Mythology in Mystical Realsim | Rachael King + Lee Murray

Rachael King and Lee Murray both evoke ancient mythological creatures from distant shores in their latest novels: the vengeful kelpie and the nine-tailed fox spirit, húli jīng. In this session they will explore how myth not only maketh mystical realism but also elucidates key contemporary challenges. Chaired by Claire Mabey.

Scottish folklore inspired Rachael King to write about a vengeful black horse-like creature called a kelpie, while Murray has made the ancient Chinese fox spirit húli jīng her narrator.

The Grimmelings is a spellbinding fantasy adventure of loyalty, courage, and being careful what you wish for . . . King says it became a ‘middle grade’ novel by accident but, in the vein of Susan Cooper, it appeals to readers of all ages – and we can vouch for that!

Fox Spirit on a Distant Cloud lifts the lid on hidden stories of the women of the Chinese diaspora in Aotearoa. The characters in the book came to Aotearoa for a new life and suffered isolation and prejudice in silence. Lee has taken the nine-tailed fox spirit húli jīng as her narrator to inhabit the skulls of these women and others like them and tell their stories. The result is an audacious blend of biography, mythology, horror, and poetry that transcends genre to illuminate lives in the shadowlands of our history.