This Book is truly amazing! Axie Oh has done it again. I was tearing up in chapter 1 already with how wonderfully she captured what it means to be human. I can say that I really enjoyed the story and the pacing. I do wish some character had a little more depth to them, but I can totally see them having a small story or maybe a collection of tales about them where we dive a bit deeper into who they are in the spirit world. The "twist" at the end for me was very predictable, but even though I knew it, it didn't take away from the story. The emphasis on Mina and just the fact that she's so "regular" is what really drew me to her, I'm tired of always seeing female characters have to be extraordinary, so Mina just accepting that she is who she is was really empowering. The focus on family was also very important to me as a reader. I grew up in a culture where we respect our family and our elders and it was great to see that represented here as well.

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is a YA fantasy with amazing world-building that is an entirely unique tale involving the afterlife, gods, demons, and myths.

At sea for the annual gift of a bride to the Sea God, Mina throws herself in the sea to the god before the love of her brother's life can do it. In the Spirit Realm, a magical city beneath the sea, Mina is determined to confront the Sea God and ask why he has been punishing his subjects on land with continuous natural disasters. She finds that nothing is what it seemed and that accomplishing her goal is going to be more difficult than expected.

The narration was superb!

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea
by Axie Oh
Published Date: 02/22/2022
Audiobook Narrator: Rosa Escoda

*The audiobook was so kindly given to me by NetGalley and Dreamscape Media in exchange for an honest review.*

Synopsis: Mina is a 16-year-old girl from the Song family living in the mountain region By-The-Sea. Every year, in the hope of ending the storms that ravage their lands, a beautiful girl is sacrificed by her people to the Sea God as they try to appease him. They believe the Sea God has cursed them. When Shim Cheong, the wife of Mina's older brother, is to be sacrificed Mina sacrifices herself instead. Once in the Spirit Realm, Mina finds a Sea God in an enchanted sleep and she must find a way to wake him up to save her people.

Thoughts:
There were several things I enjoyed about this one. I loved the main character, Mina. I'm a huge fan of strong female characters who refuse to be bound by the fates others make for them and instead choose to decide their own. Mina is strong-willed, intelligent, and loyal to her family and people despite their willingness to sacrifice the beautiful maidens of their village. This fact made her stand out while most of the other characters fell to the background and became unmemorable. The atmosphere was quite clear. In the beginning, as she began to explore the spirit realm, everything felt mysterious and unknown but as she grew comfortable in the setting, the reader became more acquainted with the setting as well. With a slow-burn plotline, I wouldn't say there were any real lulls in the book rather there was an ebb and flow to the story where the primary storyline would be furthered but then a side plotline would be pushed along. Ultimately, those threads of the primary story and side storylines would be brought together to form a well-crafted and complete tale.
Overall, I enjoyed the story but to be honest, I'm not sure that I find it entirely memorable. I also didn't understand how Mina could be so loyal to a people that had no issues sacrificing young women because they believed themselves to be cursed. There have been other novels more recently released that felt more believable in that aspect but I do understand how her willingness to save her people was instrumental in determining the outcome of the story. As a YA novel, the ending wrapped everything up nicely in a "...and they lived happily ever after" bow, which I was grateful for.

Audiobook Review:
The narrator.Rosa Escoda did a fantastic job. The tone/quality of her voice added to the fairytale quality of the book, which further enhanced my reading experience and submersed me into the story. I do believe there could've been more emotion on the part of the narrator during some particularly emotional scenes but it didn't take away from my overall enjoyment of the story itself. As someone who consumes audiobooks with nearly every book I read, this is one I would certainly recommend.

A swoon-worthy love story. Each year a maiden is given to the Sea God to be his bride in hopes to appease him as they believe he has cursed them. Each year they hope that the Sea God will find his true bride to end the suffering.
This story begins with Shim Cheong, the most beautiful girl in the village, and Mina's elder brother, Joon, who loves Shim Cheong, on a boat in the middle of the sea. Shim Cheong is to jump into the sea to be the Sea God's bride and Joon is with her to stop it from happening when unbeknownst to them, Mina hid on the boat as well. Mina came out to protect her brother, Joon, from the Sea God's wrath and jumps into the sea in Shim Cheong's place and there her journey and adventure begins in the Spirit Realm.
When Mina meets the Sea God, she finds him in an enchanted sleep. With the help of a young man named Shin, Mina sets out to wake the Sea God and save her people. She only has a short time to figure out how to help the Sea God though as a human cannot live long in the Spirit Realm.
Mina finds friends to help her and a swoon-worthy romance while she goes about figuring out how to help the Sea God and her people. She also goes about finding herself, who she is, what she wants, and shares how stories shape, teach, and help her to solve things and know what to do.
I loved this story and this audiobook. The narrator does a wonderful job with the characters' voices and bringing them and the world to life. Listening to this narrator and the audiobook immerses you into the world. If you haven't checked this out, be sure to grab it and listen to it now.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for letting me listen and review this ALC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wow this was a gorgeous book! The writing was so lyrical and beautiful. This book tells the story of Mina. She is trying to save her brother and ends up accidentally becoming the Sea God's newest bride. She ends up in the Spirit Realm. She meets an interesting cast of characters and has some amazing adventures. This is one I definitely want to reread because it was full of so much richness.

It's been a while since I've finished this and i still don't really have the words for it. This was such a beautiful story that really had me captivated. I couldn't stop reading.

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is about Mina, a 16 year old girl, who takes the place of her brother's love to be sacrificed to the Sea God and become his bride. All she wants is to stop the storms that are damaging the lands, but what Mina ends up finding is so much more.

This is written so beautiful. The prose really brings the world to life. It takes a lot for me to feel like I might be able to see the world, and with this one I thought that maybe it was possible. The author did such a wonderful job of bringing this world and the characters to life.

The atmosphere of this book is truly immaculate. I fell in love with this and all the relationships that were developed along the way. I'm excited to see what else Axie Oh writes.

Thanks to Netgalley and Dreamscape media for the audiobook in exchange for my honest review!

Narration: I loved the narration! It was well done, easy to follow and kept me interested.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 Stars

This was an awesome YA fantasy with Korean mythology! This story and charterers are rich! It was such a good read. (One star off as a little slow in the beginning). But overall I really enjoyed it!

I went into this book knowing absolutely nothing but The Girl Who Fell Beneath The Sea was such a pleasant journey.

This story contained so much folklore that was new and old. While I did not know the original tale of The Tale of Shim Chong, I did know about the red string of fate. Midway through the book, I couldn't help like I was in a world similar to Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away, and I felt so happy to find the author's twitter account and see this book pitched with the keywords Spirited Away. Something felt so nostalgic yet so refreshing about the story and I couldn't help but root for our main lead!

Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for the audiobook copy of The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea 🙌.

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A spellbinding tale of loyalty, bravery and love, The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea will embrace you in a wave of enchantment and folklore.

I love retellings, but since I haven’t read the original story, The Tale of Shim Cheong, I cannot compare the two for this review. I can say that this was a beautifully woven story possessing sea gods, a spirit world and who could forget… a love story.

Since I listened to this one, I have to tell you how completely mesmerizing the narrators voice was, and I felt it really helped set the mood and develop the atmospheric feel of the tale. I’m really picky about narrators, but Rosa Escoda killed it 🙌.

Combining the story with the narration for an overall review, I give this one ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 stars.

A beautiful and moving story of self sacrifice and love. Mina right off the bat shows her love for her brother Joon by sacrificing herself to preserve his love of the chosen Sea God’s bride. Mina jumps in instead of the one Chosen Shim. Mina has this loving sacrificing determination to not only save her brother and his love Shim but also all of her people. I enjoyed this Korean woven mythology. So beautifully written.

Thank you for the opportunity to listen in advance to The Girl Who Fell Beneath The Sea.

I love asian mythology, be it Chinese Japanese or Indian…. This was enchanting and I loved it from start to finish. I was telling my friends about this book as I was listening to the audiobook, and most of them knew about the origin of this story! And I don’t mean Spirited away!

This was magical and fun. And like comfort food. Just enjoyable all around. The main character was just perfect, she was never annoying or too naive or unbelievably smart or strong, she was realistic and nothing felt forced. I loved the ending too! The relationship with Shin was gradual and although I knew from the very beginning he was the one for her, it was done so well! The twist was fantastic.

I’m just happy I read this. Five stars. Will 100% recommend this to my friends.

Many thanks!

P.S. It may have been only my problem, or maybe it’s only on NetGalley, but when I increased the speed of the audiobook the voice doubled.

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is Spirited Away combined with mythology.

Mina sacrifices herself to become the Sea God’s bride to save another. This act brings her to the spirit realm, where she attempts to end the storms send by the Sea God. Her quest is filled with whimsy, new friends, and love.

I listened to the audiobook, and it was great.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This book reels you in and once there, you never want to leave. The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh is the story of Mina, a girl from a small seaside village. Her country is plagued by disastrous and often fatal storms. The people believe the storms are caused by the Sea God. Every year the villagers sacrifice a girl to be the Sea God's bride in the hopes of ending the storms. However, this year Shim Cheong is to be his bride, but Mina's brother Joon loves her. He is determined not to let her go. Mina follows them, when the dragon appears, Mina throws herself into the sea. She asks to take the place of Shim to be the Sea God's bride. He accepts but when Mina reaches the bottom of the sea she is surprised to find the city empty. She notices a red string of fate attached to her hand. She follows the string and eventually finds the Sea God. He is unresponsive and in a deep sleep. Shin Chun and his friends arrive to explain that the Sea God is cursed. Mina tells them she is his bride and she will break the curse. They laugh and explain that is what all the brides say. Yet none have been able. She has 30 days to wake him, or she will be stuck in the spirit realm forever. Will she wake the Sea God and save her people or will she fail like all the rest? Will she follow the red string of fate and find her destiny under the sea?
Axie Oh uses beautiful language to take readers on an exciting journey through a realm of fantasy. I was pleased to find the action started immediately, and continued at a steady pace. Oh builds an incredible world filled with men and creatures of myth. She writes with a flow that leaves readers breathless and waiting for more. Oh is a master of knowing just what to say and when to do it ,to keep the story moving along. All this is done with perfect pacing.
This is one of a few books that I can find no faults in the characters, plot, or writing. Earning it a firm 5 out of 5 stars in my book. There is no profanity or mature adult scenes. There are a few fight scenes that are not described in detail. I would recommend this book to young adults that are fans of Fantasy and Mythology. However, it is a beautiful story that is well written, so adults will enjoy it as well.
The book is narrated by Rosa Escoda. Escoda narrates with a British accent which works perfectly for Mina. She is extremely talented and is able to create distinct voices for all the characters. Her cadence creates a dreamlike tone for Mina's visit to the spirit realm. Escoda's narration adds to the surreal feeling of being transported to another time and place. The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is a journey all its own with Escodo the perfect guide to complement the story.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5
-Characters: 4/5
-Cover: 5/5
-Story: 4.5/5
-Writing: 4.5/5
Genre: Romance/Historical Fiction/Mythology
Type: Audiobook
Worth?: Yeah

First want to thank Netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this in exchange for an honest review! If you like Spirited away than I think you would really enjoy this book. There are certain details that just drew me to the Studio Ghibli movie.

Another thing I wanted to mention is I haven't loved you YA novel since I was a teen, but this book was so well done. I didn't hate the main girl like I usually do. So was so mature and held a level of respect that many YA characters don't get from me. I loved this book.

I rated a 4.5 but rounded it to 5 because it deserved it!

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a lighthearted Korean fairytale, told as a light adventure under the sea with the dead, kept as a Sea God's Bride but as a living spirit.

There can be no comparison of this story without pointing at the Spirited Away movie.

All told, this is a longer adventure but without Granny or NoFace. There are threads of fate, a lot of mythological creatures, and a very YA feel that definitely skews to a very Disney romance at the end.

If that sounds like what you're looking for, then don't hesitate. It's just a tad off the beaten path but has all the usual goodies of modern YA.


This was a fairly good book and I had no real complaints except that I guess I prefer a bit more spice in my diet. That richness of flavor.

I guess I've been spoiled by other SilkPunk fiction. I guess I wanted more density and history.

This book was so magical and whimsical.
The lore of this story was so gripping, I loved everything about this book, the story, the pacing, the characters. I felt like i was transported under the sea to the spirit realm.
If you're a fan of Studio Ghibli this is the perfect book for you.

Maybe not a FULL 5/5, but it’s pretty dang close. Oh my GOSH this was such a beautiful fantasy and amazing romance. I was on the hunt for a good standalone novel that didn’t require too much world-building or backstory to get me invested, and this one was PERFECT for that. All the characters are wonderful, the plot is really well done, there are some plot twists that are easy to guess but overall it’s just SO GOOD! Definitely pick this one up for a somewhat quick, fun, enjoyable read because I highly recommend.

The cover is absolutely stunning, and the story is just as beautiful. Mina's homeland has been ravaged by storms for years, said to be caused by the Sea God who once protected them but now curses them. Every year a beautiful young woman is sacrificed as his bride, but this year's bride loves Mina's older brother, so Mina takes a leap and becomes the Sea God's bride. Once she's in the spirit world, she discovers friends and enemies, and that there's more to the curse than expected.

It took a little time to get spirited away into this fantasy world, but after being introduced to all the characters, it is quite charming. The audio narration was done wonderfully, but I'd pick up a physical copy just for the cover!

Im not usually an audiobook person, and while I will be buying a physical copy of this book to fully absorb the story, I love this audiobook. I think Rosa Escoda was the perfect choice for narrator. Her voice is soft and lyrical, and it pairs perfectly with the fairytale qualities of this book. I think this myth retelling was absolutely gorgeous, and I can’t wait to reread it!

An absolutely stunning read. She wrote this so beautifully. A tale of a girl who takes matters into her own hands to help save her family, friends, and people. It was such an adventure! I was blown away with how this ended. Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this in exchange for a review.