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Kitsune-Mochi
Sequel to the award-winning Kitsune-Tsuki
Following the search for the shape-shifting kitsune, onmyouji Tsurugu no Kiyomori serves Naka no Yoritomo and his new wife Kaede, protecting their household from the supernatural and warning of more mundane threats.
Elsewhere, a murder is committed in Naka's name, and an exiled onmyouji determines to wreak his own justice by destroying Naka no Yoritomo and his bride. just as word comes that an immensely powerful youkai is moving, coming to Kaede.
Now Tsurugu and his allies must protect his daimyou‘s house from a dangerous rival without revealing their own treacherous secrets — or they die by the hands of their friends instead of their enemies.
Following the search for the shape-shifting kitsune, onmyouji Tsurugu no Kiyomori serves Naka no Yoritomo and his new wife Kaede, protecting their household from the supernatural and warning of more mundane threats.
Elsewhere, a murder is committed in Naka's name, and an exiled onmyouji determines to wreak his own justice by destroying Naka no Yoritomo and his bride. just as word comes that an immensely powerful youkai is moving, coming to Kaede.
Now Tsurugu and his allies must protect his daimyou‘s house from a dangerous rival without revealing their own treacherous secrets — or they die by the hands of their friends instead of their enemies.
- GenresFantasy
305 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 25, 2013
15 people are currently reading
91 people want to read
About the author
Laura VanArendonk Baugh
70 books154 followersLaura was born at a very early age and never looked back. She overcame her childhood deficiencies of having been born without teeth and unable to walk, and by the time she matured into a recognizable adult she had become a behavior analyst, an internationally-recognized and award-winning animal trainer, a costumer/cosplayer, a chocolate addict, and of course a writer.
Laura writes fantasy in a variety of subgenres as well as non-fiction in the art and science of behavior and training.
website | Newsletter | Patreon | Twitch | Twitter | Facebook
Laura writes fantasy in a variety of subgenres as well as non-fiction in the art and science of behavior and training.
website | Newsletter | Patreon | Twitch | Twitter | Facebook
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
October 23, 2013
Kitsune-Mochi is the sequel to the short story Kitsune-Tsuki, and is the story of a group of kitsune (foxes) living as humans in the home of a daimyo (Japanese lord) and their struggle to protect him and his household from enemies both human and supernatural.
While most of the events of Kitsune-Tsuki are alluded to throughout the first act of Kitsune-Mochi, full appreciation demands that you read Kitsune-Tsuki first. It is a quick, enjoyable read with a surprising twist at the end that leads into Kitsune-Tsuki so well that it feels almost as if it were the first chapter of the larger, combined work.
Through Kitsune-Tsuki and Kitsune-Mochi, the author weaves a world of mythology and magic, history and honor, of noble warriors and clever monsters. As I was reading, I had no trouble picturing the action on the pages, even if that action was nothing more than two friends sitting and watching the sun set. More often than not, I pictured the story as a series of watercolor woodblock artwork such as something Katsushika Hokusai might have produced.
Despite the trappings of Japanese history, folklore, and mythology, this is Not Japan. Various aspects of the history and mythology have been changed in order to accommodate the greater story, and the author does a fine job of outlining these changes, as well as her reasons for them, in the introduction. I don't mind authors taking artistic liberties when it comes to history and mythology, and probably wouldn't have noticed them had they not been pointed out. However, if you are a stickler for perfect accuracy in your historical fiction, it is something to keep in mind.
That being said, there is a great deal of Japanese sprinkled throughout the book. Characters frequently switch between Japanese and "English" depending on the formality of the conversation and many of the youkai (mysterious creatures) are referred to by their Japanese names, such as foxes being referred to as kitsune. If you have any experience with anime, manga, Japanese films, etc, you will have little trouble discerning their meaning through context, but there is a helpful glossary at the back if you run into any trouble.
And speaking of youkai, they abound throughout the story. Many different forms and varieties of youkai appear, from the noble (if mischievous) kitsune to hungry kappa to towering oni. I enjoyed seeing how they interacted with each other and how they fit into the overall scheme of things, both in their interaction with and avoidance of the human world. In many ways, the author subverted the concept of monster and man by making some of the youkai so much more interesting and sympathetic than some of the humans.
Overall, the main theme of the story is love. Romantic love, requited and non, familial love, love lost, and what the power of love can drive us to do. It can inspire us to noble deeds more powerful than we ever imagined possible, and it can drive us to depths and into hatred more terrifying than any youkai. We see the pain of lost love twist an otherwise normal man into a terrifying monster, even as new love helps a child grow into a man.
Overall, I enjoyed Kitsune-Mochi and Kitsune-Tsuki very much, and would recommend them to anyone who enjoys mythology, folk tales, or Japanese history. The characters and world are rich and inviting, and I would gladly visit them again for another adventure.
While most of the events of Kitsune-Tsuki are alluded to throughout the first act of Kitsune-Mochi, full appreciation demands that you read Kitsune-Tsuki first. It is a quick, enjoyable read with a surprising twist at the end that leads into Kitsune-Tsuki so well that it feels almost as if it were the first chapter of the larger, combined work.
Through Kitsune-Tsuki and Kitsune-Mochi, the author weaves a world of mythology and magic, history and honor, of noble warriors and clever monsters. As I was reading, I had no trouble picturing the action on the pages, even if that action was nothing more than two friends sitting and watching the sun set. More often than not, I pictured the story as a series of watercolor woodblock artwork such as something Katsushika Hokusai might have produced.
Despite the trappings of Japanese history, folklore, and mythology, this is Not Japan. Various aspects of the history and mythology have been changed in order to accommodate the greater story, and the author does a fine job of outlining these changes, as well as her reasons for them, in the introduction. I don't mind authors taking artistic liberties when it comes to history and mythology, and probably wouldn't have noticed them had they not been pointed out. However, if you are a stickler for perfect accuracy in your historical fiction, it is something to keep in mind.
That being said, there is a great deal of Japanese sprinkled throughout the book. Characters frequently switch between Japanese and "English" depending on the formality of the conversation and many of the youkai (mysterious creatures) are referred to by their Japanese names, such as foxes being referred to as kitsune. If you have any experience with anime, manga, Japanese films, etc, you will have little trouble discerning their meaning through context, but there is a helpful glossary at the back if you run into any trouble.
And speaking of youkai, they abound throughout the story. Many different forms and varieties of youkai appear, from the noble (if mischievous) kitsune to hungry kappa to towering oni. I enjoyed seeing how they interacted with each other and how they fit into the overall scheme of things, both in their interaction with and avoidance of the human world. In many ways, the author subverted the concept of monster and man by making some of the youkai so much more interesting and sympathetic than some of the humans.
Overall, the main theme of the story is love. Romantic love, requited and non, familial love, love lost, and what the power of love can drive us to do. It can inspire us to noble deeds more powerful than we ever imagined possible, and it can drive us to depths and into hatred more terrifying than any youkai. We see the pain of lost love twist an otherwise normal man into a terrifying monster, even as new love helps a child grow into a man.
Overall, I enjoyed Kitsune-Mochi and Kitsune-Tsuki very much, and would recommend them to anyone who enjoys mythology, folk tales, or Japanese history. The characters and world are rich and inviting, and I would gladly visit them again for another adventure.
January 8, 2018
Excellent!
Even better than the first! I loved how this story wrapped up and brought both stories to a conclusion. A must for Japanese folklore fans.
Even better than the first! I loved how this story wrapped up and brought both stories to a conclusion. A must for Japanese folklore fans.
December 15, 2020
Fantastic ride
Don't think this book is going to be the aimple reas of the first, i thought that and had to stop reading all else. And this was a fantastic journey, with very few liberties taken with Japan, the folklore, the language, ot other aspects. I wa IM-presses with the author's attention to detail. I can't recommend this highly enough for those who like stories of youkai or kitsune, or Japan, or samurai, or the medieval period, or the Warring States Era, or magic, or many other topics I can name.
Don't think this book is going to be the aimple reas of the first, i thought that and had to stop reading all else. And this was a fantastic journey, with very few liberties taken with Japan, the folklore, the language, ot other aspects. I wa IM-presses with the author's attention to detail. I can't recommend this highly enough for those who like stories of youkai or kitsune, or Japan, or samurai, or the medieval period, or the Warring States Era, or magic, or many other topics I can name.
July 1, 2020
A great book for those new to Japanese mythology
August 20, 2024
This is a fantastic book. I really enjoyed reading this. Kaworu and Murame's story is just wonderful and I was so excited to read it.
April 28, 2016
This is one of those books that is simultaneously highly enjoyable and highly frustrating.
There's a lot to like in this book. The setting is well-researched, the characters are interesting and well rounded, and the prose itself is fluid and unobtrusive, which works well for a book like this. In particular, the character relationships are well developed and natural, even within a fantastical setting. In particular, the relationship between Kaworu and Murame is well realized, and sweet without being cloying. The relationship between Kaede and Naka no Yoritomo was also beautifully written. Kaede herself is a fascinating character, as is the antagonist Ogasawara.
However, the reason I find it frustrating is that while it is a good book, I can see what hinders it from being a great one. The major problem I found was clarity, especially related to characters. There is a large cast of characters, and it's really easy to forget who these people are. A list of the characters, with brief descriptions, would have been a very welcome addition to the appendix. The plot could sometimes be hazy at times, especially the various assassination plots. It was a bit unsatisfactory that the attempted assassination that was a catalyst for everything turned out to be the work of a rival warlord who hadn't even appeared in the story up until that point. I also disliked the handling of Ogasawara's character in later chapters. In his first few chapters he is complicated and intriguing, not a good person but somewhat sympathetic all the same. In his last few chapters his objectives shift too quickly. He becomes an obvious villain rather than the gray character he had been before. While his death does make sense considering his actions, it was still somewhat unsatisfying.
Despite its flaws, I would recommend this book. There was a lot to like about it, and it will probably stick with me for quite a while. I only wish the quality had been a little more even.
There's a lot to like in this book. The setting is well-researched, the characters are interesting and well rounded, and the prose itself is fluid and unobtrusive, which works well for a book like this. In particular, the character relationships are well developed and natural, even within a fantastical setting. In particular, the relationship between Kaworu and Murame is well realized, and sweet without being cloying. The relationship between Kaede and Naka no Yoritomo was also beautifully written. Kaede herself is a fascinating character, as is the antagonist Ogasawara.
However, the reason I find it frustrating is that while it is a good book, I can see what hinders it from being a great one. The major problem I found was clarity, especially related to characters. There is a large cast of characters, and it's really easy to forget who these people are. A list of the characters, with brief descriptions, would have been a very welcome addition to the appendix. The plot could sometimes be hazy at times, especially the various assassination plots. It was a bit unsatisfactory that the attempted assassination that was a catalyst for everything turned out to be the work of a rival warlord who hadn't even appeared in the story up until that point. I also disliked the handling of Ogasawara's character in later chapters. In his first few chapters he is complicated and intriguing, not a good person but somewhat sympathetic all the same. In his last few chapters his objectives shift too quickly. He becomes an obvious villain rather than the gray character he had been before. While his death does make sense considering his actions, it was still somewhat unsatisfying.
Despite its flaws, I would recommend this book. There was a lot to like about it, and it will probably stick with me for quite a while. I only wish the quality had been a little more even.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 21, 2013
Kitsune-Mochi picks up right where Kitsune-Tsuki left off in Not-Japan, a fictional world based on Japanese folklore.
The sequel is more action-driven, while the first book is mystery-themed. There's some romance here too - and it's not cloying or inappropriate for children.
Japanese mythology isn't my strong point so Not-Japan is a refreshing world introducing supernatural creatures that I know little or nothing about, providing a nice change of pace from westernized creatures.
The Japanese terms continue to throw me - I have problems keeping them straight and, because of my lack of experience with Japanese stories, I have no idea how to pronounce most of them. There is a glossary for the terms and a nifty appendix with more information about some of the creatures featured at the end of the book.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for review.
The sequel is more action-driven, while the first book is mystery-themed. There's some romance here too - and it's not cloying or inappropriate for children.
Japanese mythology isn't my strong point so Not-Japan is a refreshing world introducing supernatural creatures that I know little or nothing about, providing a nice change of pace from westernized creatures.
The Japanese terms continue to throw me - I have problems keeping them straight and, because of my lack of experience with Japanese stories, I have no idea how to pronounce most of them. There is a glossary for the terms and a nifty appendix with more information about some of the creatures featured at the end of the book.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for review.
August 10, 2016
Fun, but I would have liked it if this were combined with Kitsune-Tsuki into one book, with the author's note at the beginning. Reading the author's note cleared up a lot of the problems that I had with Kitsune-Tsuki, namely, honorifics being not quite correct because this takes place in Not-Japan. However, I feel like the story might have moved better if the two books were combined because the events of Tsuki have a direct effect on Mochi, making it potentially difficult for new readers of the series who are starting with Mochi to understand what happened. I don't really know, I just feel like it might make a more cohesive story to have the two books combined together, rather than as two separate parts that are most enjoyed when read immediately one after the other.
January 14, 2015
This is a most satisfying sequel to the too short "Kitsune-Tsuki", which I recommend reading first, although this book will stand alone. A great blending of action and character development; a little love story, coming-of-age, exciting battle scenes, an evil magician, and a good dose of "not-Japanese" folklore. The biggest complement I can give a book is that it stays with me long after I've finished reading and Kitsune-Mochi falls solidly into that category!
August 27, 2014
Fantastic story! The plot progresses at a good pace and the action scenes are easy to follow. I saw that the author was coming to When Words Collide and looked into her books. They intrigued me as an anime fan so I picked up a couple at the con. It's about the kitsune and the lord and lady they protect. If you enjoy magic and mythos, this book is an excellent choice!
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October 26, 2017For some reason, I couldn't connect with this one as much as I did the first book. I wasn't sure who I was really supposed to like for most of the book.
This look into Japanese culture was really cool.
This look into Japanese culture was really cool.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews