I am absolutely OBSESSING over this book. How can something be this good?? It was definitely a cross between Spirited Away and the video game Broken Age, and I loved each and every page. Finished it within a day, I can’t remember the last time I read something so quickly. The story was a great collaboration of Korean mythology and romance. I will most certainly be keeping an eye out for the author’s other novels.

Lovely in all regards. Enchanting story, captivating characters, beautiful prose, A story that pulls you in and immerses in its magic from the very first page.

Updating classic tales to more modern mores can be tricky, but this is a solid entry to the genre. I particularly enjoyed how our heroine, Shim Cheong, isn't the character we follow. Mina is a protagonist to enjoy spending time with. She experiences complex emotions, with her disappointment in the gods warring with her desire to love them wholeheartedly again. The secret of the curse isn't particularly relevatory, but the pathway to solving the problem is unique and surprising. Oh has a smoth style and paces the story beats wells to keep the tale emotionally balanced yet engaging. Highly recommended.

Mina’s homeland has battled deadly storms that have destroyed resources and lead to violent wars for generations. It is believed that these storms are a curse from the Sea God, a god who was once their protector. To appease him, once a year, a young girl is thrown into the sea to serve as the Sea God’s bride. The hope is that one of these girls will be the Sea God’s “One True Bride” and end the curse. This year, Shim Cheong, the most beautiful girl in Mina’s village, and the love of her brother’s life, has been chosen as sacrifice. On the night of the sacrifice, however, Mina discovers that her brother has gone to accompany Shim Cheong, an act of interference that would surely result in a death sentence. To save her brother, Mina goes out to sea and sacrifices herself instead.

As Mina arrives in the Spirit Realm, she seeks out the Sea God and a way to end the storms in her homeland forever. With the red string of fate to lead her, she locates the Sea God only to find him in a perpetual state of sleep. She is soon interrupted by a group of strange men whose leader, Shin, cuts the red string of fate and steals her soul, leaving her without a voice.

Now, in this strange realm of demons, mythical creatures, and lesser gods, Mina must not only retrieve her soul, but find a way to wake the Sea God and save her home.

I was initially drawn to "The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea" because of its comparison to "Spirited Away," a beloved Ghibli film. With its vibrant mythology and storytelling, beautifully enchanting spirit world, and heartwarming romance, this book certainly parallels "Spirited Away," but is its own perfectly unique tale. Mina, the main character in “Girl,” is an independent, strong-willed, and selfless teenager who will do anything to protect the ones she loves. I deeply value a book with a strong female character and Mina delivers on that. The sub-characters in this book are just as charming, each with their own unique personalities and backstories. “Girl” also delivers some surprising twists throughout Mina’s journey, which I might have seen coming if I wasn’t so deeply engrossed in the story Axie Oh had created.

This book absolutely charmed me. I was invested in this incredible world and characters, feeling joy, sadness, heartbreak, and love right alongside them. I would absolutely recommend this book if you like "Spirited Away," the found family trope, East-Asian folklore, and/or slow-burn romance.

(Note: I was provided an advanced copy of "The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea" by the publisher via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.)

I received an ARC from the publisher and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
After enjoying Axie Oh’s prior release, she remained on my radar of authors I wanted to read more from. And while I knew The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea was a very different book, both genre and style wise, the premise intrigued me enough to give it a try.
Oh perfectly captures the folkloric and mythological inspirations of the story in her writing, feeling vivid and immersive. The feel of the world is very whimsical, and the Miyazaki comparisons are definitely appropriate in this regard.
Mina is also a pretty great heroine, in that she isn’t the most beautiful or perfect, so she’s easy to relate to, and admirable for her actions without it falling into some of the common cliches of YA fantasy heroines. However, apart from her, there isn’t much substance to the cast of characters. It also makes the romance that develops feel rather lackluster.
But the plotting and pacing, likely in homage to its inspirations, feel quite scattered and inconsistent, with a lot of rushing about from task to task.
I think the book’s shortcomings from my perspective are largely associated with the style choices and who it’s meant to appeal to. This is clearly meant as a novel-length folktale, hence the general surface-level nature of the characters and the plot being a bit all over the place at times. While it didn’t fully work for me, I can see why someone looking for a whimsical fairy tale adventure with influences in Korean mythology might like this.

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is a beautiful story of love, family, and fate. I really enjoyed this retelling of the classic Korean folktale “The Tale of Shim Cheong.”

This story has everything dragons, spirits, love, mystery, and adventure. I was pulled into the story from the very beginning. Axie Oh’s writing is so rich and vibrant I felt like I was in the Spirit Realm. I love how Mina decided to make her own fate. I have read other fairy tale retellings, but this is my first one based on a Korean folktale. The cover is stunning and if you look closely, you will see all the main elements of the story. I need a hard copy of this book for my library!

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillian Children's Publishing Group for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is a magical story with a resilient, hopeful heroine that everyone will instantly fall in love with.

When the reader is instantly plummeted into Mina’s fantastical world of ancient gods, it is easy to get sucked into her adventure entirely. Her complicated relationship with Shin makes the story even more interesting. What begins as a sacrifice for the love of her brother, turns into a whirlwind of hope and survival for the happiness of her people. The characters and adventure Mina embarks upon is very reminiscent of Hayao Miyazaki films, making this even more enjoyable.

This book seems to be a retelling of a Korean tale, and is even more breathtaking than you can imagine. It’s a truly magical must-read and I recommend it to everyone.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy for an honest review.

This was such an AMAZING book which is about a girl who sacrifices herself to be the Sea God's wife only to find out that he is in an enchanted sleep. Axie Oh nails it again. Not only was her past book XOXO a 5/5 star read but so was this one. Oh can write contemporary, fantasy and sci-fi so she knows how to write. This book has such a simple but amazing world building that you will absolutely fall in love with. The writing is amazing with a great storyline, pacing and style. I was hooked from the first page as the words can capture a reader's attention. Also there are some amazing mythology stories featured in this book that I haven't heard of before and loved learning about. The summary is that the writing was PERFECT.

This book featured mina as the main character. She kind of reminds me a little of Jude from the Cruel Prince and I just enjoy her spirit. She has such an amazing character development in the book and is one of my new favorite MCs. There is a not many side characters but the ones featured were very well done. I also enjoyed their development and seeing how they helped Mina. There is also romance in this book but it's light as it the story mostly focuses on Mina's journey and her found family which I enjoyed.

This book has a lot of adventure to it that readers will never be bored of the story. there were twists and turns but the story was just original and pure. I can totally see why a book box is featuring this title but this book needs to be featured everywhere if possible. I was honestly sad to have finished the book because I haven't read a good fantasy novel in a while. I totally recommend this book for fans of Daughter of the Moon Goddess and The Cruel Prince.

Oh has enhanced an interesting folktale that will engage fantasy lovers. Enjoyable, but slightly slower-paced than is ideal for a stand alone fantasy novel. Mina is a delightfully complex and capable character that drives the novel by sacrificing herself to the Sea God in place of her brother’s beloved, Shim Cheong. That being said, the plot of the novel features more adventure than romance. An adept retelling and decent standalone fantasy novel that will be an easy handsell to fans of Spirited Away.

The book was written with such sweet, love, and care in this world and beyond. The story one hundred percent feels like a breath of fresh air. It's simple and yet sweet love story is something to admire. I've read XOXO by the same author and I knew she could deliver a delicate love story very well. Axie knows how to create love between characters with just the right amount of words. Comparing this book to the feeling of Studio Ghibli is spot on. Thank you for allowing me to read this book. It was absolutely beautiful.

I don’t know what’s happened to me. If you had asked me last year if the majority of books I would have read this year so far would be YA, I would have laughed in your face. But here we are 😂. The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea was actually one of my most anticipated reads this year. It did not disappoint!

Mina’s village has been ravaged by storms every year for a hundred years, and the only way they have found to stop the storms is to send a bride to the depths of the sea to the sea god. This year, the bride is supposed to be Mina’s brother’s beloved. Instead of having her go, Mina sacrifices herself. What unfolds is her journey in The Spirit Realm and her fight to save her soul and her village.

I adored this story. I was absolutely riveted from the first page. On page one, Oh drops you in the middle of the action, and it continues throughout. Along the way Mina meets Shin, another god in the spirit realm, as well as three spirits: Mask, Dai and Miki. I adored all of these characters. Mask, Dai, and Miki absolutely stole my heart, and there was one scene in particular that had me in tears.

The chemistry between Shin and Mina was *chef’s kiss* There were some great twists and moments that made me say “WHAT?!” It was also a great story/narrative on fate, loyalty, and life and death. This was a really well done fantasy, and I highly recommend it.

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is everything I thought it would be: magical and enchanting.

The story follows Mina whose homeland has been ravaged by deadly storms for generations and her people believe that it's because the Sea God is displeased with them. To appease this deity, every year villagers sacrifice a girl, who's deemed the most beautiful, to the sea in the hope that one day one of these girls will be the "true bride" who will break the curse upon this land. When Mina sees Shim Cheong - her brother's beloved- getting ready to jump into the sea, she offers herself in her stead. What follows after Mina's plunge into the blue depth is nothing short of picturesque. The Spirit Realm is anything but doom and gloom with food bazaars delivering scrumptious dumplings to mythical beasts that render you speechless. However, it seems not everything here is all sunshine and rainbows. The Sea God is not sitting lavishly on a golden throne in his palace and watching the devastation of Mina's homeland with glee... the god is in agony and unconscious for reasons unknown to Mina. It's also in this place that Mina meets her future compatriots Lord Shin, Namgi, and Kirin but this encounter doesn't go too well. Later, Mina meets Mask who's mysterious and wears a grandma mask, Dai who's a brave and clever boy, and a baby called Miki. Together, they set out to break the curse on the Sea God and try to bring an end to the storms before it's too late.

<b>Why do I love Mina? </b>Mina, a sixteen-year-old, knows that she will never be sacrificed to the sea but she'll do anything for those she loves including plunging onto the sea with no hope of return. She chooses to sacrifice herself, to make her own destiny over and over again throughout the story.

I wasn't expecting to fall in love with Shin because of what he did in the first scene where we met him but as the story progressed, he easily became one of my favorite characters. Speaking of favorite characters, in this book, you'll find lots of them- the playful Namgi or the grumpy Kirin, the mysterious but protective Mask, and of course Dai!

Then there's the setting which seemed as if it was plucked from a Studio Ghibli film. Author Axie Oh deserves high praise for impeccably describing the underwater world of the realm and describing little details such as biting into a hot, savory dumpling to brushing a lock of hair from one's forehead.

Overall, the story of The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is every bit as captivating as its covers. This is, in short, a brilliant feminist retelling of The Tale of Shim Cheong that I highly recommend for those who love reading about mythology, fantasy, and found family!

Thanks to the publisher for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was a great retelling of a classic Korean myth. In an age inundated with Greek Mythology retellings, it is refreshing to see a novel that takes the modern reader in mind while expanding their world of stories.

Another good little mermaid twist with a different mythology. Really enjoyed her willingness to step forward.

Four stars baby!
Thank you so much to Netgalley for this ARC.

When I saw the blurb that said this book was like Spirited Away, I was a little put off at first. I thought, how could anything come close to such an iconic movie?!? Well folks, it's been done.

This epic tale follows our MC Mina who takes the place of her brother's beloved as a sacrifice to the fierce and mighty Sea God. Supposedly once a bride is sacrificed, Mina's hometown will be protected until it's time for the next bride to be sacrificed in a years time. But as Mina travels to the sea god's realm, she realizes something is very wrong, and if she is going to save her family and the rest of her village then she will have to solve the mystery behind the sea god's wrath.

WHAT A TIME!!! I loved this story so much. I feel like it should be pitched as more of the vibes of Spirited Away i.e. a young girl goes on this epic journey in the spirit realm, meets some friends, falls in love... because that is exactly what it is!!

My advice is that when you read this, think of the tone and pacing of SA and then you'll be set up for success. I really enjoyed this retelling and thought the plot twists were so good!! I didnt see any of it coming and so I think my experience reading it just became a really good one.

Highly recommend for my YA fantasy readers who are looking for a book centered around a journey, for those looking for atmosphere and a vibe like Spirited Away- this is the book for you!

xx
-Christine

Axie Oh's The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is a beautiful journey in an amazing world.

It follows Mina, who sacrifices herself to save her town and the girl her brother loves. She enters the Spirit Realm, where she is supposed to be wed to the sea god. However, she finds him in an unbreakable slumber, and goes on a wild journey to try to break the curse on him and her people.

There were a lot of really amazing things about this book. The magic system was so vivid and beautiful. The Spirit Realm was such a vibrant place, and the many gods and creatures that inhabit it made this story incredibly lively. The descriptions were great too, especially in regards to the food. My mouth was watering!

I thought Mina was a really great, sympathetic character. She has such love for her family, and she is willing to whatever it takes to complete what she thinks is right. I was definitely rooting for her. However, my only issue is that I don't think she had enough development. She needed to contend more with being separated from her family upon entering the spirit realm than she does, which makes some of her later decisions seem kind of strange.

I really loved all of the memories of Mina's family and the stories she tells throughout the novel. They truly come alive.

There is a romance plot-line throughout this book, but I am not sure how onboard with it I am. The love interest is definitely a great guy, but I didn't particularly love the way that their romance developed. I'm still a little torn about it.

The way that this story is written, a lot of the characters seem really flat and one-note throughout the first half/most of the book. Then, there are plot twists and really important facts about them come to life, which make them into more fully formed characters. I liked the plot twists; they were definitely interesting. However, I think this style of building characters had me really disenchanted with the first half of the book. You really have to get through quite a bit of it until it gets better.

That being said, I think the plot is pretty good. It definitely gets interesting throughout, with a lot of twists and turns. I did like most aspects of it. However, there were some areas that I felt were really not plausible at all, or that were the result of annoyingly dumb decisions.

Overall, I enjoyed this read. The magic system is definitely the highlight, so if you are looking for a vivid world with gods and monsters and secrets, this one is for you. I found the characters a little more lackluster. Many are lovable but not fully developed. The plot is pretty interesting, but some of the decisions that characters make seem strange. I ended up giving this book three stars because I enjoyed it and thought there were quite a few good elements, but others stopped me from truly falling in love with it.

What a beautiful story. Loved every moment of it. This was a truly magical story with writing that enhances the emotions of the reader. 5/5 would recommend to everyone

This book is beautiful, sweet and somewhat of a quiet book, even though it has quite a bit of action. It's really like it is described: a Miyazaki film. Some people liken it to a Studio Ghibli film and that is not wrong, but I feel like this has the spirit of Miyazaki specifically interweaved within its pages.

It is like a mix of a fairy tale and Spirited Away, which are two of my favorite things. It did take me a bit to get into it, but that was a me thing and not the book (I was in a funk). It starts off strong and keeps going. When I finished, I wanted to read it again and when I was thinking about it, I felt so overcome with emotion to the point where I wanted to cry with joy. There has been only one other book that has made me cry after the fact, so that is a feat.

I say, just read it, if it sounds like it's up your alley. You won't be disappointed.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this eARC in exchange for my honest review. And for full disclosure, I did preorder the book, so I can't wait.

Star Rating: —> 5 Stars

I generously received an ARC of this book from the author/ publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Oh My (Sea) God, this was just... absolutely everything I could've asked for. If you follow my reviews, you know how much I love world mythologies, especially East Asian folklore/mythologies.... and this retelling based on Korean Mythology was just absolute PERFECTION.

I mean, I shamelessly cried my eyes out at the end, which is 100% due to the effect of this AMAZING book! The visual imagery in this novel is otherworldly, literally—it is a sort of portal fantasy (PORTAL FANTASY! Another absolute FAVORITE genre of mine! Woo! I TOLD you this novel was perfection, and I freakin' meant it! Haha), and is so full of the whimsical, the fantastical, & is just so heartwarming, its like a freaking literary hug!
If you like Spirited Away or other Studio Ghibli films, you will LOVE this! Anime fans? TRY THIS ONE!

This novel, at its core, is about the heart in many intricate ways—and it certainly forever spirited a piece of MY heart away♥️. It also is just such a beautiful (well, everything, but I digress) dedication to storytelling. An absolute work of art in every way, shape, & form.

The world building? IMAGINATIVE & EXTRAORDINARY!
Character development? WONDERFUL & COMPLEX!

(Ahhh & there's a Kirin!!! One of my top 3 FAVORITE East Asian mythology creatures! Another being water dragons which I mean duh! *sigh* this novel has my heart, stilllllll)

Axie Oh has done it again folks! Though this is definitely my favorite novel i've read by her so far! *sighs dreamily*

Many thanks to the author, Macmillan, & NetGalley for the ARC.

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is a retelling of the Korean folktale “The Tale of Shim Cheong.” It follows Mina as she volunteers herself as a sacrifice to the Sea God instead of her brother’s love, Shim Cheong. Mina is swept away to the Spirit Realm, a city filled with gods and mystical beasts, only to find out instead of being a bride to the Sea God, she’s going to have to find a way to wake him out of an enchanted sleep to end the killer storms and save her village.
This story was so beautifully written. I was hooked from the very beginning, and went in without knowing anything about the story. The twists and turns had me questioning everything until the end. Without giving too much away, I loved Mina’s character development, and her interactions with the other characters. This is a story I will come back to read again and again. I highly suggest this novel if you are looking for a retelling, a vivid fantasy world, and themes of love, family (those you’re born into and those you’ve found), and a strong female protagonist.