Axi Oh has such a beautiful writing style and I adore the way she writes the love of a family. I was hooked from the beginning and continues to fly through the entire story in 2 days. 100% would recommend

I was pleasantly surprised by this! I've read a few of Axie Oh's books, and her fantasy tends to work better for me. The magic system in this was super interesting and it was fun to follow a character who is kind of aware of her abilities, but isn't super interested to learn more about it. It's not a story about a chosen one, which was also refreshing to see in a YA fantasy novel! I was a bit worried about how much I would enjoy this, because I don't usually love fantasy books with a romance plot, but the romance wasn't in the forefront, so it worked for me. I'm expecting the romance to be explored more in the sequel but I'm not too nervous about it. There wasn't necessarily anything wrong with this book, I just don't find myself getting that 5 star feeling from YA books anymore. I'm looking forward to the sequel!

Ren and Sunho cross paths in their journey of fulfilling their own personal duties yet begin to realize that they are fated in ways they never imagined.

This is a retelling of the Celestial Maidens which is a story I am not too well-versed on so it was fascinating to learn more about the legend while reading!

I thought that this was a fun story as Ren and Sunho crossed paths while on separate ventures and discover their connection. Although it was an entertaining read, I didn’t feel a connection to the story or the characters as another might. I still enjoyed the story and will think about picking up the sequel since it did leave off on a cliff-hanger.

Thank you NetGalley for the free ebook ARC!

⭐️⭐️⭐️.25 • 🫑

First & foremost, thank you so much to @netgalley and Macmillan Publishing for the e-ARC!

𝙵𝚒𝚗𝚊𝚕 𝙵𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚊𝚜𝚢 𝚡 𝙶𝚢𝚎𝚘𝚗𝚐𝚜𝚎𝚘𝚗𝚐 𝙲𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚎 𝚡 𝙰𝚟𝚊𝚝𝚊𝚛
🎭 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘭𝘰𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 was quite promising with an overall adventurous read, but fell short - something was missing and the characters fell flat.

𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑮𝑶𝑶𝑫: Axie Oh’s world- building was well done with her fantastical writing and whimsical take on the Korean folktale, “The Woodcutter and The Celestial Maiden”. The beginning of the book set up intrigue for the main plot and introduced the characters rather well. The ending had me intrigued enough to want to continue the series.

𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑩𝑨𝑫: Something was missing - it felt incomplete for the most part. I had a difficult time connecting with the characters as I felt it lacked the tense emotion to really tug on the heartstrings. Much of the tension and suspense were quickly realized and resolved, and the banter was lackluster among the characters. The pacing was off, slow at times, and picked up at odd times. There were definitely major plot-holes especially when it came to the deeper societal issues and political stances conveyed throughout the book.

There was just so much potential, and my hopes are that “𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑩𝑨𝑫” are resolved and explained in the second book.

The Floating World is a lush, atmospheric fantasy that blends Korean mythology with dreamy steampunk flair. Axie Oh builds a world full of wonder and tension, with a setting that feels both ethereal and grounded. Ren and Sunho are compelling protagonists, each carrying emotional weight that makes their journey feel personal and urgent.

The writing is vivid and poetic without becoming overwrought, and the romance is tender and slow-burning in a way that feels earned. I loved the visual texture of the Floating World and the emotional undercurrents running just beneath the surface.

That said, some of the world-building felt slightly uneven. Certain rules or aspects of the setting were hinted at rather than developed fully, and the pacing near the end felt a little rushed. Still, these were small distractions in an otherwise engaging and beautifully written story.

A strong four stars. I’m curious to see where the next book takes these characters.

Look at this beautiful, STUNNING, magnificent cover! This was such a great fantasy. I keep trying different fantasy books and this one just hooked me in from the start. I absolutely loved this book! I enjoy Axie Oh’s writing style and I have not stopped thinking about this book since I finished it. I absolutely devoured this - and that ENDING!? How am I supposed to wait for book two in OCTOBER? BRB. Crying already.

Realistically as someone who is fantasy-curious rather than a true fantasy connoisseur, I might not be the target audience for this one. I say that not as a criticism of this, but just as context that I was a bit out of my comfort zone. That being said, I’ve liked other books by Axie Oh so gave this one a try. I had a hard time getting used to the world building at first, but once I got more acclimated, I did enjoy this! The mix of really lovely and sweet scenes plus some gruesome demon scenes kept me engaged and I found myself rooting for Ren. I did have some unanswered questions (maybe that’s where the sequel comes in?) and some parts of it felt a bit uneven - especially that beginning - but overall as a YA fantasy I thought it did the job. 3.5 stars rounded up. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

This was amazing! Definitely one of my favorite reads of the year, and a book I wish I could reread as if it were my first time.

I haven’t read Six of Crows, nor have I played Final Fantasy, but I did watch Castle in the Sky, and I can say this book definitely delivers Studio Ghibli vibes. The world-building isn’t very extensive, but the descriptions make it immersive and mysterious. I loved the blend of high industrialization and tradition.

The story is character-driven, so of course the plot isn’t particularly intertwined, but it hits the right spots. In fact, this book made my heart happy in ways I didn’t think were possible. Ren and Suhno were both well-developed, and I loved how their relationship was portrayed. It was hopeful and tender, and I didn’t know but I really needed to read something like this. For that reason alone, I can only recommend this book to everyone.

Thank you Netgalley, Colored Pages Book Tour & Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Feiwel & Friends for the eARC!

This was a fun read. It really did feel like a fairy tale in a steampunk universe. I liked the characters and the world. My main qualm was the dialogue felt a little rough? Just a bit wordy at times and it was difficult to distinguish character's voices. This is definitely geared toward a more young adult audience, which I don't mind, but it's something to be aware of. What I mean is some of the themes and lessons are directly expressed rather than subtly implied. This tends to be necessary for younger audiences.

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!

The Floating World takes place in such a rich world. I felt immersed in the story and was incredibly sad when it ended! I was obsessed with this cast of characters and how they interacted with each other. The storytelling and language brought everything together. I was rooting for our characters and I was thrilled with the way their storylines were so complex even when we were only seeing a small part of their story. Axie Oh has become a must-buy author for me.

Thank you to Axie Oh, Macmillan’s Feiwel & Friends, and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.75 ⭐️

Right well… I really wanted to like this book, and in the end I was satisfied—though I didn’t realize this wasn’t a standalone so I was initially very confused at how everything was going to get wrapped up in the final chapters. The worldbuilding was wonderful, but extremely hard for me to imagine without a visual aid. I found all the of the characters to be likable and found myself waiting eagerly for more of Sunho’s story to be revealed. The reveal that he killed his brother literally had my jaw on the ground. Also I’m a sucker for characters with wings so when Ren got hers temporarily I was all over that. What I didn’t enjoy was the teeth-pulling slow buildup. I didn’t get immersed into the book until a solid 32% which is way too late to be hooking a reader. I can see a lot of early DNFs happening. Overall it was an enjoyable read and if I’d been able to get hooked sooner then the rating would be higher than it currently is. As it stands I’ve put in an ARC request for the sequel but plan on reading it upon release if all else fails.

Lovely cast of characters. Everyone plays their part nicely and I like the chemistry between the men and Ren. Storyline is really interesting and I definitely get the promised Final Fantasy vibes. Really excited to see what follows!

I have really enjoyed her books, especially her last. I was excited to her latest. Plus, her covers never disappoint!

Although there were great aspects to the world, like the floating world and underworld, I felt like the depth of the worldbuilding wasn't there. I also struggled to find a connection to the characters once I began reading. I just couldn't seem to find myself interested and I am honestly not sure why. It could be because I am still trying to get back into reading after a long break and I just wasn't in the mood. Who knows!

There were great topics mentioned like capitalism and greed. It's something that is talked about in our own world and very relevant. The romance is a slow burn which was nice because I tend to like that a bit more.

Overall, this was a good book but I just wanted a bit more from it.

This was a really unique fantasy novel. I LOVED the setting of this book. The idea of a world split into different parts on top of one another? So cool! I like how they were interconnected but not at the same time. Each part of the world had a uniqueness to it as well. Super cool setting!

The storyline, just like Axie Oh's The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea (SO GOOD, by the way), was a good mix of interesting plot with beautiful writing. I love the way Axie Oh writes. The character development was also *chefs kiss.

I highly recommend Axie Oh's young adult fantasy novels! They're both so good! I'm really looking forward to the sequel to this one! Thanks to @netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

#bookstagram #books #arcreview #reading #arc #axieoh #thefloatingworld

I was so looking forward to this book because I previously enjoyed The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea, and as far as retellings go, there was nothing wrong with how the author retold the celestial maiden legend here, as well as the legends in TGWFBTS. And as a FFVII fan, there was no reason for me not to love The Floating World.

Buuuuuut...yeah.

I think a lot of this is because I'm such a huge FFVII fan that it became almost impossible for me to separate the game from the book, and instead of enjoying the allusions and the homages to the game, I started getting annoyed at how much of the book was practically a rehash of the FFVII plot. If I wanted that, I would have just replayed the game myself. And because of how much it resembled the retelling of FFVII, the characters and story became predictably boring.

I think the only character of note for me was Jaeil, because at least there the author might try to give us the Rufus Shinra redemption story we never quite got despite the creators' attempts in Advent Children.

So yeah, alas, didn't quite enjoy this book. Would probably have DNFed this if I hadn't already gotten so far.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group | Feiwel & Friends for the ARC copy they provided.

Unfortunately, I did not finish this book in time to leave a review before the publication date, and though a review after publication is no less welcome or useful, I feel I do not have the time or space to give this book the attention it deserves.

Though I did not manage to finish The Floating World before its publication, I did manage to read a decent portion of it. The storyline was gripping and the characters wonderfully written.

I have no explanation for why the book did not fascinate me enough to finish. The Floating World is exactly the kind of book I would typically devour, but in this instance I could not lose myself in it. This is only my personal experience, however, and I highly recommend The Floating World. It is a beautiful piece of fiction.

3.5 ⭐

Thank you to Macmillan and NetGalley for the ARC!

The Floating world is a gripping story full of heart, adventure, and a few surprise twists! Though some things were obvious from the beginning, I was pleasantly caught off guard by a few surprises at the end. The setup for book two was enticing and I am looking forward to learning more about a few character's motivations (I'm look ing at you, Jaeil 👀)

ARC review:
4-stars!

I had such a great time reading The Floating World by Axie Oh. It was whimsical and mysterious and the setting felt very unique. The multiple levels of found family and friendship building were so sweet and I really enjoyed watching our main character, Ren, start to confront her past with the support of Sunho and the other characters!

With the sequel coming out later this year, I am anxious to see how the story progresses and how cliffhangers of the first book get resolved.

I would definitely recommend for anyone looking for an easy-to-read adventure! It's definitely appropriate for late-teenaged kids and adults alike.

Objectively, this wasn’t a bad book. At all. It’s a reimagining of Korean legend “Celestial Maidens”, about a girl with secret identity hiding in plain sight, and a boy with unexplainable dark power that has no memory of his past. It’s fresh and interesting enough to keep me from DNF-ing it. I can’t really put my fingers on anything but it’s missing something for me… I was not captivated enough, I wasn’t attached to the characters at all even though—again—nothing’s wrong with them! I only started to care a bit after 50% mark but still I didn’t feel much overall. It was just okay.

Definitely one of the “It’s not the book, it’s me” cases. Will probably read the sequel tho if have the right mood.