Having some knowledge of this particular mythology, I was very excited to read Oh's take and although I enjoyed the story, I was not blown away by the characters. I wanted more development and more foundational building of the plot and their storylines, as they all felt a bit vague and were only included when something had to be explained.

I left having not formed any attachment to the main characters but fell for their supporting cast who were just vibrant and practically leapt from the pages.

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh is a beautifully written young adult novel about a young girl, Mina, who sacrifices herself to the sea god in order to save her brother's lover from the fate she was born with. Oh's imagery is stunning, and the way she weaves in oriental culture captivated me from the start.

Mina is a character who I immediately fell in love with. Her sacrifice and her strength endeared her to me from the beginning of the work. The twists and turns of the novel kept me listening, and the narrator's voice is perfect for the story. Sometimes the book can be wonderful but the narrator a bad fit. This is not the case here. Narrator and story blend together beautifully.

While this book has elements of young adult fiction, it is certain to grab the attention of readers of all ages. The ending is lovely. I highly recommend this read.

This is probably the most beautiful story I have ever read. I did get to listen to the audiobook and it was amazing. The narrator has such a calming voice and really helped set the tone for the book. I can not wait to own the physical copy to add to my shelves and be able to read it to my kids in the future.

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 love 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.

This book was perfect. A little bit Spirited Away, a little bit Yangsze Choo's The Ghost Bride. I absolutely loved the world building and mythology. It was so cool and so vibrant. I loved all the characters and the found family aspect. It had a good bit of romance too. There were a couple good twists, one that I sort of guessed but I liked how they played out. I really loved this book and the audiobook narration was very good.

This book was magical. I loved the way it was written and the way it was narrated. It was so beautiful I felt inside a fairytale. Did you ever watch the Brothers Grimm anime? This felt like an episode of it! The MC is young and sacrifices everything for those she loves but she’s never whiny, she’s badass and extremely self aware. I found the love story to develop a little too quickly and out of nowhere but every single character in that book made up for it. It also had a twist I didn’t expect and I always love that! And the ending almost had me in tears.

I received an advance listening copy of this book from netgalley and dreamscape media in exchange for my honest review.

I am positive that The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea will be one of my favorite books of the year, and it is only February. This book was amazing. From beautifully written and fleshed out characters, to a wonderfully crafted and lyrically detailed world, this hits every note perfectly for me. I found a lot of similarities to Spirited Away and was 100 percent in love. This felt like it should be a Studio Ghibli movie. It had that same warmth and sense of adventure. The narrators voice also fed into this beautifully. She was expressive, versatile, and fit extremely well (I even went to look up other books she had narrated just to hear more of her.)

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is perfect for a wide range of ages. I think anyone will gain something from this, and can appreciate both the lessons to be gained, as well as the beauty of the story itself. I want so much more like this from Axie Oh. I will be here, impatiently waiting for more to come.

Was it a whimsical fairytale? Yes.
Was it a Korean mythology retelling of the sea god and his bride? Yes.
Was it anything I'd never read before? No.

This very much feels like someone is telling you a story around a campfire.

I was interested in this book because people were saying it was inspired by Spirited Away which I just didn't get from this. It is very much a retelling of the sea god's bride.

Mina a 16-year-old girl, jumps into the water to save her brother, taking place of Shim Cheong meant to be the sea god's bride. Mina needs to wake the sea god in order to stop the storms that are devouring her village. She teams up with these spirits, demons, and a God named Shin. With only a month to find a way to wake the king, Mina must hurry or she herself will become a spirit.

There was a romance in this book, but, I wasn't really invested in it. I didn't care much about the characters or really even the story. I think the problem I was having was with the pacing of the book. Maybe I will give this another shot once the book is released so I can read it physically.


I received this audiobook arc from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Narrated by Rosa Escoda. Thank you to Axie Oh and Dreamscape Media for this arc.

Well, I thought this was charming. It's a gentle YA fantasy inspired by Chinese mythology that follows a girl who ends up in the spirit realm, trying to save her people by saving the Sea God. It definitely has some "Spirited Away" vibes if that's your thing (it's definitely my thing,) and it whisks you around on a steady, pleasant stream of self-discovery and love. It's predictable in a soothing way, and left me feeling good.

I will say that I would not recommend the audio version of this story. The narrator had a sibilant quality to her voice that didn't work for me, and there was minimal differentiation between character voices which was occasionally confusing. I found myself wishing that Natalie Naudus was the voice in my ear, as I think she would have helped the book truly shine.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review!

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is a feminist retelling of the Korean folktale "The Tale of Shim Cheong". For reference, I am not familiar with original folktale and recommended seeking out Own Voices reviews for commentary on that.

Synopsis: Mina, a very plain and ordinary girl who describes herself as "nothing special", makes the unordinary and rash decision to sacrifice herself and become the bride of the Sea God, in place of her brothers fiance. Mina ends up in the spirit world and begins a quirky and ethereal adventure to free the Sea God from a curse and save her village from terrible storms.

While I've seen people compare this book to Uprooted, I did not find them particularly similar and find Uprooted much darker. However, the comparison to Spirited Away is spot on. The Spirit World in this book gave me immediate Spirited Away vibes with the spirits all being a bit vague, silly, fun, blunt, and not at all sad or depressing. I would place this book firmly in the heart-warming, warm hug category.

The characters in this book are written brilliantly. Mina, our complete ordinary but also quite unordinary protagonist is witty, kind, brave, and determined. I absolutely loved her relationship with her grandma. She is easy to love and root for. The side characters in this book shine as well. I absolutely loved the focus on getting wisdom from one's ancestors.

The lore and mythology were entrancing. The spirit world was depicted so vividly and I loved learning about the gods/goddesses, spirits, and other-worldy beings. I also love how verbal storytelling was used across generations to communicate the lore.

The pacing was fast, but not too fast. The plot was very predictable, but that certainly didn't ruin the book for me.

Overall, I loved this book. There was a scene involving a little baby spirit, a grandpa spirit, and a crib that made me weep. It is touching and heart-warming. I think fans of fantasy inspired by mythology, retellings, and general YA fantasy will all enjoy this one.

This was my most anticipated release this year. I absolutely adore this author and I love her writing style. Which was very present in this book. Beautiful writing style of Axie Oh really brought the setting of heaven to life. In terms of the story, it was not what I expected I’m not necessarily in a bad way. But I did change my feelings towards a story. The characters interesting though I found that some of the secondary characters blend into each other and it was difficult to tell them apart with the audio book. The plot was definitely interesting but slow. I wish that there was a little more information given to the reader before the big reveal. The ending was very soft and subtle. I think I would’ve preferred a baker and dang especially when the see God did not return when promised. The romance in the story also felt very soft, my feelings are not completely flooded but I still enjoyed reading it.

I think I would’ve preferred to physically read the book. I think the narrator of this book with her monotones voice and really no differentiation between characters really affected my enjoyment of the book. Her voice was used the same way for every small character which made it difficult to know who is speaking in different scenarios.

Overall I enjoyed the book but I think I would’ve enjoyed it more if I physically read it.

Deadly storms have ravaged Mina's homeland for generations. The people believe the Sea God has cursed them. Therefore, every year, a young girl is thrown into the sea in an effort to appease him. It is believed that these girls will serve as his wife until the next girl is sacrificed. Eventually one of the girls will be chosen as his true bride and the curse will end.

Mina's older brother, Joon's beloved, Shim Cheong, is the most beautiful girl in the village. Unfortunately, because of her beauty, Shim Cheong is set to be sacrificed. Joon will be heartbroken. Mina cannot let that happen. So, on the fated night, Mina takes Shim Cheong's place by throwing herself into the sea.

Guided by a majestic and slightly frightening dragon through the water, Mina enters the spirit world, where things are not quite as she expected. The Sea God isn't maniacally twirling his mustache, plotting evil deeds to unleash upon her village. He's actually trapped in an enchanted sleep. If she has any hope of ending the curse, Mina needs him awake. How else is he to choose her as his true bride?

Along with some new friends, including a mysterious boy named Shin, Mina sets out on a mission to try to discover the secret to waking him up. Time is not on her side, however, as humans can only survive in the Spirit realm for a short period of time. The pressure is on.

I had a great experience with this audiobook. The narrator did an incredible job bringing such a dreamy narrative to life. I was transported. You might even say I was spirited away...

I have since discovered that this is actually a retelling of the classic Korean folktale, The Tale of Shim Cheong. I would love to get my hands on that now. This was absolutely enchanting and I would be very interested to see how closely it connects to the original source material.

The entire story is so beautiful, so epic, so lyrical and so freaking amazing. I just can't even express all the feels. I am clearly over the moon for this one. Thank you so much to the publisher, Dreamscape Media, for providing me a copy of the audiobook to read and review. You better believe I will be snatching this up on release day!!!

I loved this cover! It’s a YA fantasy and a retelling. I was fascinated with the story with gods, spirits and sacrifices. A determined protagonist decides to test the fates and falls into another world. Lots and lots of characters. I chose to listen to this book on audio and had trouble following all the characters. The names were similar and I wasn’t sure who they were talking about. I wanted to see more of a developed story. I felt like the romance should of been more subtle. This had a lot of good stuff but I wanted it to be clearer.
This was narrated by Rosa Escoda and she did a great job.
Thanks Dreamscape Media via NetGalley.

I super enjoyed this one. I will have no problem eagerly recommending it others. I hope they love it as much as I did.

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is a charming mythological retelling, with beautifully written characters and strong world building. The pacing was perfect, and I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

Dragons, Sea Gods, Emperors, and beautiful girls, what more could you want in your story?

Mina is swept away to the spirit realm when she takes the place of the most beautiful girl in their village, Shim Cheong, to become this years Sea God’s bride. Mina ends up on a fantastic adventure through the Spirit Realm to save both her world and the spirit realm.

It was a great listen and I felt like I was right beside Mina on her adventure.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for an advance copy of the audiobook. This is my honest voluntary review.

I don't think I've experienced such a beautiful book before this. I had originally only added it to my TBR based on that gorgeous cover without really knowing anything about the actual plot but then I was blessed with an audiobook ARC and my mind proceeded to be blown.

The story of The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is based upon a Korean myth of the Sea God and his bride. There's adventure, a bit of action, family and a love story. The characters were fantastic and easy to get attached to. Mina is so selfless and fearless, I admired her so much. It was so easy to fall in love with Shin, his initial grumpiness drew me to him right away and then how he turns out to be so protective and fierce, my heart! Namgi was so playful and carefree on the outside but the way he was striving to be different than that of his heritage was inspiring. And Kirin....why is it that every character I come across in fiction named Kirin (or Kieran) I just want to cuddle up to and give the biggest and fiercest hug to? This Kirin was no different, he's so rough and stoic, but the love he has for his friends and the way he would give his life for them...oh lord I loved him so much! The twist of Mask, Dai and Miki was so good, I would have never guessed it in a million years! Again, these characters were fantastic!

Rosa Escoda narrates this beautiful Korean myth retelling and I have to say I really loved her voice. This is a beautiful story and Escoda's voice reflects that in how she tells the story with such inflection and care. I could hear the feelings of the characters through her voice and it was amazing. It seems she hasn't done too many narrations but honestly I would give anything she puts out a listen. The pace of the audio was good, I didn't have to speed it up like I usually do when narrators want to give dramatic pauses when not needed or when they like to drag out syllables, Escoda's pace is perfect in this regard. Overall she did a really fantastic job and I enjoyed this book much more because of her narration.

While this isn't a typical "OMFG THIS IS AMAZING, FIVE STARS!!!" type book for me, I'm still hyped on it because of how gorgeous it is. The words Axia Oh uses paint this really vivid and imaginative world and it's so elegant and beautiful (I know I'm over using that word but it's really the only appropriate one to use!), you just want to be wrapped up in it forever.

I highly recommend this book if you're a fan of any type of YA fantasy with a mature feel, a fan of Asian mythology, or any fan of just beautiful books because this one hits all those marks.

Thank you so much to Dreamscape Media for providing me with this audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review, I really enjoyed it!

Thank you NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed this, it had a lot of Spirited Away vibes. The story is heavily inspired by Asian myths. It gave me all the feels especially at the ending.

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea
by Axie Oh
A look in the legend and mythology of China. Dragons and ancestors this is a great look into Chinese culture. Its an story that will connect modern children to the story. I can see the beautiful images explained in the story. The world of ancient myths, of the land under the sea, the gifts of sea gods brides and the idea of pearl wishes. I was entranced by the story, connected easily to the characters, making this a great book for young adult readers.

This was a lovely tale from start to finish. Loosely inspired by the Korean tale of Shim-cheong and filial piety, The Girl Who Fell Beneath The Sea is rooted in the importance of oral story-telling, learning from the tales told to us, and our responsibility to our family and the ones we care for. Mina is a clever, strong-willed and lovable protagonist, and I found it easy to believe in the friendships she made throughout the story. That was a real joy in this book- the value of platonic friendships that don't pale compared to the romantic relationships. Axie Oh doesn't disappoint in the romance front as well. I adore books that show the growth of a protagonists' feelings rather than tell it, and Mina's feelings are ones that I can absolutely believe. While she's pulled in different directions by her heart, she doesn't lose sight of her goal of protecting her family first and foremost.

Rosa Escoda did a fabulous job of narrating this title, and I didn't speed up the audiobook at all so I could fully appreciate her performance. There's a perfect blend of emotion and consistency, and I'm glad I could listen to this book, as I do feel it gave me something more than if I had just read it.

Thank you Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for the ALC of this title!

Looks like I’m having a good time this year reading YA fantasies which are based on Asian mythology/folklore and I’m glad to add this book as well to that list. I’ve been eagerly waiting to read it since the announcement, and the gorgeous cover only cemented my belief that I would love it. I was ecstatic when I got an advance listening copy and it was truly worth all the wait.

The inside of the book perfectly matches the outside. The writing here is absolutely stunning - the author creates such a lush and vibrant world borne out of myths that even me who has zero imagination could picture the sea god’s city in my head. The alleys, the pavilions, the gardens and lakes and food, the various spirits and beasts of myths and the gods and goddesses - it all adds up to a world which feels both real and dreamlike, somewhere I wished I could travel to as well. The pacing is also pretty fast, with the author throwing us in the middle of the action right from the first page and then keeping it up all throughout; but there are also many lovely and soft moments of wonder and love and hope and it all ends up being a perfect balance in storytelling. There are quite a few thrilling action sequences which were both exciting and very tense, and I really enjoyed them. I also loved the author’s use of flashbacks as well as stories within stories to evoke various emotions among the reader and I felt magically transported every time I heard a new story. The beautiful story is well complemented by the narrator Rosa Escoda whose enchanting voice kept me hooked and I couldn’t stop listening.

Mina is such a wonderful protagonist. Yes, she can feel like a typical YA heroine who has to sacrifice her life to save the world but she truly is special. Because she isn’t the chosen one - she chooses to be the one, so that her brother can have his love. Her love for her family is her strength throughout and whenever she feels unsure or lost, she derives hope by reminiscing about them and finds herself renewed in purpose. She is also extremely compassionate, moved by the plight of the sea god and wanting to do her very best to help him break his curse and take away his loneliness and despair.

In her new found purpose, she is ably supported by a whole host of characters and I’m absolutely in love with every single one of them. Mask, Tai and Miki are the first trio she meets in the spirit realm and though she doesn’t know them, she finds trusting them easy and all three of them help Mina in multiple dangerous situations. Mask is mysterious, Tai is a delightful but brave boy and Miki is the most adorable baby, and they are instantly lovable. Then we might next trio who become indispensable in her quest to save the sea god as well as her people. Namgi is ever cheerful and talkative, forming a deep friendship with Mina pretty quickly. Kirin is more reserved and grumpy but he is loyal as ever and his steadfastness is commendable. But it is Shin who steals our heart, maybe not right at the beginning but slowly, with his protective nature, his willingness to fiercely defend the sea god and the city, and trusting Mina to solve such an immense curse. His relationship with Mina is so well written and delicious that I could weep.

To conclude, this book was everything I wanted it to be and more. It has all the elements of a great YA fantasy - strong female character, both amazing blood and found families, a wondrous tale of curses and gods and adventure, a vibrant world taken right out of Korean mythology, and ultimately a story of love, family, duty and hope. I’m absolutely delighted that I got to experience this tale and I can’t wait to read the author’s future works.