I got this book for free on Amazon.
After all the crappy smut I’ve been reading lately, I figured I deserved a break.
Our main character, Rin, is a kitsune. She runs afoul of a witch who makes her human and will only restore her if she cozies up to a prince named Hikaru and get him to break a newly signed treaty between two clans. If she doesn’t, the witch will turn her into a regular fox. On the other side of it, Hikaru is the first born son of a lord and nobody has any faith in him. This treaty he negotiated is one of the few things his father has praised him for. It could mean war if the truce is broken.
This story was a treat. It was well written with smart characters and an engaging plot. Rin is clever, Hikaru is sympathetic, and you are firmly placed in the world of magic and spells they live in. When the side characters are there, they are written as carefully as the main characters to provide welcome support to the story.
The writing is very rich and detailed, not something fluffy you can knock back in a day. It gets a little bogged down in the details and if you are unfamiliar with Japanese lore and culture, you may get a little confused. I was surprised to hear this was a YA novel but I do need to adjust my own expectations when it comes to YA. Kitsune doesn’t pander in its tone and I was glad for that. It made the book feel braver to me.
The blossoming romance between Rin and Hikaru is believable despite being expected and given their circumstances in the book. This book does provide an interesting take on The Little Mermaid story while also making its own creative mark. I’d give this book a 4.5 out of 5 and I’m glad I took a chance on this free read.
