Looking forward to the next book in May to see how things progress.
P.S. The cameos from favorite characters made me smile happily. Felt like hunting for easter eggs.
Language: None, unless there was something in Korean that I totally missed.
Violence: High Moderate. There is a lot of talk of murdering, ripping out throats, lots of fights where blood is in play. The author is however good at not being gratuitously graphic in her depictions of said bloody fights. She's quite clinical and objective about it. But it's there. A lot.
Sexual: None.
TW: This is dealing with Athelas's story, so it's got lots of emotional weight. Spoiler for the City Between Series: . There is also some child endangerment portrayed.
THE FOLLOWING WILL HAVE SPOILERS FOR THE CITY BETWEEN SERIES
I was so hesitant to read this spinoff from City Between. I did NOT like how the last book ended. That's not to say it wasn't masterfully written and absolutely amazing. It just ripped my poor little heart out and left me rather numb for weeks. Mostly because of Athelas.
So, when I heard this series was happening, I had a glimmering little hope for some kind of redemption for Athelas, whom I quite adored through the City Between Series up until that ending. But how in the world could he possibly redeem himself? I almost talked myself out of reading the book altogether to spare my heart, until I read one of the short stories in the Between Friends anthology of stories.
Let's just say, I really want to see how Athelas goes from where he was at the end of Between Kings to where he ended up in that short story. Holy smokes.
So in this book, the first of five I believe, takes place in Seoul South Korea, which knowing only periphery facts about Korea was a bit of a struggle for me to visualize. But knowing the research that went into this book I have plans to now go look up the districts/streets etc. that are mentioned in the book. And Kimchee pots. I need to know what they look like, because apparently they are everywhere.
Athelas is still a creepy tea drinker with sneaky plans in this book. He has no illusions about what he is: a murderer who blew up the entire system of Behind, betraying the trust of everyone in his life. Now, W.R. Gingell is masterful at creating realistic characters, and Athelas is fascinating. And incredibly sad. Athelas explains a bit of what life looked like for him in a very simplistic way, basically starting with being sold as a kid, killing to survive, then killing to be merciful, then killing to burn the system that was so wretched. I really liked understanding where Athelas is at mentally, and seeing glimpses of where he might end up because of the people now in his life in Seoul.
Enter YeoWoo, the Gumiho, who is a violent bean that is too impulsive for Athelas's taste, but he seems to enjoy pulling her proverbial tails. YeoWoo, on the other hand, well...she hates him. A lot. While YeoWoo has a lot of blood on her hands herself, she has rules that she follows, one being that humans don't get hurt (sounds familiar eh?) and children are off limits. Any guesses why Athelas gets her ragey? Oh, and she's not a beat around the bush gal, she's blunt, and literally goes for the throat. Athelas mildly reproaches her for her lack of finesse a lot.
These two together is intriguing. They weirdly compliment each other, but also both have sooooo much baggage and are broken in different ways. Them coming together to solve a mystery in Seoul was fun, and while I was frustrated with Athelas's thought processes and motivations, I saw some little moments of self awareness from him that made me wonder if he can change even just a little. I mean, he didn't do anything about his mistakes, but at least he was able to acknowledge them.
Oh, and Camellia at the end there, nice play lady. Nice play. Only Athelas would
I'm intrigued to find out more about Harrow too. Poor kid. I'm truly truly hoping that Athelas will be able to do something in fellow feeling for the traumatized kid. As the adult version of a horrendously traumatized and abused child, I'm hoping that he'll figure out how to break someone's cycle of trauma.
Looking forward to the next book in May to see how things progress.
P.S. The cameos from favorite characters made me smile happily. Felt like hunting for easter eggs.
March 12, 2023
As bloody and brilliant as expected
It was so good to see Athelas again! I am so excited about his redemption arc, and to see where it goes in the next book.
The plot was twisty, as expected, and cozy, with much tea drinking(as there should have been). The new cast of characters are intriguing, and the Korea setting made my heart very happy.
It was so good to see Athelas again! I am so excited about his redemption arc, and to see where it goes in the next book.
The plot was twisty, as expected, and cozy, with much tea drinking(as there should have been). The new cast of characters are intriguing, and the Korea setting made my heart very happy.
November 21, 2025
No, it didn't end like that!!
A little more gory/bloody than the first series.
I'm nervously intrigued to see what happens next. Bits of this made me sad, as I wanted it too.
A little more gory/bloody than the first series.
I'm nervously intrigued to see what happens next. Bits of this made me sad, as I wanted it too.
March 10, 2023
So I was thinking a solid 4 stars for the spiky, tragic, hilarious character dynamics and discussion of justice, revenge, and repentance— until the last two scenes when the dominoes started hitting each other and YIKES now we are in 5 star territory!!
Want to read
February 27, 2024reading all of the reviews that have come out for this one so far has been... my guilty pleasure.
that is to say, this is on my SHOPPING LIST. I can't wait for the paperback format to release!!!
that is to say, this is on my SHOPPING LIST. I can't wait for the paperback format to release!!!
May 17, 2025
I liked it this, of course, but mostly because I already know and trust Gingell’s ability to slowly build relationships and grow characters. This would not have been a great book for me to have started with for this author.
Athelas through Pet/Ruth’s eyes is far more likeable than Athelas in his own head or through Yeo Woo’s eyes, for one. While this fact is completely understandable and believable, it did not assist in making Athelas more likeable, or even more palatable in the short run. What I did still like about him was his love and longing for Pet and his quick understanding of certain things. His manipulations and speech patterns that felt fine in Pet’s series were pitiable and annoying respectively in this book. I did love the ending and cannot wait to see where this goes and how it develops. Good first installment from an author who excels in slow, believable character and relationship growth and slow plot progression. After all, anyone reading the previous series understands that reformation for Athelas won’t be either easy or fast. He did too much evil and underneath that is so badly damaged himself. The only way to accomplish it believably would be to do it slowly, and to show how Athelas gets in his own way, the same way we all do when growing as humans.
Notes on my second time reading this: Second time through I did by audiobook. Audiobook speeds some things up, and many, many times I had to hit the 15 second back button to listen again, either because I was distracted by driving or distracted by my own thoughts, and Gingell’s writing is layered like Between and takes concentration to navigate, like Between. But Audio also slows things down and ensures I listen word for word to things I sometimes consciously, but frequently unconsciously skip or skim over when I read. Audio offers up accents (slightly problematic in parts of this series as some Australian characters get Korean accents) and proper (presumably) name pronunciations. I’d been making Yeo Woo’s name two distinct words in my head, since that’s the way it’s written. That’s not how the reader pronounces it though.
Even if this read hadn’t been a listen, it still would have been the magical 2nd time through. A book rich in layers is always better for me the second and third times through and this was no exception. Knowing not just how this one ends, but how the entire series ends allowed me to really focus more on how it begins. I remember not liking Athelas much at all in this book, and honestly, not liking Yeo Woo (now I want to type her name completely differently to match how it sounds!) all that much better. It made it a little hard to read. But I liked them both better this time. Athelas was still a little difficult to read, but instead of feeling entirely disgusted with him, I felt a bit more…disappointed, maybe? Like I kept shaking my head and thinking, “Oh, Athelas,” as he was thinking his twisty thoughts and making his self-serving plans. So, I guess I’d say I approached him with compassion again rather than judgement. Also, I’d completely misread something about Harrow in this book the first time through. It did not make what Athelas did any better, but it did help the entire Harrow character arc and storyline make more sense to have a better understanding of what Athelas actually noted and thought about him this time through.
Also, I understood the plot and some of the clues and pieces better this time. I know I’m intelligent and smart and in some ways clever. This is not low self esteem speaking…just a knowledge of self. I lack a certain type of intelligence, I suppose…or am less strong in it. I don’t usually solve mysteries ahead of the story, and if I do, it’s usually because I pick up on something related to writing rather than some clue within the story itself. I don’t pick up on the proper clues and put them in their proper places. I don’t retain them. I can reread mysteries several times before I remember from the beginning all the bits of who did it and why and how and how they get found out (this last thing is kind of a gift, really, if it’s a good mystery). Those things are exacerbated if the mystery isn’t really why I’m reading the story. And it wasn’t the reason I read World Behind the first time through. I was reading for how Athelas…heals, really. Reforms, I suppose, but reforms is judgy and I don’t like it. Heals is actually more accurate anyway. I didn’t care much about the mystery. It was just the vehicle that led to the healing. This time through I paid more attention. In part because I’d like to understand more fully how the books interconnect. In part because I didn’t have to focus so much on what would happen next or in the end - I know that already. I remembered who are minor characters who disappear after this book and who I needed to pay more attention to that I didn’t pay enough attention to the first time around (Peregrine and Camellia). I really paid attention to how Yeo Woo thinks and acts as compared to how Athelas thinks and acts when interviewing witnesses or confronting bad guys. And to how they each view the other doing those things. Their relationship and parallel arcs are so interesting and I didn’t pay enough attention…or maybe was paying attention to the wrong things…the first time through. Ha - see, I started this paragraph talking mystery plot, and ended up back in character relationships and arcs. I see everything through character and relationship, even when I’m looking directly at plot.
Ironically, reading this book as a book, Athelas saying “My dear” all the time drove me up a wall. I couldn’t stand it, or him. It’s noted in my first review, above. It didn’t bother me in the audio version. Either because the audio somehow minimized it for me, or because I knew it had bothered me before, but also know some more things from the rest of the series. Or just because I was more open-hearted toward Athelas this time around. Anyway, enjoyed it more second time through!
Athelas through Pet/Ruth’s eyes is far more likeable than Athelas in his own head or through Yeo Woo’s eyes, for one. While this fact is completely understandable and believable, it did not assist in making Athelas more likeable, or even more palatable in the short run. What I did still like about him was his love and longing for Pet and his quick understanding of certain things. His manipulations and speech patterns that felt fine in Pet’s series were pitiable and annoying respectively in this book. I did love the ending and cannot wait to see where this goes and how it develops. Good first installment from an author who excels in slow, believable character and relationship growth and slow plot progression. After all, anyone reading the previous series understands that reformation for Athelas won’t be either easy or fast. He did too much evil and underneath that is so badly damaged himself. The only way to accomplish it believably would be to do it slowly, and to show how Athelas gets in his own way, the same way we all do when growing as humans.
Notes on my second time reading this: Second time through I did by audiobook. Audiobook speeds some things up, and many, many times I had to hit the 15 second back button to listen again, either because I was distracted by driving or distracted by my own thoughts, and Gingell’s writing is layered like Between and takes concentration to navigate, like Between. But Audio also slows things down and ensures I listen word for word to things I sometimes consciously, but frequently unconsciously skip or skim over when I read. Audio offers up accents (slightly problematic in parts of this series as some Australian characters get Korean accents) and proper (presumably) name pronunciations. I’d been making Yeo Woo’s name two distinct words in my head, since that’s the way it’s written. That’s not how the reader pronounces it though.
Even if this read hadn’t been a listen, it still would have been the magical 2nd time through. A book rich in layers is always better for me the second and third times through and this was no exception. Knowing not just how this one ends, but how the entire series ends allowed me to really focus more on how it begins. I remember not liking Athelas much at all in this book, and honestly, not liking Yeo Woo (now I want to type her name completely differently to match how it sounds!) all that much better. It made it a little hard to read. But I liked them both better this time. Athelas was still a little difficult to read, but instead of feeling entirely disgusted with him, I felt a bit more…disappointed, maybe? Like I kept shaking my head and thinking, “Oh, Athelas,” as he was thinking his twisty thoughts and making his self-serving plans. So, I guess I’d say I approached him with compassion again rather than judgement. Also, I’d completely misread something about Harrow in this book the first time through. It did not make what Athelas did any better, but it did help the entire Harrow character arc and storyline make more sense to have a better understanding of what Athelas actually noted and thought about him this time through.
Also, I understood the plot and some of the clues and pieces better this time. I know I’m intelligent and smart and in some ways clever. This is not low self esteem speaking…just a knowledge of self. I lack a certain type of intelligence, I suppose…or am less strong in it. I don’t usually solve mysteries ahead of the story, and if I do, it’s usually because I pick up on something related to writing rather than some clue within the story itself. I don’t pick up on the proper clues and put them in their proper places. I don’t retain them. I can reread mysteries several times before I remember from the beginning all the bits of who did it and why and how and how they get found out (this last thing is kind of a gift, really, if it’s a good mystery). Those things are exacerbated if the mystery isn’t really why I’m reading the story. And it wasn’t the reason I read World Behind the first time through. I was reading for how Athelas…heals, really. Reforms, I suppose, but reforms is judgy and I don’t like it. Heals is actually more accurate anyway. I didn’t care much about the mystery. It was just the vehicle that led to the healing. This time through I paid more attention. In part because I’d like to understand more fully how the books interconnect. In part because I didn’t have to focus so much on what would happen next or in the end - I know that already. I remembered who are minor characters who disappear after this book and who I needed to pay more attention to that I didn’t pay enough attention to the first time around (Peregrine and Camellia). I really paid attention to how Yeo Woo thinks and acts as compared to how Athelas thinks and acts when interviewing witnesses or confronting bad guys. And to how they each view the other doing those things. Their relationship and parallel arcs are so interesting and I didn’t pay enough attention…or maybe was paying attention to the wrong things…the first time through. Ha - see, I started this paragraph talking mystery plot, and ended up back in character relationships and arcs. I see everything through character and relationship, even when I’m looking directly at plot.
Ironically, reading this book as a book, Athelas saying “My dear” all the time drove me up a wall. I couldn’t stand it, or him. It’s noted in my first review, above. It didn’t bother me in the audio version. Either because the audio somehow minimized it for me, or because I knew it had bothered me before, but also know some more things from the rest of the series. Or just because I was more open-hearted toward Athelas this time around. Anyway, enjoyed it more second time through!
February 16, 2023
I was really looking forward to this book - couldn't resist picking it up as soon as it was available. (Next one out in May. Can't wait!)
It was great to return to the world of The City Between, and fun to be somewhere new, though I also miss the Australian setting. The addition of Korean mythology helps set this apart as its own series - works really well.
I was concerned that Athelas might not be quite as enjoyable to read from his own perspective, but he was written really well - and of course he's even better from YeoWoo's point of view. Also loved YeoWoo - a fantastic addition to the cast.
While this is a good story in its own right, there are a lot of references to The City Between, and lots of things (both minor and major) that just aren't meaningful without the full back story. Want to read this? Read The City Between first!
It was great to return to the world of The City Between, and fun to be somewhere new, though I also miss the Australian setting. The addition of Korean mythology helps set this apart as its own series - works really well.
I was concerned that Athelas might not be quite as enjoyable to read from his own perspective, but he was written really well - and of course he's even better from YeoWoo's point of view. Also loved YeoWoo - a fantastic addition to the cast.
While this is a good story in its own right, there are a lot of references to The City Between, and lots of things (both minor and major) that just aren't meaningful without the full back story. Want to read this? Read The City Between first!
March 19, 2023
Highly enjoyable, continuing the story of Athelas - suave, violent and damaged anti-hero cum tea drinking sleuth - while introducing some new behindkind, new core characters and a fascinating shift to South Korea. Leaving aside why so many Korean Behind folk seem to know what went down in Tasmania Behind in the previous series (how small is the fae court anyway?) this sets up the new series nicely.
Minor gripes: the Korean setting was completely unfamiliar to me, though I've at least visited some other Asian cities. A little more description might have helped. This would make a really good Graphic Novel, actually. Also YeoWoo is a an interesting character but attempting two POVs of highly damaged, guilt ridden and somewhat evasive characters makes it much harder to connect as a reader than some of Ms Gingell's other books that have a clearer single POV heroine or hero.
Minor gripes: the Korean setting was completely unfamiliar to me, though I've at least visited some other Asian cities. A little more description might have helped. This would make a really good Graphic Novel, actually. Also YeoWoo is a an interesting character but attempting two POVs of highly damaged, guilt ridden and somewhat evasive characters makes it much harder to connect as a reader than some of Ms Gingell's other books that have a clearer single POV heroine or hero.
March 1, 2023
It starts off a bit slow but there's some really intriguing setup and possibilities towards the end. Looking forward to the rest of the series.
April 8, 2024
Oh Athelas ... hehehehe...
Love this entry back into the world of Behind and taking this series into a more adult vibe.
Love this entry back into the world of Behind and taking this series into a more adult vibe.
July 18, 2025
camellia my beloved
February 23, 2023
Loved it!
Athelas was my favorite character in the original series. If you haven't read the between series first (which is phenomenal) you definitely need to before reading this. This is a spinoff series. There are definitely characters from the first series in it and things that happened are alluded to.
That being said this is definitely the redemption arc I was hoping for. Athelas truly is one of those gray characters we can't always pinpoint how good or bad they are, but can't help but love and hope they'll somehow end up on the good side of the line. I really liked the new characters. The seriousness of the gumiho paired well with Athelas sardonic humor. I felt they had the perfect buddy cop movie dynamic. The housekeeper is mysterious and surprisingly I ship Athelas with her the most. Harrow is so sad, truly a cinnamon roll and must be protected at all costs. This had all the things that made the first series great without feeling like a carbon copy of it. I love how in both series the importance of the house as a sanctuary is. I can't wait to fall in love with this new house too.
Athelas was my favorite character in the original series. If you haven't read the between series first (which is phenomenal) you definitely need to before reading this. This is a spinoff series. There are definitely characters from the first series in it and things that happened are alluded to.
That being said this is definitely the redemption arc I was hoping for. Athelas truly is one of those gray characters we can't always pinpoint how good or bad they are, but can't help but love and hope they'll somehow end up on the good side of the line. I really liked the new characters. The seriousness of the gumiho paired well with Athelas sardonic humor. I felt they had the perfect buddy cop movie dynamic. The housekeeper is mysterious and surprisingly I ship Athelas with her the most. Harrow is so sad, truly a cinnamon roll and must be protected at all costs. This had all the things that made the first series great without feeling like a carbon copy of it. I love how in both series the importance of the house as a sanctuary is. I can't wait to fall in love with this new house too.
March 9, 2024
Once I gave up on the confusing stuff, it was a 'who done it' story which was a fun start for this new chapter in the Behind Worlds.
March 27, 2023
I'd never read an urban fantasy novel set in Korea before, and I really enjoyed it! I live in Taiwan, so there were a number of cultural similarities, and I felt right at home! It was fun getting so much of Athelas' perspective, and the new characters were all interesting and great additions to the series. I did notice that there seemed to be more talk and less action than in the other books, which was a little disappointing at times. But it's still an excellent story, and I highly recommend it to fans of The City Between. I'm eager to see how Athelas' character arc develops in the coming books!
October 7, 2025
A murder mystery edged with magic and monsters, A Whisker Behind reveals Athelas to be just as eloquently twisty as ever—yet is there a flicker of remorse and, dare I say it, compassion to be caught in the Steward’s demeanor? And the Seoul setting with the eminent additions of YeoWoo, Harrow, and Camellia to the cast, creates a distinct yet still entirely captivating story to inaugurate this City Between spin-off. For everyone who longed to linger near Between and Behind after CB book 10, this story provides new setups and the promise of answers.
🦊 heads-up for violence, gore, a scene of abuse, and characters alluding to suicide and struggles with dark thoughts 🦊
🦊 heads-up for violence, gore, a scene of abuse, and characters alluding to suicide and struggles with dark thoughts 🦊
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