The God and the Gwisin is a worthy sequel

I was so happy to finally get the chance to read this exquisite sequel to one of my beloved books of last year, The God and the Gumiho. I absolutely loved it. One of my fave series of recent years for sure. Read my 5-star review that follows.

Out: Now

Ever since the red thread reappeared, the not-so-fallen-anymore Seogka has been searching for the reincarnated Hani. He finds her on a cruise down the river of the dead. But she's not Hani; she's Yoo Kisa, who does not know him, so now what are they to each other? Seogka's brother Hwanin is murdered, and they must quietly find the perpetrator before the cruise ends. There is more at play on this ship that may have to do with their Fate thread, even the fate of their world.

I love how Sophie Kim respects her reader and just jumps right into Kisa's life. She does give us the lowdown needed though, to construct a firm foundation for the POV, always in her trademark witty fashion. It is also an entry point to the delicious intrigue that will follow us from there on out.

I continue to enjoy the lively, vibrant twisting of Korean mythology, the boundless creativity, the doses of whimsical flavor. Info is again conveyed in that companionable, conversational style I like. The ever-present humor that threads through the narrative constantly makes me chuckle or guffaw outright, too many times to count. The welcoming weight of anticipation and destiny placed me on the edge of a gasp, my heart fluttering all the while.

I smirked at the fact that Kisa, as opposed to Hani, likes coffee and I was enamored with her immediately. Whip-smart, she asks lots of questions, enthusiastic about wanting to know the whys and the hows of everything. And usually not a rulebreaker. Our beloved Seogka, the oftentimes cheerful grump with his wonderful sarcastic and mischievous streak, is in top form. Is there anything more swoony than a handsome god who waits for you to reincarnate and will love you no matter who or what you come back as?

Whether we like it or not the past shapes us. Both our protagonists are affected emotionally by it. Seogka by issues from before, erstwhile mistakes and what went down with Hani. As for Kisa, she has her own burdens, which are known and unknown to her. This is all shared in a wonderfully compassionate tone. There is a depth and intensity of feeling in the honesty of their musings. The situation is simultaneously heart-squeezing and humorous. The unexpected and outrageously fun things that happen must be read to be believed. And those gasp-worthy revelations...

Being on the cruise is a sort of forced proximity and let us not forget the thread that binds them. You could somewhat call it a despite themselves, second chance romance, but way more intricate and interesting. You experience their changing emotions along with them in the intimate present tense. The clever whodunit follows an engrossing path of discovery, with breadcrumbs on the way that hint at what is really happening and gets your mind whirring. This time around, there is an oddball team to solve the mystery and which will delight you.

This is a story about fate and hope. It deals with themes like: acceptance of others and the situations we find ourselves in and overcoming that which may hurt us. With a love that conquers everything, this series has entered the pantheon of my favorites.