The God and the Gumiho

By: Sophie Kim

Narrated by: Greta Jung, Intae Kim

In this sly and dazzling contemporary fantasy, the most notorious nine-tailed fox in Korea pairs up with a trickster god–turned–detective to track down a wrathful demon . . . before it can destroy the mortal world.

“Enchanting fantasy . . . With an intoxicating mix of action, mystery, and deliciously angsty romance, this reads like the most bingeable K-drama.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Kim Hani has retired from a life of devouring souls. She is, simply put, too full. Once known as the infamous Scarlet Fox, she now spends her days working in a coffee shop and annoying a particularly irritating, if unfairly handsome, trickster god as often as she can.

That god is Seokga the Fallen. Exiled from the heavenly kingdom of Okhwang, he now begrudgingly resides in the mortal realm, working toward his redemption and suffering through his interactions with the particularly infuriating, if sneakily charming, gumiho barista at his favorite café.

But when a powerful demon escapes from the underworld and threatens to end all of humanity, Okhwang’s emperor offers Seokga an enticing bargain: Kill this rogue creature, as well as the legendary and elusive Scarlet Fox, and he will be reinstated as a god. Hani, however, has no intention of being caught. Seokga might be a trickster god, but she has a trick of her own that he’ll never see coming: teaming up. As Seokga’s assistant, Hani will undermine and sabotage his investigation right under his overly pointy nose. Sure, she’ll help him kill the demon, but she certainly won’t allow him to uncover her secret identity while they’re at it.

As the bickering partners track their case down a path of mayhem and violence, the god and the gumiho find themselves inescapably drawn to each other. But will the unlikely couple stand together to prevent the apocalypse, or will they let their secrets tear them—and the world—apart?

Critic reviews

“Korean folklore, murder mystery, and a quirky love/hate story combine in this highly entertaining novel. The God and the Gumiho is one of a kind!” —Juliet Marillier, author of the Sevenwaters series and the Blackthorn & Grim series

“The tastiest treat for fantasy lovers . . . Following the perfect drama between two sneaky immortals, The God and the Gumiho glows with its supernatural antics and sumptuous world.”—Chloe Gong, #1 New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights

“Enchanting fantasy . . . With an intoxicating mix of action, mystery, and deliciously angsty romance, this reads like the most bingeable K-drama.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review

“This spellbinding dive into the supernatural realms of South Korea seamlessly blends Korean mythology with contemporary urban fantasy. . . . [Sophie] Kim’s adult debut . . . marks her as a talent to watch. With its blend of romance, mystery, and supernatural intrigue, The God and the Gumiho is sure to enchant readers.”—Booklist

“An action-filled contemporary fantasy based in Korean mythology, featuring morally gray characters and a little heat.”—Library Journal, starred review

Well written

I thought the story was very well done. It kept me engaged in the story telling the whole time.

So good!!!!

I love the relationship between the god and the gumiho. The sense of humor is so great in the book too. Their relationship building is very entertaining and I really appreciate that their romance is not written in a cringy way. If that makes sense? Anyways I love this! I loved the modern fantasy aspect. I want a sequel now after the ending!

Best fantasy romance I’ve read all freaking YEAR

The story was AWESOME. Loved the lore, loved the suspense, loved the action. Loved that the romance didn’t overtake the story itself but added to it ❤️☺️🥹

Loved the modern fantasy

I loved how the author made the intermingling of fables and mythology to the modern fantasy setting of new sinsi. the world building, despite being fantasy, really made you feel like it could exist. the dynamics between the characters felt so natural as well. please skip this next part of your dont want spoilers
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I just wish that the ending was left less open ended, I was looking forward to their reunion.

The setting, characters, and lore.

The setting, characters, and lore. Was not a fan of Hani in the beginning but she got better.