‘Only you could change your mind from a compliment to an insult halfway through’

BEAUTIFUL

MAGICAL

ELEGANT

CAPTIVATING

ETHEREAL

HEARTWARMING

Honestly my heart is just so wonderfully full from this book. As someone who’s a huge spirited away fan the first half of this book made me so incredibly giddy the world and the spirits was just so utterly magical and I never thought I would enter that world anew again and it was so wonderful. The second half of the book is filled with Dragons and Gods and mythology that was so captivating and beautiful I instantly knew this book was going to be my absolute favourite.

The unique Gods and the funny heartwarming characters really fill this book and make it so captivating how could I not read it all in one sitting. Ahhh I’m just it was so damn good and I want to re read it again instantly. I can’t wait to see what more the author brings us 😍

Pre-order this beautiful book NOW!
I was sent an ARC copy by hodderscape and I can't be more thankful because my life feels full after this book!

Plot;
This book revolves around Mina. When her brothers' girlfriend is to be sent to the sea as a bride for the sea god, mina intervenes with fate and jumps in herself. Thrown into an underworld of gods and lost souls, Mina must find a way to wake the sea god and destroy the curse before she is trapped in the underworld forever.

Characters;
The characters of this book had me sobbing on at least two occasions. Mina has some beautiful character development, each character you meet feels dimensional and real with realistic responses to the situations they are put in. I fell in love with each and every character and I am heartbroken they aren't real

World building;
This world was lush. I felt like I was there, the night I read the first chunk I dreamt of it! The world Axie throws you into is so well described, so beautifully put together you're dragged away with the words and put there yourself.

General thoughts;
This book is fast becoming a favourite and putting all else on my shelves to shame. I have two copies on the way, I adore this book and the beautiful twist on the tale of Shim Cheong it spun. This book is a fond memory already, and I love each and every character with my whole heart and I can't thank Axie for publishing this beautiful story enough.

IG; Icedpinecones

This book was absolutely stunning!
The story was so creative and I was hooked immediately. There writing style was gorgeous.
Reading the book felt like watching the movie “Spirited Away” and I can’t recommend the book highly enough.

Rating 3,5 stars
This arc was provided to me by net galley in exchange for an honest review.
Mina is a girl from a village near the sea, but more meats the eye in this village. Every year a young lady is thrown into the sea to be the sea god’s wife, so that the god is no longer angry, and the storms and floods and war in the country will seize.
Mina, is not the most beautiful in town like the other sea god’s bride, but by a twist of fate, and love and family, she becomes one. So, the adventure in the spirit realm begins, full of gods, demons, spirits and mythical beast, and mina finds some friends along the way in her quest to become the sea god’s wife and end the curse.
This book was a super quick read, with a beautiful and mythical story, great characters and relationships. I liked the MC and lord Shin, and his companions, and the spirits, Mask, Dai and Miki. The idea of the book is good, and I always love a myth/tale ambience in books. The plot although good was a bit predictable, but it does not make the book less enjoyable, although there was a twist in the end, that I knew would be coming, just not in that way, which I enjoyed. I also like the romance plot, but it wasn’t one of those ride or die romances for me, but still loved them together. There were times that the writing became a bit confusing, and some things were a bit rushed or pushed, like her relation with the companions and the whole moon goddess part, but it still contributed to the tale like felling, and I didn’t think it was a breaking point for me.
Altogether, I really enjoyed the book, and would recommend it to anyone who likes myth like stories, also gave me a bit Elizabeth Lim’s books vibes.

(3.5)
One thing to know about me: I LOVE horror movies. LOVELOVELOVE. But what really really scares me more than any blood or guts is ONE movie:
SPIRITED AWAY!

Now one thing to know about this book: This book is Spirited Away meets the ocean. And so while the author was beautifully describing wind chimes and underwater towns I was PEEING MYSELF!! There is just something about lyrical creepiness that gives me the heebie-jeebies.

I won’t lie, I was expecting something different from the author of one of only two not-fantasy books I like. Really I was expecting this to be an instant favourite because I really can’t see anything better than the ocean and Korean mythology. And for the first few chapters I really thought I was getting that! Some people might find being thrown into the world a little discombobulating, but I was HERE for it! What I wasn’t so into was the lull that followed.

But really I was here for A LOT of this book. There is something special about dead spirits who are kinda crazy speaking in riddles. There is also something (idk if this is a good something) about falling in love with someone who isn’t exactly alive. Still don’t know how I feel about that, ngl.

One thing unrelated to the book, this blurb was VERY inaccurate. I thought Mina was following her brother and his beloved into the spirit realm, not going in their place. Over all a fun sweet book, but not the most special.
Totally need a hardback copy of this STUNNING cover!!

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axis Oh is a beautiful retelling of the Korean folktale “The Tale of Shim Cheong” and was an absolutely perfect choice for a book that will provide you with joy, tears and an utterly gorgeous Studio Ghibli-esque narrative. This is the story of Mina, the girl who threw herself into the sea instead of the intended Shim Cheong. Shim Cheong was believed to be the “true bride” of the Sea God, used in an attempt to stop suffering via sacrifice, but was also the beloved partner of Joon, Mina’s brother. When Mina throws herself into the sea instead, she is whisked away to the Spirit Realm filled with gods and spirits. A human cannot last long here and there are many obstacles for Mina to overcome as she learns the truth of these sacrifices and tries to wake the Sea God.

This novel is genuinely spectacular. The way that Axie Oh has expanded upon the Korean legend and shown Mina to be an amazing protagonist that is easily accessible and filled with passion, caring for family and her people, is truly unique. Mina really goes on a journey and the way that Axie Oh easily describes the trial of self-discovery against fate lured me right in. Other characters were described elegantly and were simply recognisable and different from others. These characters were really the crux of the story and Axie Oh juggled many characters really well.

The world-building was also strong here. We are thrown into a world of spirits and demons but also a fantastical place that has political assassinations and wishes masquerading as paper boats. I was interested in the Spirit Realm enough with each description but it went on to show that it is not much unlike our own world. The blend of myth and folklore was brought to us with a sense of enjoyable and clever familiarity that showed it is possible to portray a story built on love, hope and family that is so brilliantly wrapped up at the end but deserves another read through to truly appreciate.

Axie Oh kept me interested and invested right until the very end. With each revelation and choice that was made I was keen to turn the page and find out what happened next. This was a truly heart-warming novel that expressed beauty through hard choices. This has been one of my favourites of the year so far.

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is about a girl named Mina who jumps into the sea to save the Sea God and help her people. I liked the characters and the mystical elements of the world under the sea. I thought Mina's character developed nicely across the book and I found some parts really touching. A lovely read.

This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2022, at first I was nervous because it's such a slow read I was worried I wouldn't like it but it had such wonderful world building and the characters I just adored them all!!! Give me Shin please?!

Despite the slow going the ending sped up a lot, there's a lot of things that happen in the ending and I'm really pleased with how it wrapped up, won't lie, I got nervous at the end few chapters that it wouldn't be the ending I'd hoped for but it was and it was everything!!!!

Definitely recommend and would love to try Axie Oh's other works!

This will be a slightly more scattered than normal review, as I'm having trouble being coherant over all the squeeing in my head right now.

- I hadn't heard the Spirited Away comparisons before I started
- but I started thinking them almost straight away
- (I thought I was really clever and had spotted some amazing insight)
- (but no literally everyone on goodreads had seen it too)
- none of this is complaining that movie is AMAZING
- Shin is literally Haku
- look at those amazing covers
- I can't decide which is better
- I think it's whichever one I happen to be looking at at any given time
- things did move a little fast towards the end
- also not a complaint, just a noticing
- also I cried like five times, so there's that
- I didn't, but should have, guessed who Mask, Dai and Miki were
- I love this version of the afterlife
- can I go there eventually please?
- The Spirited Away vibes are strongest in the first half
- found family is best family and Shin's found family are best found family
- The Sea God was great in an unexpected way
- descriptions are amazing, when can we see this on screen?
- I want more of this world please
- I started reading this before bed, planning to read enough to get a taste
- yeah that didn't work so good
- bed was slightly delayed that night
- it's quite a quick read
- but so detailed
- I love it and want more
- Gotta go watch Spirited Away now
- If you haven't seen it you should
- but read the book first, don't delay
- here is my very favourite quote which I picked with great difficulty because there were so many options: Nothing extraordinary is ever done out of reason or logic, but because it’s the only way for your soul to breathe.
- Also I really want to read the original folktale now
- I don't know enough Eastern mythology really, I should correct that
- Read this book
- I really think you'll like it.

This book was everything I wanted it to be when I saw it. A magical retelling of a Korean folklore that throws you (hah) into the spirit realm under the sea. There's romance, found-family, and generally a storyline that just carries you away from page one.

Its a book about family, loyalty, falling in love, and growing up. I loved every second and I didn't want it to finish, and I loved Mina from the start. It's one of those books where I have so much to say but can't without giving something away, and I don't want to spoil a second of it.

I'll be posting my review on Instagram closer to the publication date!

Thank you for Netgalley and the Publisher for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I've been pretty excited to read this book because the cover art and the synopsis pretty much sold it to me in advance.
After I've finished the book I wanted to give it a solid three stars rating but then I've decided to take some time and think it through, since I had parts that I've enjoyed so much and were so unique in the realm of YA fantasy. The writing itself is also beautiful, it is depictive enough to give you an impression of the created world but not too detailed since this is a standalone book. I also liked the characters depicted, I believe that we had enough main and prominent side characters to keep the dynamics of the story alive. I am always interested to read books that gives us a tiny glimpse of a culture we otherwise would not be exposed to.

However I had some major issues with this book as well, hence my indecision about an appropriate rating. This book was very much on the younger end of the YA spectrum almost middle grade in my opinion, and I am not used to something aimed at such a young age group. I also found it lackluster how little of the ocean creatures and the aquatic life itself is touched upon. I won't lie, a big draw of this book was me envisoning this amazing under the sea realm and I got barely any of it. I also kind of felt that the story was dragging on and was beyond predictable. The big reveal in the end wasn't really a surprise at all.

However I was pretty happy about the ending, I am very much into pink bubble engings.

All in all I think this book hovers between a 3 and a 4 stars rating.

Oh my gosh what an exciting read! Honestly just looked at the cover, read the title and thought yep, I’m gonna love that, that book is completely for me

And it was woo! I loved it. I will say it took me a wee bit to get into it, I wasn’t 100% on what was going on at the start but honestly just give it time and you will love it too!

Mina is such an interesting character and you can see her almost grow up and learn. And there was plenty of emotion as always with me lol, but I did cry a few times - but not really sad tears, just emotional?

And I basically couldn’t guess anything that was going to happen! I was super surprised by a big a couple of big reveals and looking back I feel so stupid as it all makes so much sense!

There’s also a wee bit of romance in there teehee, I of course would’ve happily taken more romance but I can’t have everything. And I was completely shipping two other characters and it just didn’t happen. Or did it and we just don’t get to find out but can assume?? Oh well still fabulous

I had no expectations of what this would be going in and it’s so different and such an incredible story that’s been brilliantly written! Definitely one to pick up!

The human world believe they have been abandoned by the cursed Sea God, leading to a century of deadly storms. Each year, Mina's village sacrifice a young woman to serve as the Sea God's wife and convince him to end the bloodshed. This year, Mina's beloved Shim Cheong has been chosen, but Mina throws herself in her place. But rather than connecting her to an angry god, the red ribbon of fate leads her to a young boy, fast asleep with a head full of nightmares. Maybe she will be able to save her family and her land after all, if only she can figure out how to wake him up...

THAT COVER!!! When I saw it, and heard that it was loosely based on Spirited Away, I knew I had to read it. So, first up, this is a very loose retelling. A few things like the unmanned food carts, dragons and a few spoilers were brought over, but in general it is just the vibes with it's own plot. And I am okay with that. Often retellings can be too limited by the thing the author is trying to recreate, and that did not happen here!

The world created by Axie Oh is rich and vibrant. Through her descriptions, I felt like I was experiencing the spirit world alongside Mina. The food descriptions were also so good - they made me hungry!

Despite all of the above, this book was not a perfect read for me. The pacing went completely rouge about 70% in. So much happened in the last 30% but none of it was super well explained and I was left feeling quite confused. A lot of that came from the forced sort of love triangle, that I don't think was done very well and just made everything unclear. I think if the author had made it slightly longer and given more attention to these key moments at the end, I would have enjoyed it significantly more!

Overall, pick this up if the themes and the world excite you! But I recommend reading the last part when you can really focus so you understand what is going on.

Thanks Net Galley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is a beautiful fantasy with big fairytale vibes. It is a story of Gods, Goddesses and Spirits with an emphasis on family, friendship and love. It follows Mina, a 16 year old girl who takes the place of her brother's love to be sacrificed to the Sea God and become his bride. The hope is that it will stop the storms that are damaging the lands.

The book is written in such wistful language, its innocence is beautiful. I really liked Mina's character, the world-building around fate, and just the general good-heartedness of the characters. I did feel like the pacing was a little off, especially in the middle, and for that the romance fell a tiny bit flat to me than it could have been. But I really enjoyed the friendships that developed between Mina and the spirits she meets along the way.

Overall, I enjoyed this book a lot. Axie Oh has such range so I'm excited to see what she writes next.

This was quite an interesting read, although it took me a while to really get into the story. It’s the story of a girl who sacrifices herself to save her family and her village only to find that the tales she’s been told are different from the truth. I had a bit of trouble remembering the name of the characters, but once I finally managed to remember who was who and the story picked up a bit of pace I became immersed in it. The story is well-written and it’s full of magic, tales, curses – and also a bit of romance - that make for an intriguing and magical read.

I absolutely loved this book. Full of gods and goddesses. Fantasy and magic. It deals with loss, but in a beautiful way. One of the better YA novels I have read of late.

This book was a little bit of a letdown, but in this case, I am prepared to take full responsibility for this bummer. I’ve come to terms with the fact that I may have outgrown the YA genre in the unreasonably long process of reading this book so I suppose it also acts as a last, dismal hurrah for the end of an era.

Let’s start with what I actually enjoyed.

The structure of the story was interesting to dissect. It starts in media res, throwing us right into the action of the plot - no caveats, no delay, minimal exposition. That certainly enraptured me quickly and Oh weaved in Mina’s character well with the action in the first few chapters of the book. I enjoyed the visceral rage that she held when faced with this impossible decision, her furious inner commentary at the injustice of her circumstance. It’s becoming a little generic now but I do enjoy angry, angry female characters.

I also thought the atmosphere of the book, exuding from its setting and descriptions was, as marketed, very Ghibli-esque. It has the whimsical, intricately simple feel to these kind of movies. Offsetting that with disturbing themes of human sacrifice and dead souls was very fitting as well.

Now to what bugged me.

I truly don’t know if it is on account of my growing out of YA or it is simply Oh’s writing style, but I found it far too simplistic and in turn, unexciting. There was no distinct style that draws the eye in the way this book is written - it reduces the characters and the plot, which would have been otherwise intriguing, into bland puppets bouncing across an equally disinteresting castelet.

In other reviews I’ve read of ‘The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea’, I’ve found some who also took issue with the lackluster characters. I could not find myself caring for Mina, much less her relationship with Shin (although I must admit I found the rock scene quite endearing). Mina felt like she was the main character because the author said so - her larger influence wasn’t ever substantially shown. One part that puzzled me the most was Oh’s choice not to show the readers exactly how Mina ended the storm. She simply dealt with what could have been a climactic event by having Mina pass out (à la 12 year old me ending chapters in my shitty little novels when I got stuck narratively). That really took away any suspense or emotive potential the narrative would have invoked.

Speaking of emotional impact, I think Oh’s frequent practice of telling instead of showing really undermined any of the shock factors I think she tries to evoke in her book. In more than one occurrence did something supposedly surprising and emotionally significant occur to Mina, but the readers are only let in on the context AFTER that element was introduced. I attribute that to the abrupt beginning of the story, which turned out to have done as much bad as it did good.

I still don’t know how to feel about the ending. It felt a little all over the place and by the time the book approached its end, I found that I still did not care about the characters and their fates.


Final Thoughts

I am not mad that I sat through this book, sincerely - I was introduced to this Korean legend that was previously unknown to me, which delights me to no end. YA retellings of mythology will forever hold a special place in my heart of hearts, it is just some that don’t quite reach my standard of liking.

Nevertheless, I would still recommend ‘The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea’ to those who are not looking for depth in their literature and are just here for a good time. This a suiting book for those who want a fast read and are just here for the vibes

“Nothing extraordinary is ever done out of reason or logic, but because it’s the only way for your soul to breathe.”

I’m going to preface this by saying this book is slow. It’s a good slow, a slow I loved, but if you’re in the mood for a fast read, this isn’t it.
It was probably a 4* read for the first 3/4, and the last 1/4 made it a 5* for me.
I loved the Mira, Shin and co., their development, their relationships, the journeys that they go on to discover who they are, and what they want.
I adored the occasional reminders of where the story took place - I’d forget that they were beneath the sea, and then Axie Oh would throw in a detail like Mina laying on her back and seeing a whale pass overhead and I would remember how fantastical it was all over again.
The way all the strands came together at the end was very satisfying, and really made the book for me. I would definitely recommend, if you’re someone who enjoys a book with a slower pace.

I do feel it needs a TW for child loss, although I also feel it was handled in a loving and sensitive way - the idea that their ancestors are watching over them, and that the love that is felt for them travels with them when they pass.

The cover artwork variations for this are stunning, and Axie Oh has done some great work on world building. But there didn't seem to be enough substance to the story, and I would have liked more character development.
(Also the fact that Mina is only 16 is creepy.)

Fave quote - “That’s just like a human to think the world revolves around you, to think the rivers are for you, the sky, the sea is for you. You are just one of many parts of the world , and in my opinion, the one that blights them all.”

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea, in a strange way, reminded me of Six Crimson Cranes. Those two books are very different plot-wise and by writing styles, but what sort of really clicked for me was the voice of the protagonist.

Both of the protagonist in the stories are very young, around 15 or 16, and they carry a sort of hopeful, naive world view. They still have their rose coloured glasses on, but they are also sk determined and resilient and I adored it.

"Be angry at the goddess, Mina. But never"- she grabs my trembling shoulders- "never lose your faith in her."

There were many things that I loved about this book- the writing especially.
It was so beautiful and whimsical and made me want to appreciate every sentence.

"And what would the sea god's bride once she's found him?" "She would show him her heart."

Another great thing was the world, which was so vibrant and so gorgeous and so well-done. I could easily see it in my head. It was also so rich with lore, stories, gods, goddesses and ancient magic.

Truly captivating, a most unique world than I had ever read about. If you have read any book inspired by mythology then you would find it even more interesting!

"You have to believe in something to be the God of it."

I enjoyed it all the more because it's inspired by Chinese mythology, and I had never read like that before. I'm so glad that these stories are being brought to the forefront now.

The lore is rich and and story eloquent in the way that it slowly unfolds. There are lots of little a folk tales and stories from the Chinese culture sprinkled in the book and they are a delight.

"Don't chase fate, Mina. Let fate chase you."

The protagonist, Mina, is someone so strong and intrinsically good and kind hearted; and even though I love morally grey characters I admired her strength and goodness so much. She is the kind of person who keeps everyone together and is brave. But most importantly, she will do anything to makes things right. To save her brother and his life. To save her people from the crisis they are in.

Then there is our another main character, who's a grumpy and mysterious Gid named Shin who is supposed to protect the Sea God, and is a very important side character. Through some unexpected turn of events, he gets roles into helping Mina on her quest. And true to the grumpy+sunshine trope, even though he is very moody and rigid and a little reluctant, he is a sweetheart.

We follow much of the story alongside him and Mina and their other mystical creature friends, Kirin and Namgi.

All of them just a very entertaining and heart-warming bunch as they do everything they can to help Mina on her mission to revive the Sea God and help her land.

"Only you could change your mind from a compliment to an insult halfway through."

But of course things are not gonna be that easy. There are strange accidents that happen, a few meetings with Goddesses that go wrong and only one month to put things back in order, something that hasn't been managed since generations, because after that Mina might be stuck in the Spirit Realm forever.

The place is a little on the slower slide, although not boring in anyway, personally. It also ends in the most satisfying way, with just right plot twists and emotions.