Congratulations on the publication of THE FOX MAIDENS written and illustrated by Robin Ha publishing today with Balzer + Bray!
From the bestselling, award-winning creator of Almost American Girl comes an epic new graphic novel fantasy—a queer, feminist reimagining of the Fox Maiden legend from Korean mythology. Perfect for fans of Nimona, Squire, and The Prince and the Dressmaker.
Kai Song dreams of being a warrior. She wants to follow in the footsteps of her beloved father, the commander of the Royal Legion. But while her father believes in Kai and trains her in martial arts, their society isn’t ready for a girl warrior.
Still, Kai is determined. But she is plagued by rumors that she is the granddaughter of Gumiho, the infamous nine-tailed fox demon who was killed by her father years before.
Everything comes crashing down the day Kai learns the deadly secret about her mother’s past. Now she must come to terms with the truth about her identity and take her destiny into her own hands. As Kai desperately searches for a way to escape her fate, she comes to find compassion, and even love, in the most unexpected places.
Set in sixteenth-century Korea and richly infused with Korean folklore, The Fox Maidens is a timeless and powerful story about fighting for your place in the world, even when it seems impossible.
Praise for THE FOX MAIDENS:
“Ha puts a queer and feminist twist on the origins of the Fox Maiden from Korean folklore in this fantastical graphic novel. Across cleanly rendered, digitally illustrated panels with starkly highlighted hues in reds, blues, greens, and yellows, Kai tenaciously attempts to change her fate, encounters a familiar face on a parallel journey, and finds compassion and love along the way.” — Publishers Weekly [https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780062685131]
“Ha employs a limited but versatile color palette to create a world that feels grounded in real history yet imbued with magic. The inkbrush-like digital illustrations are evocative of traditional Asian art and contrast poignantly with the book’s contemporary treatment of nonconformity, queerness, and intergenerational trauma. A lushly illustrated fantasy that feels ancient and modern at the same time.” — Kirkus Reviews [https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/robin-ha/the-fox-maidens/]
“Action packed and exciting, this family drama is full of unexpected twists and turns. The art is rich with historical details, beautiful nature scenes, and fast paced fight scenes. Lovers of ghost stories, K dramas, and queer retellings of fairy tales will find much to enjoy here.” — Maia Kobabe, author and illustrator of Gender Queer
‘’A book that makes you want to devour the patriarchy. The Fox Maidens is a beautiful dive into Korean history, mythology, and social issues we can all learn from.’’ — Laura Gao, author and illustrator of Messy Roots
“Robin calls forth her entire self to elevate Korean folklore to a haunting, horrifying, and enchanting epic about what (and who) we would sacrifice for love and redemption. Truly a femme fatale I wish I had growing up.” — Deb JJ Lee, creator of In Limbo
THE FOX MAIDENS was also included in the San Francisco Chronicle’s roundup of new books that could be some of the best reads of 2024!
Read the roundup here: https://datebook.sfchronicle.com/books/best-books-winter-2023-18499682
Robin Ha grew up reading and drawing comics. At fourteen she moved to the United States from Seoul, Korea. After graduating from the Rhode Island School of Design with a BFA in illustration, she moved to New York City and started a career in the fashion industry. Her work has been published in independent comic anthologies including Secret Identities and The Strumpet, as well as in the pages of Marvel Comics and Heavy Metal Magazine. She is also the author of the New York Times bestselling comic recipe book Cook Korean!: A Comic Book with Recipes. Visit Robin online at banchancomic.tumblr.com.
Robin is represented by Samantha Haywood.
Congratulations Robin!
Pick up a copy of this action packed family drama: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-fox-maidens-robin-ha?variant=41059506159650