I've read all of Axie Oh's books and have greatly enjoyed her stories; they are clearly inspired by manga/manhwa/anime and always have clear plots with strong heroines. This is definitely her best book thus far, a wonderful take on the Korean fairytale of Shim Cheong (though only very loosely). Written very much as a fairy tale itself and inspired by Miyazaki's Spirited away, The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is a very enjoyable read perfect for an afternoon escape. Note: I listened to the audio version and the narrator did an excellent job. This is a great book for listening since it is easy to follow.

Story: One hundred years ago, Mina's country's emperor was overthrown by a warlord and thrust into constant warfare. The people suffer and it is said that the death of young emperor angered the Sea God so greatly that he turned his back on his people and sends cruel storms every year that devastate the seaside. To lessen the storms and end the Sea God's curse, a girl is sacrificed to the sea yearly: the Sea God's bride. This year, the love of Mina's brother, Shim Cheong, is the chosen bride. Seeing her brother's broken heart, Mina instead makes a pact with the Sea God's dragon to take her instead of Shim Cheong. Dragged down to the world of the spirits, Mina must find a way to escape within one month's time or she will die and become a spirit herself. At the same time, she must find a way to reach the Sea God and convince him to end the curse.

The book covers the month Mina is in the spirit realm. It is there she meets various gods and supernatural creatures from Korean myth. She will make friends among the poorer spirits as well as several of the gods - and will be a target by those who want to take over the Sea God's power and domain.

The side characters are great and definitely you can see the manga/manhwa influence. In particular, I couldn't help but notice how much the characters were drawn from the Demon Prince of Momochi House manga series. This isn't a bad thing but for those who read a lot of manga/manhwa, some of the characters may feel very familiar.

The plot moves smoothly as Mina must overcome obstacles. Some victories will come through the help of allies, some through her own determination and intelligence, and some through intuition or luck. There are several mysteries and twists that you may or may not see coming.

In all, I highly recommend this book. It was a pleasure to read and very immersive in its Korean fairy tale milieu. It has a strong ending and I can't help but feel it would have made the perfect Disney animated movie. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

I wanted to love this but i just couldn't get into it. I feel like a lot of books are similar right now and didn't stand out.

I planned on listening to the audiobook over the course of the week. But once I started it, I couldn't stop. The way it was written encompasses the feel of stories told to children every night until they memorize every word, and passed down from generation to generation. The magic and romance were perfect. This story was full of heartbreak and melancholy and so much hope.
TGWFBTS was truly one of the most beautiful stories I have had the pleasure to read and listen to.

Well, I found a new favourite book! I need everyone to read this book so I can gush about it and look up fanart. I will definitely be buying this when it's released and recommend this to my co-workers and customers at the book shop I work at. The cover is also gorgeous.

I was estatic when I saw I recieved the ARC in exchange for a honest review.

Something about this book is so cozy - it'll definitely be a comfort I re-read often. Maybe because I loved all the characters, side characters and the world, or maybe because it slightly reminded me of "Spirited Away". This book was so addicitive, I read it all in 24 hours - rare for a slow reader like me who was in a reading slump before this.

The scene in chapter 19 with the lotus pebble made me teary eyed with how cute it was. I loved Shin and Mina. I do wish the side characters were a bit more fleshed out in their backgrounds and their stories - I would love to learn more about them, but maybe the author is setting up for possible spin offs.

At the beginning, I did have to take some notes on who everyone was because you were thrown with a bunch of new characters and names, which is sometimes particularly difficult to keep track of when you're just listening to an audiobook and don't see the names in front of you (and still confused about the whole goddess of the moon and children plotline and character). Sometimes it sounded like the author had a bit of a lisp, but the story was so engrossing it didn't bother me. Besides that little quirk, I thought the audiobook was great.

I loved this book and audiobook so much!


I will also be sharing this review to my Goodreads account (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/72494611-madeline-b))

3.75 stars - audiobook arc received from NetGalley.

This Korean mythology inspired story reminds me so much of Studio Ghibli. There are a lot of parallels to Spirited Away actually!

Mina is just another girl in the village when she sneaks on to the Sea Bride's boat to see her brother. Every year they sacrifice one girl to the waves in the hopes that it will appease the Sea God's wrath. But when her brother's love, the chosen Sea Bride, hesitates to throw herself into the waves, Mina leaps into the waves for her. She sinks below the waves, following a dragon into the Spirit world, only to find the Sea God is asleep.

Mina, despite being only 16/17, has the soul of a storyteller which makes her seem wise beyond her years. Though she does still make a fair few dumb decisions. There are quite a few side characters, many of them without any depth. But there were a couple who were well developed and added to the story.

The plot lags quite a bit in the middle as this is not an action heavy story. But I'll admit I had a hard time staying tuned into the narrator. She wasn't a bad narrator but certainly not one of my favorites.

I feel like this book falls somewhere between middle grade and young adult and it made for a quick fun listen!

Axie Oh introduces us to a magical spirit world filled with magic. She wastes no time and immediately jumps into the plot, which I really appreciated. A lot of authors tend to waste a lot of the readers time and start to introduce the plot around 50 pages in, but not Axie Oh in this book. Loved the narrator for this audiobook and loved the red string of fate soulmate trope.

I'm not really sure why this narrator was chosen for this title. I enjoyed the story but there wasn't a lot of emotion behind her annunciation. And quite frankly I am struggling to see why a British accented person was used in the story. It didn't feel appropriate to the over all feel of the story for me personally. Her voice is pleasing even though she has a slight lisp, just not what I had expected for an audio version of this book, if that makes any sense.
This classical Korean retelling of a fantastical world where the bravery of one girl is seen within the first few pages dives right in to the action straight away. I love the themes of this story: surrender, fate, bravery and destiny are all themes that appeal to a broad audience which is so great! My problem lies therein at the descriptiveness of the characters and city, there could have been so much more heart brought into the story but instead I felt as though I was getting a hands off approach-as if there was a boundary around the characters that didn't let me get in and be fully immersed in the inner world of the characters-- even though there was GREAT imagery, the characters seemed flat still and it is very puzzling to me. A story for me should bring me in and help me to empathize with the characters. This story had everything I could have ever wanted in an an epic folklore tale, except it left me feeling like I was missing something that I could just not put my finger on. I realize this story is geared toward YA audiences and isn't made for adults so in that respect I could see maybe not getting too deep into that area ? I just felt there were spaces in the emotional delineation of the story.

Thank you to Netgalley and Publishers for my audio book copy in exchange for my honest review.

The narrator did a beautiful job, I was captivated by the world descriptions, and I can confirm I love several characters. They added to this magical world.

Imagine the allure and nostalgia of Ghibli movies. With their compelling stories and beautiful imagery and add Axie Oh's incredible charm to a storm, you have this book. I listened to this world, and I could see the scenes play out before me; there is a current of grief and loss in this book that longs to be saved beyond the magic, which I adored. It made this book both human and mystical.

There aren't enough words to descript how much I just fell in love with this story and how the twists both felt like surprises but things we always knew - I mean, like how sometimes a twist is so shocking and disorientating, this one felt so complete and relieving.
Please read this breathtaking book!

I received an audio book copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review of the girl who fell beneath the sea.

Overall, this book was fantastic; the writing was mesmerizing, and the characters were loveable. Some sections read almost as if it was a lullaby, with vivid descriptions.
The plot progression was logical, and surprisingly, the plot twists were actually very surprising. The combination of myth and this separate tale made for an interesting read, though I must admit to having minimal knowledge of the original myth. The ending was very satisfying, and I am glad to have had the opportunity to listen to this book.

Thank you to the publisher for an ALC in exchange for an honest review!

So, overall I enjoyed it, but I will say 1st person, and especially 1st person present tense is always weird for me when it comes to fantasy. Considering that, I wanted more emotion, it felt strangely distance from the narrator. In first person, I really like getting into the characters head, but it felt so distant.

And on another point, the audiobook narrator used almost 0 inflection, so I struggled to stay focused. I loved the story and the premise, it was just difficult to follow the audiobook and I didn't like the 1st person present tense considering the distant narration.

The ending was really sweet, and everything was wrapped up well.

My notes are few because, honestly, I enjoyed it so much that I didn’t stop to dissect a single part of it along the way. It was a beautiful and magical journey from beginning to end. In turns lyrical and atmospheric, filled with colorful visuals and enchanting people. Stories, big and small, fill the pages as we fall in love with the various characters and connect their lives to each other and our hearts. It was fantastic and absolutely making my “best books of 2022” list.

Further, I listened to the audio and it was also beautifully done. The narrator is to be applauded. Her voice drew me in and never let me go. I lost time as I just let the experience completely consume me. Loved it and definitely recommend.

Rating: Really Enjoyed It, 4 stars

This book tells the story of Mina, a girl who takes the place of the yearly sacrifice to the sea god in order to save her brother's sweetheart and end the generations of storms that have plagued their lands. When she reaches the Spirit Realm, she learns that it will take a lot more than simply pledging herself to the sea god to protect her family and her home. She also finds herself in terrible danger when others attempt to stop her from completing her mission.

This is a very fast-paced, plot driven narrative. It is told in first person from Mina's POV, and we rove all over the Spirit Realm, meeting many different gods, spirits, and mythical beasts as well as hearing many different stories that MIna has learned from her grandmother. Mina is a delightful main character who is full of heart and love for her family and her people. She cries all the time just for the intensity that she feels her feelings, which made me smile because I was reminded of myself.

I think that the characterizations of the other characters was somewhat flat, and even Mina herself fell somewhat flat. However, the adventure was fun, and I enjoyed the story that was told. I loved the different aspects of mythology that were woven into this story. I cared about the characters, but I would have loved this book and given it 5 stars had they just been fleshed out a bit better.

I predicted all of the reveals, but that didn't necessarily take away from my enjoyment level. The writing was lovely, and it made it feel like a complete fairy tale.

This audiobook was narrated by Rosa Escoda. I think that she did a decent job, but it definitely doesn't fall into favorite audiobooks of mine. The narrator didn't put a ton of emotion into the narration, which is why it was only okay for me. She also pronounces the /s/ sound sort of odd with almost a whistle to it, which was distracting at times, but because the narration was a smidge flat, it stood out a lot more. I don't know that I would recommend listening to this story via audio just because there is so much going on and so many different plot threads. It was hard to keep some things straight for a while, and I still am not positive that I knew who all the characters were throughout the story.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story and would definitely reread it in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the early audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review. The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea releases on February 22, 2022.

Where to begin.

"Are you a bird or a bride?"

WELP. I loved this book. I listened to the audio which was LOVELY, but I also wish I had the physical book so I could highlight so many beautiful lines. This book is one of my all-time favorite fantasy books ever.

All of Oh's characters are beautifully drawn and jump off the page. But her main character Mina is perfect. ABSOLUTELY PERFECT AND I AM NOT ENTERTAINING ALTERNATE OPINIONS. She is brave and generous and optimistic and vulnerable. Mina sees the world as connected. She's empathetic in a way that feels bold. She isn't afraid to feel for others. She isn't selfish or self-focused. Most of Oh's characters have a beautiful sense of responsibility outside of themselves, which makes their motives interesting and complex, Mina BELIEVES. She has grown up on the tales of the Gods from her Grandmother and they are woven against her because story isn't something she hears, it's something that is a part of her.

"Not every storyteller is a Grandmother, but all Grandmothers are storytellers."

Mina is also a storyteller which gives her a sense of confidence and bravery that she probably shouldn't have. The way Oh tells this story through small stories and memories is beautiful and genius and feels like stepping into a fairytale. She paints beautiful pictures with her words. Much like Mina, Oh teaches you something about yourself without you ever knowing that's what she's doing. Friendship, love, loyalty, faith, empathy, are all the themes of this beautiful novel.

By the end of the book, I wanted to be a better person. I wanted to care as deeply for people as Mina did. I wanted to love something even when it broke my heart. I wanted to have faith and hope. I wanted to shout at the gods even though I loved them. I wanted to jump into the sea because of family. I wanted to send a thousand paper boats of prayers. I wanted to pull loved ones from the river of spirits. I wanted to know that the people who went before me are always with me. helping me. I wanted to feel as connected to humanity as Mina did.

I am a bird and a bride.

And you can find me waiting on the shores for my Sea God.

I am not a big fantasy fan but Awww this beautiful cover called out to me!
This story is inspired by Korean mythology.

Story starts when Mina, our protagonist volunteers to be the Sea God bride.
She does this as her homeland is being swept away by floods and there is a war over what has remained of the village.
It is believed that the Sea God has cursed them. In order to please him, each year a beautiful maiden is thrown into the sea to be his bride in the hopes of ending the curse.

Mina indeed falls beneath the sea and enters the Spirit Realm, which is a magical place that is the Sea God’s city. When she finds the Sea God, he is in an enchanted sleep.
Now with the help of Shin as well as other demons, gods and spirit, she set out to wake up the Sea god. However, as a human she has a limited time she can live in this environment.

I read very few fantasy stories but this makes me think I should read more; additionally the narrator Rosa Escoda did a beautiful job in performing all the characters.

Want to thank NetGalley and Dreamscape ~ for this audio eGalley. This file has been made available to me before publication in an early form for an honest professional review.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for February 22, 2022.

Reading this novel I couldn't help but compare it with another Chinese mythology-based fantasy that I read earlier this year: Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan. I must say right off the bat that I like The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea much more.

In this novel, the people sacrifice a young girl to the sea god in hopes that a terrible curse will be lifted from him and prosperity will return to the land. Our main character Mina voluntarily jumps into the sea in order to save the beloved of her brother who was from childhood destined to become the sea god's bride. Thus, Mina finds herself in the world of gods, spirits and mythical creatures.

I really liked Mina as a character. She is independent-minded, strong and incredibly loving. All of her actions in the spirit world are aimed at helping her people. She never waivers from this purpose and does not get distracted even when she starts falling in love.

And speaking of love, the romance in this book was incredible. I really liked all of the twists and turns in the story, the angst was of just the right intensity, and the connection between the characters was strong and made sense.

Going back to comparing this book to Daughter of the Moon Goddess, I think Axie Oh did a better job giving our character a purpose. It also felt more relatable because Mina is human and the connection to the human world makes sense. In Daughter of the Moon Goddess all the main characters are celestial beings and the human world is entirely removed and almost irrelevant. Axie Oh's storyline is also much more focused, whereas Sue Lynn Tan's novel felt like it was trying to go into too many directions and I really did not like the love triangle there either.

Anyway, I will definitely be getting a finished copy of this book for my personal library. I already can't wait to re-read it. Also, even though I do feel that this book wins over Daughter of the Moon Goddess, I do plan on reading the conclusion to the Celestial Kingdoms Duology.

5 out of 5 stars. I highly recommend this retelling. And the cover of this book is absolutely gorgeous.

An audio ARC was provided by NetGalley.com.

3.5 stars rounded up

The Girl who Fell Beneath the Sea is a whimsical fantasy inspired by Korean mythology. It's about a girl who sacrifices herself to the sea god in order to save her beloved brother's fiance from the same fate. She ends up in a magical city, trying to figure out how to break a curse that keeps the sea god asleep and intense storms damaging her seaside village.

The writing itself is quite lovely, very vivid and lush. I loved the way it wove in mythology in a new way, and the book has a very satisfying ending. Along the way, the plot is somewhat meandering and the plot threads can be difficult to follow (though most of my confusion was eventually cleared up, this made for a challenging reading experience). I love the choice of having Mina as a heroine- not the most beautiful, the smartest, the most impressive girl. But one with a big heart and deep care for the people around her.

Overall a very solid book that I mostly enjoyed, even if it's not a new favorite for me. I think a lot of readers could love it. The audio narration is good, though I do wonder if I would have had an easier time following the narrative if I wasn't only listening to the story. It's possible that affected my experience. I had an audio review copy of this book from NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

So, I loved this book so much, that I had to listen to it as well. The narrator was perfect--better than I could've imagined. As an educator, I often rely on audiobooks for my children with reading disabilities, so the fact that this has an amazing audiobook version means that I'm far more likely to use it in my classroom.

Here's my original review:

First of all, the cover art for this novel is absolutely beautiful. Most of the time when I pick a book by it’s cover, I’m disappointed. This time, however, the beautiful story matches the beautiful cover.

It’s been a long time since I’ve had a book make my eyes water with happy tears, but this one managed to do the trick. I read it in a day. The protagonist, Mina, had me hooked from the very first lines—the action-packed scene in which she throws herself into the sea to save another girl. Her continuous drive to force her own fate was inspiring, and I can’t wait to share this story with others.

I teach 9th grade world literature, and I honestly think this would be the perfect text to add to my curriculum. It’s so rare that American schools teach Korean literature, that I find this myth to be quite necessary to my class.

If you need a good hero’s story with an ending that will give you all the feels, this is the book for you!

While I've seen a lot of people talking about this, I just didn't get what all the hype was about.

Not gonna lie - what initially drew me to this story was the gorgeous cover. I am 100% guilty of judging books by their covers. The story itself is based on a Korean myth, and I enjoyed learning a bit more about that. In addition, the Korean representation in this story was beautifully done, and the writing was lyrical and enchanting.

However, the story itself just didn't hold my attention. The characters were flat and not very well-developed at all, making it difficult to get fully involved in the story. There's a romantic element in the story, but I struggled to see how the characters actually fell in love. Their interactions were superficial, and it felt like it was YA reading 101. Also, the pacing felt off to me - it dragged in the beginning, but then sped up too much towards the end. Everything in the story just felt too convenient, and the struggle just wasn't really there for me.

Overall, this turned out to be another overhyped book for me.

This was okay. There were parts that sucked me in and there were parts that had my mind wandering. I liked the overall plot of the book as well as the reveal and the resolution, but there was something that just wasn't fully connecting me.

It's a shame because this was a different story for me - one that I haven't already read before and one with some quite creative ideas. Looking back on it, I think it may have been the characters - there was something a little cold about them. I'm not saying they were devoid of feeling or anything, but there was something about the way they were written that was a little standoffish to me - kind of like I was an outsider looking in instead of being fully immersed in the story as I read. I don't want to feel detached from the characters I read.

All that being said, it still was a decent book which is why I'm going with 3 stars.

(4.25/5) I listened to this on audiobook and I loved it, but I almost wish I had read a physical copy. The cover art for this book is also GORGEOUS and it's what attracted me to it in the first place, so I might as well get a physical copy for my bookshelf once it comes out regardless.

This is the kind of book that if I were reading a physical copy I would HAVE to finish it in one sitting, whereas I can only listen to so much in a day (my own fault for not being able to listen to fiction while working). I loved the characters and the storytelling was beautiful. The narrator was great, and audio quality was good, but if you try to listen to anything over 1x speed (usually I listen on either 1.15x or 1.25x), there's noise distortion in the narrator's voice that makes it hard to concentrate.

Truly can't think of a better description than what's in the Amazon blurb: "The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is a magical feminist retelling of a classic Korean legend, perfect for fans of Uprooted and Miyazaki's Spirited Away."