The time is approaching and so you can imagine a number of different people are interested in it’s whereabouts. Every 1,000 years the bearer of the Scroll will be granted a wish by the Kami Dragon. Basically, and I’m not going to go overboard on the plot but there’s an ancient artefact – a scroll in fact. Yumeko and Tatsumi cross paths fairly early in the story. She trails her mistress watching her actions from the shadows. I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say that Suki meets a shockingly brutal end and returns as a ghost – a rather timid ghost if I might say so. Her story is so sad and in fact we read about Suki before we meet the other two characters. The final character is a young serving girl named Suki. He’s had a fairly brutal and cold upbringing without any sort of affection as emotions are believed to weaken the resolve. Subsequently his clan have raised him to withstand pain without showing emotion. He bears a demon possessed sword and runs the constant risk of the demon taking over his own mind. Kage Tatsumi is an assassin for the Shadow Clan.

The monks have told Yumeko that she must hide her true nature from people who would treat her differently if they knew of her Yukai (half demon) nature.

My favourite is Yumeko, a half human/kitsune whose love of mischief quite often results in her being in trouble with the Monks of the Silent Winds Temple where she has been raised since the day she was left at the entrance. The story is told through three characters. It’s full of exciting action, cram packed with intriguing demons, myths and folklore, the characters are heart warming and on top of that it’s a quest style story which just really appeals to me.

Shadow of the Fox is Japanese inspired fantasy that completely exceeded my expectations.

Shadow of the fox yumeko