Gods & Comics

A Korean American high schooler moonlighting as a webtoon artist finds her meticulously planned future upended when her fictional creations inexplicably come to life in this epic fantasy adventure by Cho (Wish upon a K-Star). Though 17-year-old Floridian Grace dreams of pursuing a career in medicine, her panic attacks— exacerbated by her doctor father’s high expectations—make her goals feel impossible to attain. Following her grandmother’s death, Grace starts a webcomic based on the Korean myths Halmeoni used to tell her. Under a pseudonym, Grace creates Sun God, a fantasy romance series about Haemosu, a powerful deity cursed to attend mortal high school. When Haemosu one day materializes from the comic, he requests Grace’s help in returning him to his celestial homeworld. As fantasy and reality intertwine, Grace contends with real feelings for her fictional protagonist as well as the arrival of Haemosu’s sworn enemy, and his plot to destroy humankind. Cho seamlessly weaves elements of historical Korean myth into contemporary settings and action-packed sequences. Human issues of racial microaggressions, grief, and anxiety take center stage amid godly conflicts, making for a fresh and richly layered K-drama-esque romantasy. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 12–up. Author’s agent: Beth Phelan, Gallt & Zacker Literary. (Apr.)