the floating world by axie oh is a breathtaking, fantasy adventure that had me completely hooked. huge thank you to the publisher for the e-ARC! 🤍

reading this book felt like stepping into a studio ghibli film. it’s full of gorgeous scenery, heartwarming relationships, and just the right touch of darkness to keep things interesting. i loved every second of it.

one of my favorite parts of the book were the relationships between the characters, especially our main characters, ren and suhno. god, i adored them 😭. they are so precious, and i cannot wait to see more of them in book two. i also hope we get more of ren’s chosen family in the sequel. i loved what i saw of them, but i definitely wanted more!

as always, axie oh’s worldbuilding was absolutely stunning. i felt fully immersed in this beautiful, new world, and i wasn’t ready to leave just yet. (that being said, i would have loved for the book to be just a touch longer, as the ending felt a little bit rushed to me.) she has officially become an autobuy author for me because i have absolutely adored every single one of her books so far.

i’m so excited for book two, and need it like yesterday! 🪽🗡️🎭☀️

I loved this book! It's a beautifully written story that pulls you in from the start. The two main characters, Sunho and Ren’s journey is both thrilling and deeply emotional, as they uncover lost memories and navigate their intertwined fates. The writing is lyrical, the characters are compelling, and the world feels rich and dreamlike. It’s a story filled with adventure, self discovery, and a sprinkling of romance.


Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

5 stars .
Axie Oh is becoming an auto buy author for me. I couldn’t love this book more than I do. The way this book felt like a warm cup of tea. I wanted to savor it slowly and never run out. Ren and Sunho’s story was so beautifully written, I can’t wait to continue it in book 2. I want nothing more than the happiest of ending for every character in this book. Thank you so much for Netgalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing for the eARC

I was incredibly excited to see this book from Axie Oh, as I absolutely adored The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea, and this story did not disappoint! This was such a fun and engaging read that I couldn’t put down from start to finish (I read the whole thing on a 5 hour flight and it made the time just zoom by!) the pacing is perfect, at no point did I feel like it dragged on and there was always new information being discovered and told to our protagonists.

Every single character, from the two main protagonists whose povs we inhabit, to every single side character along the way, were unique and had their own motivations and quirks. I especially liked the instances where we got in the pov of one of the “antagonists” (and I’ll use that term lightly) as his thought process and desires were deeply compelling. I think we’ll see a lot more of him in the next book.

Speaking of the next book, this book had an incredible complete story that still left soooo much room for speculation on what is going to happen next and I cannot wait!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the eARC of this book!

“The woodcutter, catching sight of the youngest and most beautiful of the [celestial] maidens, stole her wings.” “Men fear women who have wings.”
“If I had wings, would you steal them?” No, “I’d want to see you fly”

Summary:
Sunho and Ren have lived vastly different lives. He as a sword-for-hire working within the shadows and darkness of the Under World, her as a street performer traveling freely within her caravan under the vast, open sky. Though their lives are worlds apart, it is the fragments of their forgotten pasts and the dormant powers they share that ignite their journeys and ultimately draw them together. Will they be able to see who the real monsters are among them, or will they be turned against each other?

Themes to expect:
Light vs. Dark (Shadow & Bone reference)
Humans as the true monsters
Disparity between underclass or 'oppressed' class vs upper elites
Predestined fate
Family as character motivation

My thoughts:
I believe this book leans heavily on its influences from Shadow & Bone and the Final Fantasy franchise, relying on them as a primary hook to attract readers. However, beyond that the world-building and story development lack sufficient depth to establish a unique identity. The narrative remains flat and one-dimensional throughout.
What I disliked:
• Writing Style: Seems very short staccato like. Descriptions are minimal and repetitive.
For example, after a blood bath had ended it was stated that “Many had died violently. In the corner, a women curled over a smaller body – neither moved.” Descriptions are very factual and kept short to the point. There is no emotion behind seeing so many dead how the entire scene as a whole looked like. Just as suddenly as events occur, the reader is quickly whisked along to the next part of the story line.
The descriptions that are in the book; however, are often time used repetitively. There were a lot of mentions of the word chest to describe the MC’s feelings: “clawed up his chest”, “spread through her chest”, “racing in her chest”, “burning in his chest”, “tightening in her chest”, “settled in [his] chest’, “feeling stole up his chest”, “caught in her chest”, “lodged in her chest”, “pounded in his chest”, “hollow feeling in his chest”, “stirring in his chest”, “fluttering of excitement in her chest”, “curdling in her chest”, “painful feeling in his chest”, “heaviness in her chest”, etc. I am honestly impressed by the amount of variations the author came up with.
• Characters: All are very righteous to a fault, having a singular cause that determines their entire goal in life except when someone else needs saving then they drop everything to help. “Let’s save [them], because it’s the right thing to do. Because we can.” Although a very admirable attribute is it too much to want morally gray characters who rather do something selfish once in a while. Why help every stranger you barely know when you have a sick Uncle who is supposed to die in three weeks or when you have a brother who has been missing for 2 years. But I guess when you know the solution will be resolved for you at the end, I guess fictional characters don’t really have to worry about the journey that gets them there.
• World-building: Was a little confusing at the beginning and contains plot holes. The Under World isn’t what one would normally think of - an underground ruled by Hades - but more in the literal sense it is the Under World under the Floating World, which in actuality isn’t floating at all but anchored to the Under World by gigantic scaffold towers that reach up to its underbelly, the bottom of the mines. I am still unsure what the purpose of the Under Worlders or the use for the scaffold towers are. I originally thought the Under Worlders were responsible for mining the mithril and sending it up through the scaffold towers to use as a buoyancy agent for the Floating World. But the mines are on the underbelly of the Floating World so that isn’t the case. I also don’t understand how in a place like the Under World, where no light reaches, why people stay when there is an entire world outside the Floating World where people exist freely in light. It would’ve made sense if they weren’t permitted to leave by the army and imprisoned to mine the mithril, but instead at one of the council meetings it was suggested that “unlike the nobles, [they] couldn’t uproot [their] family and business” as if they were too poor to do so. This argument makes little sense to me. Also, why a Floating World at all, why have it if it takes so much effort to keep it somewhat afloat. This was never addressed in the book.
There is also a random mention of a war with a neighboring kingdom with its “all-consuming purpose: to defend it against those that covet the light.” Again, I am not sure what light they are referring to as the Sareniyans don’t own the light, it is everywhere other than directly below the Floating World.

Overall, the chain of events felt so clunky, systematically placed, that I kept repeating to myself how convenient that you are looking for someone and bam they just happen to end up in the same place, oh you forgot your memories well certain ones will just happen to be revealed at the necessary time. Things also just resolve so quickly and suddenly I am not sure why we had it in the plot in the first place. There was just no real struggle for these characters. Nothing for me to empathize with and keep my attention. This book also ended on somewhat of a cliff hanger, that is setting up the second installment of this series.

As someone who loved The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea, this book is a big letdown for me.
Thank you so much Net Galley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for the eARC and the opportunity to share what I think. All opinions are my own. Publication day is April 29th, 2025

There are a lot of things I can say about this one. The premise and the cover are amazing! I was really excited for this one. However, for me personally, I was a bit disappointed. I think my biggest issue was the way the romance felt between Ren and Sunho. It felt very insta-love to me and I am not a fan of that dynamic. I would've liked to see them develop their relationship more on page, so when the finale came, it would make more sense. The set up of the worlds is interesting and I definitely want to learn more about it. Overall, it wasn't my favorite, but I do want to read book 2!

Ren lives happily with her aunt and uncles as a part of a travelling performing troupe until the day the demons come for her family, while soldier Sunho searches for his older brother. When the two intersect, they begin an adventure bigger than either could have imagined.

I really enjoyed how this book took the struggles of children and teenagers in a dystopian world incredibly seriously. The characters may be young, but they're doing their best to take care of themselves, their families and their collaborators in a harsh environment. Sunho consistently tries to take care of smaller children he finds struggling around him, while Ren is deeply devoted to the uncle who was injured by demons.

While the relationship between Sunho and Ren is incredibly sweet and star crossed from the beginning, the book also supports a great cast of supporting characters: there were times I wanted to follow teenaged gangster Yurhee and Tag out the back door and watch their adventures just unfold for a day. Even antagonist Juneil is a complicated character - you'll both be rooting for him while wanting to yell at him. I wasn't familiar with the source legend of the Celestial Maiden, but the book really doesn't require a lot of background, and the unique world building becomes clearer as the novel unfolds.

The book would be wonderful for teenagers who are interested in fantasy and enjoy books which take them, their dreams and agency, very seriously. I'd recommend it to fans of Catherine Doyle or Kristen Ciccarelli.

Thanks to Axie Oh, NetGalley, and Feiwel & Friends for an ARC copy in exchange for my honest review!

Book 1 of The Floating World

I had been wanting to read this book since it was announced so I was shocked when I was accepted to read the ARC! This book felt like stepping into this magical world, I found myself wishing for a map so I could better visualize it.
The story setting and characters reminded me of Studio Ghibli! The main characters back stories were so interesting and I really enjoyed reading through the multiple POVs. A lot happened in the last 20%, but I think it was necessary to set up for the next book. This was my first time reading something by Axie Oh, and I thought her writing was intriguing and the characters were wonderfully written.

I cannot wait to read The Demon and The Light!

Sometimes I read reviews for books where the consensus is that the book will “rip your heart out” or “destroy you”. Well, dear reader, I am NOT the target audience for those sorts of books.

No, I don’t want my heart to be ripped out. Most of the time when I read a book, I want my heart to be nurtured like it’s a a fragile baby bird. I want it to grow a few sizes like the Grinch. And I’m not talking about manufactured saccharine bs, but genuine goodness that warms you from the inside.

That’s why I love books like The Floating World, where the characters are earnest and kind, like a cozy hug. Our two main characters Ren & Sunho are so refreshing; they are understanding, supportive, tender, and determined. They’re young but not childish. It’s so wonderful to watch them grow throughout their journeys.

The world building is rich & immersive and unfolds effortlessly; I felt like I was in the Underworld for those chapters. Sometimes world building feels a little like homework - and sometimes it’s worth the slog - but this was not a slog.

There’s also no shortage of action in this book - there’s plenty of demons, sword fights, magical abilities, amnesia, and secret identities to go around.

As far as pacing goes, Axie Oh’s The Floating World somehow accomplishes more in just 350 pages than most 600+ page fantasy books; not a word was wasted. [Side note: I love this as a reader! It feels like the author respects my time 😆]

The end of The Floating World sets up the 2nd book, but I felt satisfied with where the story leaves off in those book. Plenty of exciting developments unfold at the end without feeling like a cheap cliffhanger.

So happy I read this!! Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, and Feiwel & Friends for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Floating World is a great read for those that enjoy Final Fantasy, Castle in the Sky, and stories that blend fantasy and machinery.

You can see the parallels in Sunho with Cloud and even a little bit of Kain.
While Ren seems to be a mix of Aerith and Tifa iin some ways.

But don't Axie Oh makes the characters her own, instilling in them their own narrative and character.
The last 20-15% did feel a little rushed, but the pacing was excellent throughout.


While the story building, narrative, and imagery were awesome. There were some minor pieces that never got answered. Not a deal breaker but would have built up an even better immersion in the story.
-What is the primary language of the people, as little uncle varved a "figure of protection" Is it based on Hangul or Katakana?
-What style of shortsword were the guards and Sunho wearing?
-How far has technology progressed, especially in weapons? As they have floating ships, trains, and a sewer system, but they still use bow and arrows.

A very great fantasy read and looking forward to the next book.

Rounding up from 2.5 mostly because of my respect for the author's other books.

This was honestly a confusing book, for multiple reasons. It's supposed to be a retelling of the story of the Celestial Maiden, who had her wings stolen by a woodcutter to force her to marry him and then, when she finally convinces him to return her wings, she flies off home to the Floating World. In this book, the Celestial Maiden and the Floating World are real, and her ancestors have gone on to rule over the Floating World, which is home to an upper class society that lords it over everyone else. Except the Maiden's last descendants have been killed, and now a ruthless and colonizing general has ruled for a decade. But that's all we're really told about the Floating World or the land beneath it, called the Under World - we're not given any idea how big the Floating World is, how did it come to be floating, is the Under World just land beneath it that would otherwise see the sky, or is it underground? There was just a big lack of world building that left me pretty distracted as I hunted for answers. We're told that a lot of things in this world are powered by mithril, which also keeps the Floating World floating, but how does it actually work? What does it do? Who knows.

The two MCs, Ren and Sunho, were... fine. Honestly they were a little Pollyannish, especially Ren. I did like the quiet steadiness of Sunho, but there wasn't a lot of depth to either of them. You'll spot most of the big twists to their backgrounds a mile away (which, tbf, I don't think the author was trying to keep them secret), although I did appreciate two of the big reveals about them at the end of the book. But I got frustrated how this was a story of them both searching for something - Ren, a cure for her uncle, and Sunho, the mysterious girl he was sent to hunt - and neither had any real rationale for most of the steps they took, but they kept just magically and very luckily finding exactly what they needed right away.

Finally, some of the character decisions just made no sense, especially with the third POV, Jaeil. His character does a couple 180s with no clear rationale as to why.

Overall a disappointing read, especially considering how much I loved Axie Oh's other books. This one just seemed to lack a sophistication and lyrical quality that was so delightful in The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea.

As expected from Axie Oh, this was amazing and I loved it SOOO much!! And I am soo in love with this cover! 😍

The worldbuilding was immaculate. The world itself was so interesting, but Axie Oh introduces details and new information so seamlessly. The book is described as “Final Fantasy meets Shadow and Bone,” and while I knew nothing about either of those, I thought this world was sooo cool! It’s also a reimagining of the Korean legend of Celestial Maidens, and I loveee books based on folklore.

Ren and Sunho were great MCs. Both had their own backstory and secrets. Ren is on a journey to find a cure for her uncle, and Sunho is one of the hundreds hired to find a certain girl, who he doesn’t know is actually Ren. But the romance was such a cute slow burn. The trust Ren and Sunho have in each other was just sooo sweet!

The other characters are also very interesting! I loved Ren’s family and her best friend, Hwi. The love they all have for each other was so beautiful. My favorite character is Jaeil. We get a few chapters from his POV, and those are some of the best ones! His chapters add to the story so well. And I feel like his character could be really important for book 2? Definitely excited to see more of him!

That ending though??? I’m so glad book 2, The Demon and the Light, is also coming THIS YEAR on October 21, 2025. I’m already so excited to read it 🥹 Also, DO NOT read the blurb for book 2 if you still haven’t read The Floating World. Huge spoilers!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC! All opinions are my own.

after loving ‘the girl who fell beneath the sea’ i was very excited to find out axie oh was publishing another fantasy novel! as soon as i read the blurb she had me hooked and i couldn’t wait to read this.
the floating world is a young adult reimagining of the korean legend of celestial maidens. it felt like a blend of a few things i love: final fantasy, ghibli, fullmetal alchemist, demon slayer..
we follow ren, a traveling troupe performer with a secret past and magic powers she has to keep hidden, and sunho, a swordsman for hire who has no memories of his life and has a demon that lives inside him. their paths cross in a journey full of mystery, adventure and fantasy!
in the beginning i was confused by how the floating world, the underworld and the world outside the wall related to each other but the more i kept reading the more it made sense and i was so intrigued by the world axie oh created. it has a steampunk vibe to it while also having many fantasy elements and i loved it!
the romance was very sweet and subtle and i really liked ren and sunho together. i loved their mutual trust and understanding and how they always had each other’s backs. i liked jaeil as well and i hope we get more of him in the second book!
i could see where the plot was going but i literally gasped at one of the reveals at the end. now i can’t wait to read the demon and the light!
～thank you to macmillan children's publishing group and netgalley for the arc!

I loved Axie Oh’s previous work, The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea, and was thrilled to read her upcoming novel, The Floating World! This story is incredibly immersive and heartfelt. From the very beginning you can feel the love and radiance surrounding Ren, and the joy she gets being around her family. The stage was immediately set with conflict and questions - why is Ren hiding her powers? Who is she and what did she escape from?

The duality of light and darkness is very intentional and also highlights the difference between those who have (those in the light) and those who have nothing (those in darkness). There’s so much strife built on power and systems of patriarchy - wanting to clip a woman’s wings and put her on a pedestal as an untouchable maiden, while still preventing her from holding any true power.

Oh packs so much information into her stories, but it’s so lyrical she brings the reader into her world seamlessly. I loved both Ren’s and Sunho’s POVs and the duality between them as well. One doing everything she can to forget who she is and morph into a nobody, and the other doing all he can to recall who he is and what happened to him.

The story embraces themes of poverty, power, exploitation, rebellion, and found family. I am eager to see Ren embrace her destiny as a way to protect those she loves, and cannot wait for the release of The Demon and the Light this fall!

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, and Feiwel & Friends for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Oh. My. Goodness.

This book is PHENOMENAL! I can't even begin to describe how amazing it was. (But alas I will try.)

Filled with danger, adventure, painful loss and pure hope The Floating World caught my attention from the first chapter and I was a goner. This has been by far one of the most exhilarating YA books I've read in quite awhile. I'm a sucker for folklore and ‘inspired by’ book but a even bigger sucker for one that says it has Final Fantasy vibes!! And it did not disappoint in the least.

The world building was immaculate and beautifully written, which is one thing I love about Axie Oh’s books. The characters are remarkable (even the ones we're not supposed to like) and the homage to the Celestial Maiden legend is spot on! I truly will be raving about this one and recommending it to everyone for a long time to come and I can not wait for the next later this year!

Truly grateful to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for providing the eARC!

I went into this with extremely high expectations because of the Final Fantasy inspiration and because I loved Axie Oh's The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea, and I was not disappointed.

The world building was so incredible and extensive that I could literally visualize the setting in my head through the author's vivid descriptions. I was getting Final Fantasy vibes as I read, and I had the biggest urge to play FFX and FFVII while reading. But the characters and the gradual unraveling of the plot prevented me from putting the book down. Along with the adventure and romance, The Floating World also deals with pretty heavy topics such as child soldiers, government corruption, economic inequality, indentured servitude, human experiments, and much more, so this is definitely not a wholly "lightheaded" story (this book is marketed as such in some retailer synopses).

I loved every single character that was introduced, especially Ren, the carefree acrobat and Sunho, the solemn ex-soldier turned mercenary. I really enjoyed how they complimented each other so well despite being so different. I was surprised by how intrigued I was by Jaeil, who is so mysterious and aloof. I really hope the next book has more scenes between him and Ren.

Now, the romance?? Perfection. Their relationship develops throughout the story and the slow burn is just amazing. Ren and Sunho are so tender with each other and supportive of one another... IT MAKES ME WANT TO CRY. Every one of their scenes had me gripping my Kobo so hard. They both need to be protected at all cost.

I felt like I was on an emotional roller coaster while reading (in a good way), and I'm still not over the book. I am so glad Axie Oh is releasing both books of the duology this year cause I am itching for the new installment. I needed it yesterday.

Axie Oh you have done it again. The Final Fantasy vibes were so immaculate, and the Ghibli atmosphere I loved from The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea was ever-present in this book as well. I NEED BOOK 2 like oxygen now.


Ren is a troupe performer and one night, a demon attacks the village, leaving her adoptive uncle gravely injured. To repel the demon, Ren wields her hidden ability, Light. Afterwards, she embarks on a journey to find a way to save her uncle.
Sunho, a mercenary with a forgotten past, joins many others in the search for a girl possessing powers of Light. Unbeknownst to Sunho, he would cross paths with the very girl he is searching for. Together, Ren and Sunho would join forces, not knowing what destiny would have in store for either of them in this reimagining of the Korean legend of the Celestial Maidens.


Axie Oh delivers a captivating story where the world-building is seamlessly intertwined in conversations and shown throughout the book. Oh once again delivers a phenomenal atmosphere and a Studio Ghibli vibe that was apparent in The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea. Many of the more mundane moments in this book provide such a feeling of light-heartedness and warmth similar to scenes in Hayao Miyazaki’s films. Fear not, as there is also plenty of action, twists, and high-stakes for the seasoned fantasy readers.

The Final Fantasy vibes in this book were immaculate. It is not hard to see this video game series provided a lot of inspiration. I enjoyed how familiar this world felt despite it being the first time reading it. For fans of Final Fantasy, Ren and Sunho, and the world itself, will quickly give off hints of characters and locales seen in the franchise. So many times throughout this book I had Final Fantasy playlists lined up to fit both the more emotional scenes, and the battle scenes.

The characters were extremely well-written and loveable. Typically in young-adult books, the teenage protagonists are often rash or impulsive in their decisions. Ren and Sunho are incredibly mature, but experience incredible character development throughout the book. Their actions are driven by their desire to protect those they love. It helps set an incredible tone for the book and I cannot wait to see how these characters continue to grow in the sequel. The main cast is rounded out with great supporting characters and villains. These characters all helped make the world feel so alive.

The Floating World and Underworld both have so much detail. Oh definitely put a lot of effort in showing both sides of these worlds and seeing how the characters interacted in this world felt incredibly immersive. The writing teleports you to this fantastic world so easily. From the depths of the mithril mines, to the mountains, to the Floating World itself, the attention to details in the world was masterfully done.


One of my complaints is the book’s pacing at times felt a bit uneven with battle scenes and traveling scenes. Some action scenes seemed to race by and I would have loved getting to see these play out in more detail. While I love the mundane moments, these characters possess unique talents, and I wish they had gotten more page time showing them in battle.

Some of the more intimate and emotional moments also felt a tad rushed, and this is one of the cases where I wished the book was longer in order to give some of these scenes the time they deserved. At times, these scenes went by in the blink of an eye, and I think some of the romance may have benefitted from more detail and conversation.


I am once again blown away by how beautiful Axie Oh’s writing is and how she combined two of my favorite franchises so effortlessly. I lived for the interactions between these characters and really enjoyed the world-building and the slow-burn of the romance. The romance vibe is giving me star-crossed lovers, one of my favorite tropes, and it fit so well with this book.

Book two, The Demon and the Light, has so much at stake and I am ‘patiently’ waiting for it to publish so I can once again step into this stunning world. Everything in The Floating World just hit so perfectly for me and I will be recommending it, and likely re-reading it in the near future. I waited years for this, and it was worth it.

For fans of Final Fantasy and Studio Ghibli, I cannot recommend this book enough! I leave you with one of my favorite quotes: “The light, I can see it. This place, this world, everything is in darkness. But there’s a light in your eyes.”

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

First, the cover caught my attention; I’d rate the artist 5/5!

Then, the synopsis drew me in.

This is my first book by this author, and I really liked her style. I think I'll try something else by her!

When I started reading, I was immediately intrigued and felt the atmosphere; it reminded me a bit of Avatar, and the main character reminded me of Ty Lee.

The characters were not one-dimensional, and the world was described vividly.

However, I didn't like the romance storyline; it felt rushed, and I didn't see why or how they fell in love, but that’s just my personal opinion.

The pacing of the plot is neither too fast nor too slow.

The story involves magic, demons, and experiments, with character mysteries revealed as you read (I guessed almost all of them), but there's still enough intrigue to keep you engaged until the end!

Am I interested in what comes next?
I think so.

•Street troupe performers
•Demons
•A floating city
•Experiments
•From strangers to lovers

Axie Oh is one of my favorite authors ever, ever since I first read her work with XOXO. I've made it my life mission to support every single one of her releases, my love for her stories expanding all around her characters and story ideas. Easily, The Floating World was one of, if not my most anticipated releases of the year, but I ended up feeling a little bit disappointed with this one.

This is the first book in a fantasy duology that takes the classic korean fairytale "The Woodcutter and the Celestial Maiden" as inspiration, presenting us a world divided by war, a runaway princes looking for a cure for her uncle's illness and an amnesiac soldier trying to make end meet while searching for his lost brother, and how they get together after a life changing encounter with a demon. It sounds AMAZING, and as a starting idea, it works really well for a series.

The world building, although a little bit spare in some aspects, crates a fantastical scenario infused with korean culture for our main characters, and I really enjoyed exploring it. In this story there's also something called "The Floating World", a big chunk of land that lives in the sky, where the government and the Kingdom reside, awaiting for the war that keeps brewing underneath it to explode. I have always loved how Axie Oh writes fantasy; her writing style is imaginative and whimsical at the same time, creating gorgeous images and descriptions that pull you in.

This series deals with magic, demons, experiments, a very dangerous type of metal that may or may not be the catalyst to everything, and stories left unfinished. You keep learning everything at the same pace as the characters, which leaves you interested and needy of answers until you finish the book.

But I did have some issues with this novel that I need to expand on.

It pains me a little bit to say this, but throughout the novel I couldn't shake this feeling of the story reading a little bit empty, especially compared to the author's other fantasy novel. It wasn't until the last few chapters when everything started to feel stronger and with more impact in the overall arc or construction of the novel. Maybe it was the fact that the big chunks of information were saved for the end, but the middle section felt slow and lacking in certain aspects.

Even though I really enjoyed both of the main characters, I wasn't sold on the romance, since it appeared a little bit insta-lovey, which is new for Axie Oh. I usually adore her couples, but Ren and Sunho needed more development as a pair, because on their own I absolutely loved their construction and journey.

However, that ending really sets up for an amazing sequel. I think that The Demon and The Light will redeem a lot of the issues I had with this first novel. I'm intrigued enough in the world and the current situation with the characters, so I will definitely finish this duology.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me access to this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I like Asian fiction, and this one did not disappoint. It was a bit tropey - meaning, it included a lot of the popular tropes that plague today's YA releases, but this book would be perfect for anyone who falls into the trap of reading overly hyped Booktok YA Fantasy, Asian Fiction novels.
There was some originality, but I really wish that the author could have explored the world a bit more in her writing, instead of focusing so much on the book's main issue and conflict resolution. From the second chapter, I could already tell who was the missing princess, who she would 'fall in love' with, who was a demon and who was not...etc. Hence, I would say that this book was a bit predictable, but it was still good.

In summary, I would recommend giving it a try, but if you are looking for a lot of plot originality...oh well.