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Tales of Akatsuki #1
Kitsune: A Little Mermaid Retelling
Rescuing him was a mistake. Falling in love was unthinkable. Because to save her own life, she has to destroy his.
Rin is an immortal kitsune, or at least she was until a witch’s curse turned her human. To regain her yokai powers and avoid being turned into a fox, she must make the lord’s son fall in love with her before the next full moon. Her kind has been seducing humans for centuries, and it should be easy, as long as he doesn’t find out she’s a kitsune… except that the curse also took her voice.
Hikaru is betrothed to the daughter of a rival lord, and he will fulfill his duty, protecting his clan from others and from the yokai. But when he’s saved by a mysterious red-haired woman, he can’t forget her, try as he might. Then she turns up at his door… Only it can’t be his savior, because this woman has ebony hair, but there’s something inexplicably bewitching about her. Yet his father’s treaty depends on his marriage to another, and even an innocent dalliance could ruin everything.
Falling in love is dangerous for them both. Not only are they from different worlds, but their time together can only end in heartache. Hikaru’s marriage means security for his clan, and Rin must destroy it or be turned into a fox. And truly loving Hikaru means revealing she’s one of the hated yokai and an immortal. Will they risk it all for love? Or will their two worlds rip them apart for good?
Fans of fairy tale retellings, anime, and manga love Kitsune: A Little Mermaid Retelling, an old tale retold from a fresh perspective.
Dive into a rich world of intrigue and adventure, spirits and humans—
get your copy of this heartfelt fantasy romance today!
Rin is an immortal kitsune, or at least she was until a witch’s curse turned her human. To regain her yokai powers and avoid being turned into a fox, she must make the lord’s son fall in love with her before the next full moon. Her kind has been seducing humans for centuries, and it should be easy, as long as he doesn’t find out she’s a kitsune… except that the curse also took her voice.
Hikaru is betrothed to the daughter of a rival lord, and he will fulfill his duty, protecting his clan from others and from the yokai. But when he’s saved by a mysterious red-haired woman, he can’t forget her, try as he might. Then she turns up at his door… Only it can’t be his savior, because this woman has ebony hair, but there’s something inexplicably bewitching about her. Yet his father’s treaty depends on his marriage to another, and even an innocent dalliance could ruin everything.
Falling in love is dangerous for them both. Not only are they from different worlds, but their time together can only end in heartache. Hikaru’s marriage means security for his clan, and Rin must destroy it or be turned into a fox. And truly loving Hikaru means revealing she’s one of the hated yokai and an immortal. Will they risk it all for love? Or will their two worlds rip them apart for good?
Fans of fairy tale retellings, anime, and manga love Kitsune: A Little Mermaid Retelling, an old tale retold from a fresh perspective.
Dive into a rich world of intrigue and adventure, spirits and humans—
get your copy of this heartfelt fantasy romance today!
264 pages, Paperback
First published August 14, 2015
About the author
Nicolette Andrews
37 books677 followersNicolette Andrews is a born and raised San Diegan with a passion for fantasy, especially if it has a romance and some mystery and intrigue mixed it doesn't go amiss either. Apart from writing, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters, preferably somewhere outside enjoying the San Diego sunshine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 136 reviews
October 3, 2022
In a Nutshell: This is supposedly a retelling of ‘The Little Mermaid’ but it has hardly any similarities to the original. (And I mean the ‘original’ by Hans Christian Andersen, not the Disney version.) Mixed feelings, but the lore elements were outstanding. Not as good as the second book of this series, but not bad as well.
Story Synopsis:
Where the book worked for me:
✔ Loved reading all the parts connected to Japanese lore – kitsune, yokai, and many other names that I don’t know how to spell because I heard the audiobook. 😛
✔ I had ended up reading the second book of this series (Yuki: A Snow White Retelling) prior to this one. I love how neatly the ending of this segued into the second. At the same time, the second works perfectly as a standalone too. The author’s plot is well-planned!
✔ Rin is a wonderful lead character and carries the story well on her shoulders. I liked Shin as well, though Hikaru failed to live up to my expectations.
✔ To me, its biggest plus point was that it gave me a nice background to the proceedings in Yuki.
Where the book could have worked better for me:
❌ This is a very distant retelling of the original fairy tale, though it is as dark as the Hans Christian Andersen version. Moreover, my brain refused to accept a ‘Little Mermaid’ retelling set in a forest. I missed the ocean!
❌ The plot becomes repetitive in between. Unlike in Yuki, there is a whole lot of rambling and hardly any action. Everyone is just mouthing the same thoughts again and again. (Plus, a few of the scenes are really silly.) This book definitely required a better editor.
❌ The pacing is quite slow, a problem exacerbated by the repetition mentioned above. It picks up only in the final quarter. (Having the audiobook helped.)
❌ There are too many characters, and too many character perspectives. After a while, it becomes tough to remember who is who and who is fighting under whom and against whom. Many of the characters are interconnected, which worsens the problem.
The audiobook experience:
The audiobook, clocking at a little more than 9 hours, is narrated by the talented Joanna Roddy. Reading a slow-paced book in the audio version is definitely a benefit. At the same time, there are too many sub plots during which the narration keeps shifting to the respective character. If you are the kind who loses focus easily in the audio version, stick to reading.
On the positive side, the author does seem to have sharpened her craft after this book because most of the flaws I mentioned were not present in ‘Yuki’. I still want to read the final book of this trilogy, especially as it focusses on Shin. I want to know what happens to him.
Overall, I liked ‘Kitsune’, but I didn’t love it. Worth a one-time read.
3.25 stars.
I received a complimentary copy of this audiobook from the author through ‘StoryOrigin’ and these are my honest thoughts about it.
———————————————
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Facebook | Twitter
Story Synopsis:
Rin is an immortal kitsune (a magical fox with shapeshifting abilities). However, a witch’s curse has turned her into a human without the ability to utter any sound. To regain her abilities, Rin has to fulfil the witch’s directive within the next fortnight. This would have been an easy command to carry out, except that it involves Hikaru, a human who is the eldest son of a local lord and will do anything to protect his clan. When Hikaru spies Rin, he feels an instant connect with her, but when the “lady” who charmed him doesn’t even speak, he feels torn between his heart and his duties.
Okay, the story involves a lot more than this and I can’t do justice to it here. It focusses on Rin, Hikaru, their attraction and clashes, and if/how things will return to how they were. Also involved in the proceedings are a boar, a dragon, a wolf, and a disgruntled second son, and the proceedings include clan rivalries, angry ‘guardians’, and a lot more. It is very complicated to sum up here!
The story is written in the third person limited narration of various characters, though Rin and Hikaru get the maximum chunk.
Where the book worked for me:
✔ Loved reading all the parts connected to Japanese lore – kitsune, yokai, and many other names that I don’t know how to spell because I heard the audiobook. 😛
✔ I had ended up reading the second book of this series (Yuki: A Snow White Retelling) prior to this one. I love how neatly the ending of this segued into the second. At the same time, the second works perfectly as a standalone too. The author’s plot is well-planned!
✔ Rin is a wonderful lead character and carries the story well on her shoulders. I liked Shin as well, though Hikaru failed to live up to my expectations.
✔ To me, its biggest plus point was that it gave me a nice background to the proceedings in Yuki.
Where the book could have worked better for me:
❌ This is a very distant retelling of the original fairy tale, though it is as dark as the Hans Christian Andersen version. Moreover, my brain refused to accept a ‘Little Mermaid’ retelling set in a forest. I missed the ocean!
❌ The plot becomes repetitive in between. Unlike in Yuki, there is a whole lot of rambling and hardly any action. Everyone is just mouthing the same thoughts again and again. (Plus, a few of the scenes are really silly.) This book definitely required a better editor.
❌ The pacing is quite slow, a problem exacerbated by the repetition mentioned above. It picks up only in the final quarter. (Having the audiobook helped.)
❌ There are too many characters, and too many character perspectives. After a while, it becomes tough to remember who is who and who is fighting under whom and against whom. Many of the characters are interconnected, which worsens the problem.
The audiobook experience:
The audiobook, clocking at a little more than 9 hours, is narrated by the talented Joanna Roddy. Reading a slow-paced book in the audio version is definitely a benefit. At the same time, there are too many sub plots during which the narration keeps shifting to the respective character. If you are the kind who loses focus easily in the audio version, stick to reading.
On the positive side, the author does seem to have sharpened her craft after this book because most of the flaws I mentioned were not present in ‘Yuki’. I still want to read the final book of this trilogy, especially as it focusses on Shin. I want to know what happens to him.
Overall, I liked ‘Kitsune’, but I didn’t love it. Worth a one-time read.
3.25 stars.
I received a complimentary copy of this audiobook from the author through ‘StoryOrigin’ and these are my honest thoughts about it.
———————————————
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Facebook | Twitter
September 9, 2019
Kitsune
An intriguing tale that blends Japanese mythology with classic fairy tales. I really enjoyed the original take of The Little Mermaid.
An intriguing tale that blends Japanese mythology with classic fairy tales. I really enjoyed the original take of The Little Mermaid.
November 9, 2015
“'And what exactly are you spying for?'
'I am making war.' She smiled with an almost childlike glee"(60).
In this book Nicolette Andrews has managed to take a classic tale and reshape it into something tantalizingly familiar yet starkly original. While the main aspects of the original tale are preserved, Andrews expands the story into something heartfelt and compelling.
. . .
"A foolish man did not fear Yokai; they were cruel, vicious and petty. If you did not pay the right favors and dishonor them, they might curse you and your family for three generations" (42).
This book's literary magic can be seen in the interaction between two very different yet equally vivid worlds. Politics abound in both, often overlapping to interesting results. One on level live the Yokai, forest-dwelling, mythical creatures with magical powers. On the other side lies the human world, ruled by feudal clans and a place where the existence of the Yokai is debated.
Inhabiting this human world are Lord Hotaru and Lord Hikaru, sons of Lord Kaedemori, the leader of one of the human clans. The royal family is in the middle of settling a marriage treaty with a nearby clan, the Fujikawa clan. This alliance is vital for the continued strength of the kingdom.
Meanwhile, in the world of the Yokai, two very different, magical kingdoms are at odds, led by figures known as 'Akio' and 'the Dragon'. It is here that Rin, the fiery-tempered Kitsune, is presented, acting out without official authority.
Rin is appropriately inhuman in her ways of thinking about the world, not understanding the reason behind many human customs or ideas. Her very tone carries a sense of her inhuman state.
. . .
"If Akio wants him this bad, then I cannot let him have this man" (6).
The book begins with a life-threatening interaction with Hikaru and a magical boar. Akio, a spirit of the forest, wants Hikaru. The only reason Hikaru makes it out of the forest alive is from intersession on the part of a luckily present Rin. When the two separate, both are wondering about the other. 'Is Rin human?' 'Why save Hikaru?' And so the two first meet.
. . .
“I have made you mortal, a form you despise. I will return you to your real form once you complete a task for me. I need you to break the treaty between the Kaedemori clan and Fujikawa clan. End their pact by the next full moon or I will turn you into a real fox” (56).
Rin soon has a chance encounter with another magic-user. After this event, she finds herself altered and takes up a mission to regain what she has lost. In order to accomplish this task, she must first satisfy the demands of another. Beholden to this person's orders, Rin winds up on a path that is destined to collide once more with the path of Lord Hikaru...
. . .
Filled with internal dissent, individual rebellion, politics, fairy-tale qualities, lurking backstories, and surprises, this book is a pleasant whirlwind. Rin has a refreshingly sassy quality that lends to the image of her as a fighter and strong female protagonist rather than a simple damsel in distress. Hikaru struggles to find his place and his identity amid the ongoing politics of the clans.
All of the characters (multiple are not mentioned here) have their own internal or external battles to fight and enemies to face. The events that occur often have more significance than just their face value. The characters' motives are often obscured, background given in small hints and half-truths.
I have no true criticisms to offer about this book besides a couple of small notes. The book can seem slightly dense at times as it is packed with detailed content. Rather than trying to finish the book straight through in a couple of sessions, I recommend trying to read the book slowly so you can absorb the vivid descriptions to the greatest extent.
As well, this book is more similar to the original fairy tale version than to the Disney version so there are definitely some darker qualities to the retelling. In my case, I take that as a positive trait but if you are searching for a "happily ever after" book without part of the hard truth of real life, this is not that kind of a book.
There is also a love triangle. This saddened to me an extent but yet it also served as a way to measure Rin's comfort in and involvement in the two different worlds. I took it as a measure rather than genuinely considering the love triangle, especially because I felt that the other character Naoki was necessary for the plot
. . .
I was provided a free copy by the author for review.
'I am making war.' She smiled with an almost childlike glee"(60).
In this book Nicolette Andrews has managed to take a classic tale and reshape it into something tantalizingly familiar yet starkly original. While the main aspects of the original tale are preserved, Andrews expands the story into something heartfelt and compelling.
. . .
"A foolish man did not fear Yokai; they were cruel, vicious and petty. If you did not pay the right favors and dishonor them, they might curse you and your family for three generations" (42).
This book's literary magic can be seen in the interaction between two very different yet equally vivid worlds. Politics abound in both, often overlapping to interesting results. One on level live the Yokai, forest-dwelling, mythical creatures with magical powers. On the other side lies the human world, ruled by feudal clans and a place where the existence of the Yokai is debated.
Inhabiting this human world are Lord Hotaru and Lord Hikaru, sons of Lord Kaedemori, the leader of one of the human clans. The royal family is in the middle of settling a marriage treaty with a nearby clan, the Fujikawa clan. This alliance is vital for the continued strength of the kingdom.
Meanwhile, in the world of the Yokai, two very different, magical kingdoms are at odds, led by figures known as 'Akio' and 'the Dragon'. It is here that Rin, the fiery-tempered Kitsune, is presented, acting out without official authority.
Rin is appropriately inhuman in her ways of thinking about the world, not understanding the reason behind many human customs or ideas. Her very tone carries a sense of her inhuman state.
. . .
"If Akio wants him this bad, then I cannot let him have this man" (6).
The book begins with a life-threatening interaction with Hikaru and a magical boar. Akio, a spirit of the forest, wants Hikaru. The only reason Hikaru makes it out of the forest alive is from intersession on the part of a luckily present Rin. When the two separate, both are wondering about the other. 'Is Rin human?' 'Why save Hikaru?' And so the two first meet.
. . .
“I have made you mortal, a form you despise. I will return you to your real form once you complete a task for me. I need you to break the treaty between the Kaedemori clan and Fujikawa clan. End their pact by the next full moon or I will turn you into a real fox” (56).
Rin soon has a chance encounter with another magic-user. After this event, she finds herself altered and takes up a mission to regain what she has lost. In order to accomplish this task, she must first satisfy the demands of another. Beholden to this person's orders, Rin winds up on a path that is destined to collide once more with the path of Lord Hikaru...
. . .
Filled with internal dissent, individual rebellion, politics, fairy-tale qualities, lurking backstories, and surprises, this book is a pleasant whirlwind. Rin has a refreshingly sassy quality that lends to the image of her as a fighter and strong female protagonist rather than a simple damsel in distress. Hikaru struggles to find his place and his identity amid the ongoing politics of the clans.
All of the characters (multiple are not mentioned here) have their own internal or external battles to fight and enemies to face. The events that occur often have more significance than just their face value. The characters' motives are often obscured, background given in small hints and half-truths.
I have no true criticisms to offer about this book besides a couple of small notes. The book can seem slightly dense at times as it is packed with detailed content. Rather than trying to finish the book straight through in a couple of sessions, I recommend trying to read the book slowly so you can absorb the vivid descriptions to the greatest extent.
As well, this book is more similar to the original fairy tale version than to the Disney version so there are definitely some darker qualities to the retelling. In my case, I take that as a positive trait but if you are searching for a "happily ever after" book without part of the hard truth of real life, this is not that kind of a book.
There is also a love triangle. This saddened to me an extent but yet it also served as a way to measure Rin's comfort in and involvement in the two different worlds. I took it as a measure rather than genuinely considering the love triangle, especially because I felt that the other character Naoki was necessary for the plot
. . .
I was provided a free copy by the author for review.
October 4, 2015
There are lots of YA books out there right now that feature a fairy tale retelling with a kick-ass heroine. Many are well written (example: Cinder by Marissa Meyer), but there are also many which are horribly written. To me, Kitsune is one of the
While there were some mistakes and tropes (*glares at the love triangle*) in Kitsune that I couldn't ignore, this book has so many elements I love. Forbidden romance. An anti-hero, kick-ass, non-white (I'm not being racist!) main character with a super complicated past. A villain who is simultaneously wicked and awesome. Unexpected twists at every corner.
The only issue I'd with this book was the other main character. While I love Rin, I couldn't feel any connection to the other MC, Hikorai. Honestly, he comes across as a weak character who needs saving almost every time.
Other than that, Kitsune is an awesome read and I highly recommend it!
August 7, 2015
As I sit here writing this review, there are a lot of thoughts racing around my mind. Now don’t think they are bad thoughts, believe me, they’re not. But these thoughts threaten to break me. There aren’t enough words in the English language to describe how I am feeling.
The Little Mermaid is one of my favourite fairy tales/Disney movies. In fact, it’s my third favourite. Aladdin being first and Beauty and the Beast coming in close second. This means that I hold retellings to a very high standard. Call me ridiculous, but that’s just me. But let me tell you that the retelling I have just completed surpassed all of my expectations. If anything, it has raised the bar.
Kitsune is one of the best novels I have read this year. And thanks to my gargantuan of a reading slump, I haven’t read that many. It’s a tale of love, war and betrayal, with a huge dollop of magic. I love me some magic. If I had to sum it up in one word, well, I can’t. That’s how good it was.
I went into to this novel not knowing much about and that is the best way to enjoy this novel. As much as I love the supernatural I had no idea what a Kitsune or Yokai was. I knew it was something do with animals but I did not fully understand what they were. But even with my lesser knowledge I cannot believe how much I enjoyed this book. It’s one of those novels that you just know will stay with you.
Nicolette Andrews, how talented you are. Is there some special potion you drink that give you magic writing powers? If so, where can I get some?
This is the first novel I have read by this fabulous author and it definitely won’t be the last. In fact, when I finish this review I am going to jump on Amazon and go on a book hunt.
Anyway on with the actual review.
The world in Kitsune is unique, magical, beautiful and, above all, one I don’t want to leave. The vivid descriptions brought to life many magnificent images in my mind. I didn’t know words could leave me like this. And don’t even get me started on the characters. But this is a review so I kind of have to.
Each character is brought to life in just a few lines. Every character is complicated but in the most beautiful of ways. Shin, for example. I liked him, then I hated him. And then I liked him again. This is the kind of power Nicolette holds. There were points in the book I where I didn’t know what to do with myself.
I have read many retellings where the plot is exactly the same as the original storyline. Kitsune did the opposite. While keeping the same elements as The Little Mermaid, Nicolette turned the story into something else. Going into it, I knew to expect the same sort of story but in actual fact, I found myself lost in a world bares only a slight resemblance to that of its origin. That’s what drew me in. The fact that Kitsune is a retelling that is not a retelling.
Towards the end of the book, I found myself reluctant to keep reading. I didn’t want the story to end. As I type, I am staring at my Kindle and I’m struggling to keep myself from diving back into that world. There was action in every chapter and right now, I’m struggling to keep the spoilers from presenting themselves on this post. The pace, oh my God the pace. It wasn’t too fast and it wasn’t too slow. It was just right. And now I feel like Goldilocks.
I highly recommend jumping to Amazon and grabbing this novel before it’s too late. I promise you, you will not regret it. If you do, then you obviously have no taste in literature. Nah, I’m just kidding. But seriously. Get. This. Book.
*Enter Shia LeBeouf*
So there we have it. Your next favourite read.
The Little Mermaid is one of my favourite fairy tales/Disney movies. In fact, it’s my third favourite. Aladdin being first and Beauty and the Beast coming in close second. This means that I hold retellings to a very high standard. Call me ridiculous, but that’s just me. But let me tell you that the retelling I have just completed surpassed all of my expectations. If anything, it has raised the bar.
Kitsune is one of the best novels I have read this year. And thanks to my gargantuan of a reading slump, I haven’t read that many. It’s a tale of love, war and betrayal, with a huge dollop of magic. I love me some magic. If I had to sum it up in one word, well, I can’t. That’s how good it was.
I went into to this novel not knowing much about and that is the best way to enjoy this novel. As much as I love the supernatural I had no idea what a Kitsune or Yokai was. I knew it was something do with animals but I did not fully understand what they were. But even with my lesser knowledge I cannot believe how much I enjoyed this book. It’s one of those novels that you just know will stay with you.
Nicolette Andrews, how talented you are. Is there some special potion you drink that give you magic writing powers? If so, where can I get some?
This is the first novel I have read by this fabulous author and it definitely won’t be the last. In fact, when I finish this review I am going to jump on Amazon and go on a book hunt.
Anyway on with the actual review.
The world in Kitsune is unique, magical, beautiful and, above all, one I don’t want to leave. The vivid descriptions brought to life many magnificent images in my mind. I didn’t know words could leave me like this. And don’t even get me started on the characters. But this is a review so I kind of have to.
Each character is brought to life in just a few lines. Every character is complicated but in the most beautiful of ways. Shin, for example. I liked him, then I hated him. And then I liked him again. This is the kind of power Nicolette holds. There were points in the book I where I didn’t know what to do with myself.
I have read many retellings where the plot is exactly the same as the original storyline. Kitsune did the opposite. While keeping the same elements as The Little Mermaid, Nicolette turned the story into something else. Going into it, I knew to expect the same sort of story but in actual fact, I found myself lost in a world bares only a slight resemblance to that of its origin. That’s what drew me in. The fact that Kitsune is a retelling that is not a retelling.
Towards the end of the book, I found myself reluctant to keep reading. I didn’t want the story to end. As I type, I am staring at my Kindle and I’m struggling to keep myself from diving back into that world. There was action in every chapter and right now, I’m struggling to keep the spoilers from presenting themselves on this post. The pace, oh my God the pace. It wasn’t too fast and it wasn’t too slow. It was just right. And now I feel like Goldilocks.
I highly recommend jumping to Amazon and grabbing this novel before it’s too late. I promise you, you will not regret it. If you do, then you obviously have no taste in literature. Nah, I’m just kidding. But seriously. Get. This. Book.
*Enter Shia LeBeouf*
So there we have it. Your next favourite read.
March 2, 2016
Loved loved loved this! I finished it in a day. A great fairy tale and love story! Cannot wait for more!
January 23, 2017
I loved this book! I especially liked that my predictions did not come true and I was kept guessing even until the end!
October 13, 2022
Cassandra Gold - per RFS
.
Ben trovate care Fenici. La lettura di oggi ci porterà nell’antico Giappone: tra miti e leggende che parlano di creature fatate, antichi patti e terribili vendette.
Hikaru è il giovane signore di un clan prestigioso; figlio primogenito è destinato un giorno a diventare l’anziano, prendendo il posto di suo padre, che mostra al suo prescelto un velato disprezzo. Rin è una kitsune al servizio del palazzo del Drago e, dopo una breve storia di passione con Hiraku, tenta di ricostruire una posizione a corte, cercando recuperare onore e prestigio, ma agli occhi degli altri è solo una delle tante conquiste del loro signore.
Un giorno i due s’incontrano nella foresta, territorio del temibile Akio, un grosso cinghiale molto potente. Affrontando con astuzia la situazione, la volpe salva il ragazzo, inimicandosi il terribile yokai. Da quel momento in poi il filo rosso del destino li unirà e una potente strega tramuterà in umana la volpina, togliendole la voce. L’unico modo per ritornare alla sua forma originaria, far innamorare il giovane, spezzando i suoi voti matrimoniali.
Ripercorrendo la fiaba di Andersen, oltre alla perdita della voce, vi è ben poco dell’originale. Nel libro troveremo una storia densa di intrighi e misteri, che collega il clan Kaedemori ai miti dei boschi svelando verità scomode, sulla fragilità della natura umana. A essere protagoniste infatti sono le emozioni; così vedremo come il rimorso, il senso di colpa e la rabbia, consumano il capo clan, colpevole di atroci scelte. Assisteremo al fiorire dei sentimenti di Hikaru e Rin, dalle gote arrossate alla dolcezza degli sguardi fugaci. Vivremo amori tormentati, densi di malinconia e rimpianti per non aver saputo afferrare il momento. Attraverso suoni, colori e sapori, percepiremo le sensazioni dei protagonisti, calandoci nei loro panni, lottando contro un fato ineluttabile.
La struttura del manoscritto è ben costruita e non vi sono momenti vuoti. La ritmica del racconto è ben cadenzata, portandoci senza fretta allo svolgimento degli eventi.
Come già accennato, la storia ha solo lievi riferimenti all’omonima fiaba, quindi sento poco il retelling, ciononostante si presenta come un buon brano, non eccelso, ma sicuramente piacevole.
E voi l’avete letto? Cosa ne pensate?
Siamo ansiosi di sapere anche le vostre opinioni.
A presto, fenicette!
.
Ben trovate care Fenici. La lettura di oggi ci porterà nell’antico Giappone: tra miti e leggende che parlano di creature fatate, antichi patti e terribili vendette.
Hikaru è il giovane signore di un clan prestigioso; figlio primogenito è destinato un giorno a diventare l’anziano, prendendo il posto di suo padre, che mostra al suo prescelto un velato disprezzo. Rin è una kitsune al servizio del palazzo del Drago e, dopo una breve storia di passione con Hiraku, tenta di ricostruire una posizione a corte, cercando recuperare onore e prestigio, ma agli occhi degli altri è solo una delle tante conquiste del loro signore.
Un giorno i due s’incontrano nella foresta, territorio del temibile Akio, un grosso cinghiale molto potente. Affrontando con astuzia la situazione, la volpe salva il ragazzo, inimicandosi il terribile yokai. Da quel momento in poi il filo rosso del destino li unirà e una potente strega tramuterà in umana la volpina, togliendole la voce. L’unico modo per ritornare alla sua forma originaria, far innamorare il giovane, spezzando i suoi voti matrimoniali.
Ripercorrendo la fiaba di Andersen, oltre alla perdita della voce, vi è ben poco dell’originale. Nel libro troveremo una storia densa di intrighi e misteri, che collega il clan Kaedemori ai miti dei boschi svelando verità scomode, sulla fragilità della natura umana. A essere protagoniste infatti sono le emozioni; così vedremo come il rimorso, il senso di colpa e la rabbia, consumano il capo clan, colpevole di atroci scelte. Assisteremo al fiorire dei sentimenti di Hikaru e Rin, dalle gote arrossate alla dolcezza degli sguardi fugaci. Vivremo amori tormentati, densi di malinconia e rimpianti per non aver saputo afferrare il momento. Attraverso suoni, colori e sapori, percepiremo le sensazioni dei protagonisti, calandoci nei loro panni, lottando contro un fato ineluttabile.
La struttura del manoscritto è ben costruita e non vi sono momenti vuoti. La ritmica del racconto è ben cadenzata, portandoci senza fretta allo svolgimento degli eventi.
Come già accennato, la storia ha solo lievi riferimenti all’omonima fiaba, quindi sento poco il retelling, ciononostante si presenta come un buon brano, non eccelso, ma sicuramente piacevole.
E voi l’avete letto? Cosa ne pensate?
Siamo ansiosi di sapere anche le vostre opinioni.
A presto, fenicette!
August 19, 2015
I won Kitsune in a raffle during its facebook release party, which was quite some time ago. I was too busy to read it at the time and I set it aside. I even read and reviewed two other books by Nicolette before I got to Kitsune.
However, when I was packing my bags for my vacation earlier this month, I was like “I’m so taking this book with me” and boy, I’m I glad I did!
The sun and I do not like each other. I block it with glasses and it retaliates by burning my shoulders. You know, making them all red and itchy. That meant that a seaside vacation for me was to get up, eat, go to the beach for an hour or two and come back to the air-conditioned hotel room until it was time to go out for dinner.
And what did I do while I was chillin’ in the room?
I read. A lot.
And here comes my first complaint about Kitsune: it was over too soon. It was such an amazing, enjoyable book that even a slow reader like me read it in two days. Okay, three, but that was because I purposefully saved the last couple of chapters for another day.
Let’s start from the plot. A Japanese-inspired tale about love, secrets and yokai (they are supernatural beings) – what’s not to love?
There were plenty of things going on to keep you engaged, all the subplots met at the end and fit together beautifully.
It followed not only the main characters, but also some side ones and we got to see (briefly, but see) the Dragon, who is a main character in another series by Nicolette – theDragon Saga.
And speaking of characters: I just love the main one – Rin. I find her amusing and she always manages to get in trouble, so you won’t get bored when she’s around. She’s definitely my favorite in this book and is one of my favorites in The Priestess and the Dragon, even though she’s a side character there.
The rest of characters are also pretty good.
I had some problems with the male lead – Hikaru, annoying me a couple of times, but that wasn’t because he wasn’t written well; it was because of his personality.
He’s definitely not the toughest guy out there, but hey, at least I’m looking forward to him becoming stronger in the next books.
I also really enjoyed Rin’s friend- Shin, who got in trouble at the end of the book and I really hope Rin finds a way to help him out in this series, preferably in Book II.
And now that we are at the end – this is the second thing I didn’t like about the book.
Well, I didn’t dislike it, but I didn’t like it either.
The last chapter was a wrap up. That’s actually a good thing, but when you are going through a story like Kitsune with so many things happening, with everyone constantly doing something, characters popping up and leaving, the end chapter where the climax has passed and we just see the characters adjusting to their new circumstances seems slow.
I’m glad it’s there, I’m glad I got to read it, but compared to the rest of the book, it’s slow.
I’d recommend Kitsune to everyone who loves Fantasy Romances, fairytales and Japanese culture.
However, when I was packing my bags for my vacation earlier this month, I was like “I’m so taking this book with me” and boy, I’m I glad I did!
The sun and I do not like each other. I block it with glasses and it retaliates by burning my shoulders. You know, making them all red and itchy. That meant that a seaside vacation for me was to get up, eat, go to the beach for an hour or two and come back to the air-conditioned hotel room until it was time to go out for dinner.
And what did I do while I was chillin’ in the room?
I read. A lot.
And here comes my first complaint about Kitsune: it was over too soon. It was such an amazing, enjoyable book that even a slow reader like me read it in two days. Okay, three, but that was because I purposefully saved the last couple of chapters for another day.
Let’s start from the plot. A Japanese-inspired tale about love, secrets and yokai (they are supernatural beings) – what’s not to love?
There were plenty of things going on to keep you engaged, all the subplots met at the end and fit together beautifully.
It followed not only the main characters, but also some side ones and we got to see (briefly, but see) the Dragon, who is a main character in another series by Nicolette – theDragon Saga.
And speaking of characters: I just love the main one – Rin. I find her amusing and she always manages to get in trouble, so you won’t get bored when she’s around. She’s definitely my favorite in this book and is one of my favorites in The Priestess and the Dragon, even though she’s a side character there.
The rest of characters are also pretty good.
I had some problems with the male lead – Hikaru, annoying me a couple of times, but that wasn’t because he wasn’t written well; it was because of his personality.
He’s definitely not the toughest guy out there, but hey, at least I’m looking forward to him becoming stronger in the next books.
I also really enjoyed Rin’s friend- Shin, who got in trouble at the end of the book and I really hope Rin finds a way to help him out in this series, preferably in Book II.
And now that we are at the end – this is the second thing I didn’t like about the book.
Well, I didn’t dislike it, but I didn’t like it either.
The last chapter was a wrap up. That’s actually a good thing, but when you are going through a story like Kitsune with so many things happening, with everyone constantly doing something, characters popping up and leaving, the end chapter where the climax has passed and we just see the characters adjusting to their new circumstances seems slow.
I’m glad it’s there, I’m glad I got to read it, but compared to the rest of the book, it’s slow.
I’d recommend Kitsune to everyone who loves Fantasy Romances, fairytales and Japanese culture.
November 2, 2015
A book based on Japanese mythology? I was sold even before the mention of mermaids. And I must say, mermaids were few and far between, for the kitsune's tail is of the furry variety as opposed to the scaled kind.
This book is both intriguing and enchanting, transporting the reader to feudal Japan where mythological creatures live side by side with humans - and the conflicts between the two can be fierce.
At its heart, it's a love story, but with plenty of adventure and an ending that would have the little mermaid sighing in envy, I highly recommend this book.
This book is both intriguing and enchanting, transporting the reader to feudal Japan where mythological creatures live side by side with humans - and the conflicts between the two can be fierce.
At its heart, it's a love story, but with plenty of adventure and an ending that would have the little mermaid sighing in envy, I highly recommend this book.
September 22, 2016
A Foxy Little Tale
This is subtitled as a retelling of 'A Little Mermaid,' but that is slightly misleading as the Kitsunes involved in the story achieve a better resolution to their immediate problems than the mermaid ever did. The literary universe of Akatsuki is a nuanced world of political intrigues in both the spirit and human realms; and when the two intersect problems grow geometrically. Rin, the Kitsune, finds herself enmeshed in both realms' plots and those she loves will suffer for her errors.
This is subtitled as a retelling of 'A Little Mermaid,' but that is slightly misleading as the Kitsunes involved in the story achieve a better resolution to their immediate problems than the mermaid ever did. The literary universe of Akatsuki is a nuanced world of political intrigues in both the spirit and human realms; and when the two intersect problems grow geometrically. Rin, the Kitsune, finds herself enmeshed in both realms' plots and those she loves will suffer for her errors.
November 12, 2022
Sul mio IG qui -> https://www.instagram.com/p/Ck3MPC_sAbE/
Kitsune di Nicolette Andrews è il primo volume della serie Fantasy - Retelling - Romance Tales of Akatsuki.
In comune con La Sirenetta il romanzo ha giusto qualche dinamica iniziale che comprende un salvataggio e la perdita della voce per via di un incantesimo, ma per il resto la storia è completamente diversa e dal fascino orientale.
Rin è una creatura immortale, una Kitsune metà ragazza e metà volpe, che salva il giovane erede di un clan umano, Hikaru.
A seguire viene maledetta, trasformata in una umana senza voce e le viene concesso un periodo limitato per impedire l’alleanza di due clan, facendo innamorare Hikaru di lei o eliminandolo.
Nel complesso la storia è carina e particolare grazie al folklore presente, ma personalmente non sono riuscita ad entrare in sintonia con i due protagonisti.
In parte credo che sia per via della terza persona, narrazione che non sempre mi convince. Ho trovato Hikaru un po’ troppo ingenuo anche se di buon cuore, mentre Rin mi è piaciuta molto in alcune parti, ma in altre non l’ho capita.
Anche la parte dedicata all’innamoramento tra i due l’ho trovata superficiale, avrei voluto ascoltare i loro pensieri!
La storia per la coppia ha una sua conclusione, ma qualcosa resta in sospeso.
La prosa è scorrevole e semplice, il romanzo si legge velocemente ma non mi ha emozionato come mi aspettavo. Peccato!
August 19, 2018
Nothing really in this book that was a DNF moment, per se, but I just couldn't get into it. Hence, I DNFed.
Let's start with the fact that I should have been in the precise target audience for this book. I was already sold at the "Little Mermaid retelling" bit. I love the Little Mermaid fairy tale. Not to mention this book is based in Japanese legend.
As always, I'll start with the good and then move on to the bad.
The good
Um... maybe the research? Sort of? But not really.
Sorry, I'm really trying to find something nice to say about this book, but there just isn't anything. The characters were all boring, the writing kinda sucked, there was no research done for the most part, the plot was confusing, and it just... wasn't good.
The bad
The writing. This book desperately needed a good line editor. So many typos, awkward phrasings, etc. Especially the battle scenes. It was just so boring because I couldn't get into any of the characters' heads and the typos kept throwing me off.
Capitalization Syndrome was definitely a thing here. So much so that I got a headache from it. (For those unaware, Capitalization Syndrome is when you Capitalize Everything In A Fantasy Novel Because Every Single Word Is Very Important. This is why The Boy Who Cried Wolf is a thing. Do something enough times and people stop taking you seriously about it.)
The research
I DNFed this book at about 13%, but even then, I can say with confidence that this author did not do research about the Japanese language. Some characters have normal names, like Akio ("bright man,") Rin ("companion,") Naoki ("honest, straight,") but then other characters have made-up names, like Kaedemori, Rinmiyu, or Rokuro. It's like if Legolas and Gimli went to battle with Aaron and Timmy, or Eragon and Roran lived with their uncle Gary. It breaks immersion in the story world.
Not to mention the damn tatami. Ooh, this irked me so.
For anyone not aware, tatami mats are the traditional flooring of Japanese houses. They're mats made of woven rice straw (and they're also pretty delicate and require a lot of maintenance). Yet the characters are walking on "bamboo" tatami mats.
BAMBOO. IS. NOT. RICE. STRAW.
This irked me so bad because it is literally one Google search away. And it's not as if having the tatami be bamboo was relevant to the plot in any way. Or if they really had to be bamboo, the author could have just made up a new word for them, or the world didn't have rice straw for whatever reason.
The POV
There were waaaaay too many POV characters for my liking. Chapter One, we spent with Rin, the "mermaid" character, and I was just getting to know her. Then in Chapter Two, we're introduced to Hikaru, and I literally for the life of me couldn't get interested in what he's doing or what his problems are. Then we get Naoki, and Rokuro, and about five other named POVs. It got to the point where I wanted to just DNF this and pick up Game of Thrones, instead, because at least there, the POV characters are interesting.
Yeah, so in conclusion, if you can get past the bad writing and the convoluted mess of a plot and the Japanese errors and the logical errors (like Rin talking about Akio as if she knows him but later it's revealed she actually doesn't know him at all), give this a try. But I've got too many other books I want to read to waste my time on something that's just not good.
Let's start with the fact that I should have been in the precise target audience for this book. I was already sold at the "Little Mermaid retelling" bit. I love the Little Mermaid fairy tale. Not to mention this book is based in Japanese legend.
As always, I'll start with the good and then move on to the bad.
The good
Um... maybe the research? Sort of? But not really.
Sorry, I'm really trying to find something nice to say about this book, but there just isn't anything. The characters were all boring, the writing kinda sucked, there was no research done for the most part, the plot was confusing, and it just... wasn't good.
The bad
The writing. This book desperately needed a good line editor. So many typos, awkward phrasings, etc. Especially the battle scenes. It was just so boring because I couldn't get into any of the characters' heads and the typos kept throwing me off.
Capitalization Syndrome was definitely a thing here. So much so that I got a headache from it. (For those unaware, Capitalization Syndrome is when you Capitalize Everything In A Fantasy Novel Because Every Single Word Is Very Important. This is why The Boy Who Cried Wolf is a thing. Do something enough times and people stop taking you seriously about it.)
The research
I DNFed this book at about 13%, but even then, I can say with confidence that this author did not do research about the Japanese language. Some characters have normal names, like Akio ("bright man,") Rin ("companion,") Naoki ("honest, straight,") but then other characters have made-up names, like Kaedemori, Rinmiyu, or Rokuro. It's like if Legolas and Gimli went to battle with Aaron and Timmy, or Eragon and Roran lived with their uncle Gary. It breaks immersion in the story world.
Not to mention the damn tatami. Ooh, this irked me so.
For anyone not aware, tatami mats are the traditional flooring of Japanese houses. They're mats made of woven rice straw (and they're also pretty delicate and require a lot of maintenance). Yet the characters are walking on "bamboo" tatami mats.
BAMBOO. IS. NOT. RICE. STRAW.
This irked me so bad because it is literally one Google search away. And it's not as if having the tatami be bamboo was relevant to the plot in any way. Or if they really had to be bamboo, the author could have just made up a new word for them, or the world didn't have rice straw for whatever reason.
The POV
There were waaaaay too many POV characters for my liking. Chapter One, we spent with Rin, the "mermaid" character, and I was just getting to know her. Then in Chapter Two, we're introduced to Hikaru, and I literally for the life of me couldn't get interested in what he's doing or what his problems are. Then we get Naoki, and Rokuro, and about five other named POVs. It got to the point where I wanted to just DNF this and pick up Game of Thrones, instead, because at least there, the POV characters are interesting.
Yeah, so in conclusion, if you can get past the bad writing and the convoluted mess of a plot and the Japanese errors and the logical errors (like Rin talking about Akio as if she knows him but later it's revealed she actually doesn't know him at all), give this a try. But I've got too many other books I want to read to waste my time on something that's just not good.
May 19, 2024
This was an easy, fun read. It’s a little mermaid retelling but with Japanese folklore mythology elements, such as kitsune and other yokai. As far as the little mermaid retelling aspect - it was a bit forced at times. For instance, the witch takes our titular kitsune’s voice but with little explanation or reason and it seems like it was just done because of the original story inspiration. Some elements of the story also seemed to come out of nowhere - like it took me way too long to realise that Hikaru was married and yet at the beginning of the book he is coming home from his wife’s home after their wedding.
There were also a few loose ends for the story, plots that felt like they didnt go anywhere but this is the first in an interconnected series so i wonder if those loose ends get wrapped up in the other books.
Overall this was fun and i enjoyed the Japanese folklore element. Would love to read more stories with a kitsune main character. Im not jumping to read the next but the next time im in a slump and just want something easy and fun id probably come back to this author/series.
There were also a few loose ends for the story, plots that felt like they didnt go anywhere but this is the first in an interconnected series so i wonder if those loose ends get wrapped up in the other books.
Overall this was fun and i enjoyed the Japanese folklore element. Would love to read more stories with a kitsune main character. Im not jumping to read the next but the next time im in a slump and just want something easy and fun id probably come back to this author/series.
September 8, 2015
This book is supposed to be a retelling of the Little Mermaid. And yes a lot of the storyline keeps faithful to the original tale of the Little Mermaid. But I love how the author turned the book into it's own story. We get to see a lot of betrayal in this tale along with some romance. The witch/priestess in this book is basically controlling every aspect of the little situation that is going on in the story. And I don't like that. I don't remember the sea witch being that controlling in the original. I really want to see what's going to happen with her since she disappeared at the end of this book. I know she's going to back for more trouble.
We also get to read the story from a lot of different perspectives. You can be reading from one of the main characters eyes and then it just switches to a different character. I don't mind reading a story from different perspectives but I wish she could have just confined it to like three or four not like six or seven. It made it sort of hard to keep up with during some of it.
However I did enjoy the tale and I look forward to book two.
We also get to read the story from a lot of different perspectives. You can be reading from one of the main characters eyes and then it just switches to a different character. I don't mind reading a story from different perspectives but I wish she could have just confined it to like three or four not like six or seven. It made it sort of hard to keep up with during some of it.
However I did enjoy the tale and I look forward to book two.
January 11, 2017
A little mermaid retelling? I think this story is so much more! Kitsune is part of Japanese mythology and as a fox spirit; she has really interesting life full of mischief. I loved the Japanese culture; it was so different in every way. It was really refreshing. The story was thrilling and emotional and mysterious. I had no idea, what is going to happen next. Even better than the story were the characters. Rin was like fresh air because of her foxiness. Hikaru was sweet in one way, but honourable in the other. I got really great story full of magic and different creatures. I loved it!
August 17, 2016
Kitsune: A little Mermaid Retelling
I loved reading this story because it has everything a reader could want in a fun adult fantasy. Kitsune is a lovely story filled with magic, love, tragedy and faithfulness. In the story, set in Japan, we meet so many interesting and diverse characters I was never able to totally predict what was going to happen next. I believe this story will be fun reading for anyone over the age 14 years. Like Disney fun for all ages.
I loved reading this story because it has everything a reader could want in a fun adult fantasy. Kitsune is a lovely story filled with magic, love, tragedy and faithfulness. In the story, set in Japan, we meet so many interesting and diverse characters I was never able to totally predict what was going to happen next. I believe this story will be fun reading for anyone over the age 14 years. Like Disney fun for all ages.
December 24, 2018
A great read!
Rich in color and imagination and riddled with intrigue, this original story does not feel like a retelling. Additional characters and a puppet master behind the scenes make this book an entirely new experience.
Rich in color and imagination and riddled with intrigue, this original story does not feel like a retelling. Additional characters and a puppet master behind the scenes make this book an entirely new experience.
November 28, 2019
DNF
I don't really feel like reviewing.... so. 0.0
TRASH.
I don't really feel like reviewing.... so. 0.0
TRASH.
August 15, 2022
Una foresta non è soltanto un immenso accumulo di vegetazione, ma è la dimora di vendicative creature di origine demoniaca, spettri o altrettante divinità non sempre magnanime. Tutti aspetti che caratterizzano la cultura nipponica e, se siete amanti di manga, avrete senz’altro una visione completa di alcuni aspetti fondamentali. Nella natura vi sono forze innaturali, abbondano esseri chiamati Yokai, tradotto sarebbero spettri, demoni, diversi da quelli della cultura occidentali.
Il folkore giapponese possiede una lunga lista, a partire dai Kitsune, demoni volpe molto astuti che prendono, a loro piacimento, sembianze umane al fine di ingannare gli esseri umani, spesso e volentieri seducendoli. Il loro potere li dota di piccoli fuochi che possono lanciare contro i nemici. Rin è una di loro, una Kitsune fedele al proprio padrone, il drago, un kami – divinità sia animale che antropomorfa – ma per la prima volta aiuta un ragazzo a sfuggire alla morte per colpa di un enorme cinghiale. Si tratta di Hikaru, primogenito di un daimyo – un feudatario – un po’ troppo incurante degli abitanti della foresta in cui si è ostinato, sbagliando, a oltrepassare la selva protetta da Akio, il terribile guardiano dalle sembianze suine.
Sebbene Rin non abbia mai dimostrato interesse nei riguardi degli uomini, trovandoli noiosi, l’istinto prende sopravvento e salva Hikaru da morte certa. Non si può definire un colpo di fulmine il loro, eppure nel principe vi è qualcosa di speciale, oltre l’aspetto attraente, ad aver colpito la Kitsune. Nemmeno a farlo apposta, il viaggio nella foresta di Rin incontra più di un ostacolo: oltre al sommo cinghiale, viene stregata da una fattucchiera travestita da miko – sacerdotessa shintoista – e obbligata a compiere una missione sgradevole: rompere l’alleanza tra due potenti clan. In cambio la sua libertà, oppure la donna volpe perderà i poteri e rimarrà in eterno un semplice animale.
L’unico modo per riuscirci sembra quello di avvicinare proprio il ragazzo che ha incontrato nella foresta. Muta e in forma umana a causa della maledizione, Rin riesce a circuire il cuore di Hikaru, nobile dalle origini non del tutto chiare da parte di madre e detestato dai suoi uomini e guardato con gli occhi del tradimento dal fratellastro Hotaru, secondogenito ma convinto di essere la persona adatta a condurre il clan quando il padre lascerà la vita terrena. Hikaru non ha vita facile all’interno del proprio castello, è guardato con sospetto e poco stimato, soprattutto appena accoglie una misteriosa fanciulla impossibilitata a parlare. La missione di Rin non risulta semplice e contrasta i sentimenti che pian piano comincia a provare, inoltre l’obiettivo richiesto dalla strega alimenterà una guerra sanguinosa tra clan.
Si avverte parecchio l’anima giapponese in questo romanzo, in effetti l’autrice vanta origini orientali e lo dimostra racchiudendo degli elementi che ricordano la fiaba della Sirenetta, ma c’è tanto di più. Un’ambientazione da leggenda, sfondo tipicamente feudale anche senza date su cui fare riferimento, periodi ideali per svolgere vicende come queste. Le lotte fra clan hanno insanguinato l’antico Giappone per secoli, si poneva una tregua alle loro discordie grazie a matrimoni o accordi traballanti. Il romanzo è scorrevole, nato da una penna elegante e coi giusti fronzoli, accosta uno sprazzo storico e fantastico, tra esorcismi, lotte di potere e intrighi, puntando la curiosità su una cultura straricca di leggende e stranezze. I personaggi sono anch’essi delineati e presentano pregi e altrettanti difetti. Hikaru è in effetti inizialmente un’incurante e con meno carisma di altri; è stato piacevole vederlo crescere e riconoscere se stesso. Il personaggio da me più amato è Shin, una figura secondaria ma di grande valore e importanza, un demone lupo che ha a cuore l’incolumità di Rin, protagonista di un duplice inganno, terribilmente carina e genuina, una vera Kitsune.
Gioco in casa recensendo questo romanzo, essendo nippo dipendente, finora la mia lettura preferita di quest’anno.
Il folkore giapponese possiede una lunga lista, a partire dai Kitsune, demoni volpe molto astuti che prendono, a loro piacimento, sembianze umane al fine di ingannare gli esseri umani, spesso e volentieri seducendoli. Il loro potere li dota di piccoli fuochi che possono lanciare contro i nemici. Rin è una di loro, una Kitsune fedele al proprio padrone, il drago, un kami – divinità sia animale che antropomorfa – ma per la prima volta aiuta un ragazzo a sfuggire alla morte per colpa di un enorme cinghiale. Si tratta di Hikaru, primogenito di un daimyo – un feudatario – un po’ troppo incurante degli abitanti della foresta in cui si è ostinato, sbagliando, a oltrepassare la selva protetta da Akio, il terribile guardiano dalle sembianze suine.
Sebbene Rin non abbia mai dimostrato interesse nei riguardi degli uomini, trovandoli noiosi, l’istinto prende sopravvento e salva Hikaru da morte certa. Non si può definire un colpo di fulmine il loro, eppure nel principe vi è qualcosa di speciale, oltre l’aspetto attraente, ad aver colpito la Kitsune. Nemmeno a farlo apposta, il viaggio nella foresta di Rin incontra più di un ostacolo: oltre al sommo cinghiale, viene stregata da una fattucchiera travestita da miko – sacerdotessa shintoista – e obbligata a compiere una missione sgradevole: rompere l’alleanza tra due potenti clan. In cambio la sua libertà, oppure la donna volpe perderà i poteri e rimarrà in eterno un semplice animale.
L’unico modo per riuscirci sembra quello di avvicinare proprio il ragazzo che ha incontrato nella foresta. Muta e in forma umana a causa della maledizione, Rin riesce a circuire il cuore di Hikaru, nobile dalle origini non del tutto chiare da parte di madre e detestato dai suoi uomini e guardato con gli occhi del tradimento dal fratellastro Hotaru, secondogenito ma convinto di essere la persona adatta a condurre il clan quando il padre lascerà la vita terrena. Hikaru non ha vita facile all’interno del proprio castello, è guardato con sospetto e poco stimato, soprattutto appena accoglie una misteriosa fanciulla impossibilitata a parlare. La missione di Rin non risulta semplice e contrasta i sentimenti che pian piano comincia a provare, inoltre l’obiettivo richiesto dalla strega alimenterà una guerra sanguinosa tra clan.
Si avverte parecchio l’anima giapponese in questo romanzo, in effetti l’autrice vanta origini orientali e lo dimostra racchiudendo degli elementi che ricordano la fiaba della Sirenetta, ma c’è tanto di più. Un’ambientazione da leggenda, sfondo tipicamente feudale anche senza date su cui fare riferimento, periodi ideali per svolgere vicende come queste. Le lotte fra clan hanno insanguinato l’antico Giappone per secoli, si poneva una tregua alle loro discordie grazie a matrimoni o accordi traballanti. Il romanzo è scorrevole, nato da una penna elegante e coi giusti fronzoli, accosta uno sprazzo storico e fantastico, tra esorcismi, lotte di potere e intrighi, puntando la curiosità su una cultura straricca di leggende e stranezze. I personaggi sono anch’essi delineati e presentano pregi e altrettanti difetti. Hikaru è in effetti inizialmente un’incurante e con meno carisma di altri; è stato piacevole vederlo crescere e riconoscere se stesso. Il personaggio da me più amato è Shin, una figura secondaria ma di grande valore e importanza, un demone lupo che ha a cuore l’incolumità di Rin, protagonista di un duplice inganno, terribilmente carina e genuina, una vera Kitsune.
Gioco in casa recensendo questo romanzo, essendo nippo dipendente, finora la mia lettura preferita di quest’anno.
August 27, 2022
E finalmente riesco a leggere un libro che abbia come protagonista una kitsune! Rin è stata una protagonista adorabile nella sua assolutamente appropriata disumanità, una trickster con cui resta facile empatizzare. Hikaru mi è risultato decisamente meno affascinante, ma se non altro la ama sinceramente e per il suo bene riesce alla fine a mostrare la giusta dose di spina dorsale. Mi sono comunque chiesta come si possa preferirlo a Shin un demone lupo con molto più carattere e carisma ma… ho amato comunque la risoluzione del triangolo e del mistero delle origini di Hikaru. Il romanzo in sé è bellissimo, al di là dell’aspetto romance. Mi sono sentita per un po’ immersa nel mondo e nel folklore del Giappone feudale.
Come retelling l’ho trovato davvero originale!
La prosa dell’autrice è minuziosa, descrittiva e decorativa senza essere eccessiva, la trama non scade mai nel prevedibile ed è complessa, intrecciando le vicende di vari personaggi senza annoiare, e il cast piuttosto ampio di personaggi secondari resta adeguatamente tratteggiato. I destini di mortali e yokai si intrecciano grazie alle macchinazioni di una strega, alla guerra tra due regni immortali e … all’amore ovviamente.
L’unica cosa che un po’ mi ha disturbato è che resta irrisolto il perché la strega abbia tanto giocato con la casata nobile di Hikaru, o cosa stesse esattamente perseguendo. Immagino nei prossimi volumi tutto sarà esplorato a dovere comunque … molti personaggi secondari avranno il loro retelling da popolare .
Da leggere!
Come retelling l’ho trovato davvero originale!
La prosa dell’autrice è minuziosa, descrittiva e decorativa senza essere eccessiva, la trama non scade mai nel prevedibile ed è complessa, intrecciando le vicende di vari personaggi senza annoiare, e il cast piuttosto ampio di personaggi secondari resta adeguatamente tratteggiato. I destini di mortali e yokai si intrecciano grazie alle macchinazioni di una strega, alla guerra tra due regni immortali e … all’amore ovviamente.
L’unica cosa che un po’ mi ha disturbato è che resta irrisolto il perché la strega abbia tanto giocato con la casata nobile di Hikaru, o cosa stesse esattamente perseguendo. Immagino nei prossimi volumi tutto sarà esplorato a dovere comunque … molti personaggi secondari avranno il loro retelling da popolare .
Da leggere!
March 6, 2020
I’m a sucker for fairy-tale retellings but they can only shake it up so much, which is why this book caught my eye. The little Mermaid as a kitsune? Pffght sign me up right now!
I loved the idea but this story did leave me with some mixed feelings.
So, I really liked the blend of the yokai lore with the little mermaid. At first glance it seems like quite an odd mix and the two tale’s a broad jump from one another. Probably because the lighter Disney version of The Little Mermaid is the first thing to come to mind, and then on top of that fish and foxes, seem about as far apart as you can get. In actuality the tales have a lot of similarities as they both involve creatures that lure humans to feed off of them.
This isn’t as dark as all of that and the mash-up did work really well for me. I liked how the plot of the little mermaid was used with a twist; in this she had to break the treaty between the two nations to regain her voice and yokai abilities as a kitsune, or be stuck as a plain old fox forever. It doesn’t matter who she uses or how she does it- as long as the treaty is broken. The prince Hikaru, is the easiest choice until her feelings get in the way.
I thought the yokai parts of the story were very intriguing and I loved how the lore and the yokai interacted with the world around the Prince, with the shrines, beliefs etc… and I would have loved a deeper look at that folklore and also of the social hierarchy of Yokai’s world.
Most of my mixed feeling had to do with the characters and the style.
There just wasn’t much there for me to connect or love about the characters. Rin especially, whom I would expect to be the most memorable, doesn’t have much of a personality and we are relying on the things we know as lore about the mischief loving kitsune’s to fill out her details.
And outside of Rin, and the Prince, there are a huge amount of side characters; each with a different agenda. I had a hard time keeping track of some of them because they were all busy plotting and some were in disguise, so I couldn’t even use who was allied with who, to help keep them straight.
There is a far larger and more complicated story at work here than what it first appears to be, unfortunately everything is all tangled together and we don’t understand the characters motivations sometimes until after the fact, or even at all.This is partly because this is told in that leap-frog style, that I complain about every now and again- where everything moves briskly and/or jumps ahead, and then we get some conversation or flashbacks to back-fill the story and explain certain things.With the sheer amount of characters running around plotting, this style does make it a bit confusing to see the bigger picture while waiting for things to iron out, and some motivations never were crystal clear. Like the Witch who seemed to have her fingers in everyone’s pie, manipulating things but I was never quite sure why she was doing it. It is possible her motivations are explained later in the series (I assume she is a reoccurring character) and I have a few guesses as well but that doesn’t do anything to give me answers for this story.
A little extra editing would have helped to clean up the writing with things like- clearer understandings of changes in attitudes (the servants are scared of Rin for whatever reason but later they’re treating her like a princess), repetition in the story (tells us he’s going to leave and then explains his leaving kind of stuff) and that jumpiness that comes from trying to touch on one too many unnecessary characters to fill in the ever-growing twistiness of the plot.
I don’t mean to sound like I only have complaints- there is a lot to love about Kitsune, and though the story might need a little ironing out here and there, it was a very cool retelling of The Little Mermaid. This would be worth checking out if you are at all interested in retellings, or just looking for some stories involving yokai’s.
I loved the idea but this story did leave me with some mixed feelings.
So, I really liked the blend of the yokai lore with the little mermaid. At first glance it seems like quite an odd mix and the two tale’s a broad jump from one another. Probably because the lighter Disney version of The Little Mermaid is the first thing to come to mind, and then on top of that fish and foxes, seem about as far apart as you can get. In actuality the tales have a lot of similarities as they both involve creatures that lure humans to feed off of them.
This isn’t as dark as all of that and the mash-up did work really well for me. I liked how the plot of the little mermaid was used with a twist; in this she had to break the treaty between the two nations to regain her voice and yokai abilities as a kitsune, or be stuck as a plain old fox forever. It doesn’t matter who she uses or how she does it- as long as the treaty is broken. The prince Hikaru, is the easiest choice until her feelings get in the way.
I thought the yokai parts of the story were very intriguing and I loved how the lore and the yokai interacted with the world around the Prince, with the shrines, beliefs etc… and I would have loved a deeper look at that folklore and also of the social hierarchy of Yokai’s world.
Most of my mixed feeling had to do with the characters and the style.
There just wasn’t much there for me to connect or love about the characters. Rin especially, whom I would expect to be the most memorable, doesn’t have much of a personality and we are relying on the things we know as lore about the mischief loving kitsune’s to fill out her details.
And outside of Rin, and the Prince, there are a huge amount of side characters; each with a different agenda. I had a hard time keeping track of some of them because they were all busy plotting and some were in disguise, so I couldn’t even use who was allied with who, to help keep them straight.
There is a far larger and more complicated story at work here than what it first appears to be, unfortunately everything is all tangled together and we don’t understand the characters motivations sometimes until after the fact, or even at all.This is partly because this is told in that leap-frog style, that I complain about every now and again- where everything moves briskly and/or jumps ahead, and then we get some conversation or flashbacks to back-fill the story and explain certain things.With the sheer amount of characters running around plotting, this style does make it a bit confusing to see the bigger picture while waiting for things to iron out, and some motivations never were crystal clear. Like the Witch who seemed to have her fingers in everyone’s pie, manipulating things but I was never quite sure why she was doing it. It is possible her motivations are explained later in the series (I assume she is a reoccurring character) and I have a few guesses as well but that doesn’t do anything to give me answers for this story.
A little extra editing would have helped to clean up the writing with things like- clearer understandings of changes in attitudes (the servants are scared of Rin for whatever reason but later they’re treating her like a princess), repetition in the story (tells us he’s going to leave and then explains his leaving kind of stuff) and that jumpiness that comes from trying to touch on one too many unnecessary characters to fill in the ever-growing twistiness of the plot.
I don’t mean to sound like I only have complaints- there is a lot to love about Kitsune, and though the story might need a little ironing out here and there, it was a very cool retelling of The Little Mermaid. This would be worth checking out if you are at all interested in retellings, or just looking for some stories involving yokai’s.
May 31, 2025
It was a bit boring, and repetitive. In about four chapters, there's seven POV characters, and we change POVs two or three times in a chapter, only to repeat the events we saw in one character's POV, but in another perspective that added absolutely nothing to the story. Some of the names are too similar (Hikaru and Hotaru, brothers, both with a POV), and the character's voices aren't distinct, so having multiple (too many) POVs was useless because I had trouble knowing who's POV I was reading, and the head-hopping didn't help any.
October 9, 2025
I probably shouldn’t rate this as I only got 3.5 chapters in but I just couldn’t get into this book. We had 4 POV in the first few chapters, there’s not really any clear narrative, so far all the characters talk and sound the same, they’re all flat and boring and it was making me not want to reach for my kindle so I decided not to continue. Download a sample and try it to see if you can do the reading ☺️
December 12, 2023
⭐️⭐️.5
I was intrigued by the concept of the book and I really liked how the author used Japanese mythology. I thought the charters were good as well.
However, there were a lot of POVs and sometimes they were stated clearly who’s it was at the start of them. Also I just found myself uninterested in the storyline and did not really connect or care about the characters.
I was intrigued by the concept of the book and I really liked how the author used Japanese mythology. I thought the charters were good as well.
However, there were a lot of POVs and sometimes they were stated clearly who’s it was at the start of them. Also I just found myself uninterested in the storyline and did not really connect or care about the characters.
December 16, 2024
3.75 rounded up. I really enjoyed this. I kind of wish it was longer so I could get to know the main characters a little more. But with that being said I still enjoyed it and got the concept and the story just fine.
February 8, 2023
Molto bello ma non lo definirei un retelling della Sirenetta
June 25, 2023
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https://ilconfinedeilibri.blogspot.co...
December 28, 2020
The beginning was very tough to get through but it was good overall. I enjoyed the spin on the little mermaid with the blending of Japanese folklore.
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