ARC Review: The Floating World by Axie Oh

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, and Feiwel & Friends for providing this ARC.

Release Date: April 29th, 2025

Yes, No, Maybe
Yes! If you're a fan of YA romance with a dash of adventure, magical realism, and complex, vibrant characters, this is a must-read. The *Floating World* truly captivates with its beautifully crafted world and the emotional journey of its characters.

Plot:
In the *Floating World*, Sunho lives in the Under World, a land of perpetual darkness. An ex-soldier, he can remember little of his life from before two years ago, when he woke up alone with only his name and his sword. Now, Sunho does odd-jobs to scrape by, until he comes across the score of a lifetime—a chest of coins for any mercenary who can hunt down a girl who wields silver light.

What I Loved:
This story blends romance with adventure and a touch of magic that kept me turning the pages. The relationship that blooms between the characters is sweet, and the journey is both emotional and empowering. The world-building is rich, and the author does an excellent job of immersing the reader in this world of shadows, light, and unexpected twists.

Would I Recommend It?
Yes! For fans of YA romance with a deep sense of emotional depth, slow-building tension, and an immersive fantasy world, this is a great pick.

I love Axie Oh's writing! This was a clever story. I reminded me of an older anime I used to watch, Blood+, as well as a recent K-Drama, Gyeongseong Creature. If you like a touch of monster sci-fi tucked into your fantasy, you will enjoy this! I look forward to the second installment!

Just, WOW. This definitely made it to my favorites list! The world building and storytelling is so beautifully done! There is so much depth but it's not overpowering. This was so well done.

This story follows Ren and Sunho. Ren lives with her family and has a secret she keeps to herself or else she will be hunted, while Sunho doesn't remember anything about himself other than the fact that he was a soldier and a brother. He also has some dark entity inside him that gives him some powers but keeps it in control instead.

There's good and bad, angels and demons, the floating world and the underworld.

It was just such a good read. Definitely recommend adding to your TBR!!!

A richness in worldbuilding that is acheived without extraneous commentary, Oh acheives a depth of story others fail to build in twice the number of pages. Though this is a series starter, plot threads aren't left hanging but are clearly still being worked into the tapestry of the series. The ending both leaves you wanting more and satisfied with what's gone on thus far.

I received an e-arc of this book through netgalley.

This is the first book by Axis Oh that I've read, and boy was it a good one to start with! I believe this book will be one of the most highly recommended books of the year!

Incredible. Axie growth of storytelling is apparent in her world building and shaping of the world. We do not know too much about the floating world but I am excited to read the continuation.

I love all the contrast. Good and evil. The Lore of the Woodcutter and the Celestial Maiden really played a role in this story. Floating world and the underworld. An angel and a demon.

Very nostalgia fantasy storytelling!
Love would definitely recommend

I received a copy through NetGalley for review.

I enjoyed this one, it's a solid read and story and the lead up to the next book is really lovely.
The Floating World coincides with the Underworld that is below it. The Floating World has been ruled by a series of queens descended from the Celestial Maiden, a woman with wings and the power of light within her. Although the last several generations of Queens have lacked the celestial powers they were descended from. The nobles live above, the lesser folk below, and there's a great discrepancy in the quality of life between.

Both main characters have a past that they're leaving behind. They're haunted by it.
Ren a foundling of sorts lives with her aunt and uncles in a performing troupe, she lives her family. But has a secret, she must keep hidden to prevent those who seek her to hunt her to the ends of the earth. She lives in the outer rings away from the cities.
Sunho can't remember anything about himself until up to two years ago. He only knows two things, he was a former solider, and he has a brother. And he possesses some for of dark entity inside him that if he taps into it, can make him faster stronger and let him see in the dark but he keeps it locked down, he's a sword for hire in the Underworld.

Their pasts and futures are going to collide and both will be forced to look at themselves and accept the consequences and decide what they want to do in the future .
The romance is a sweet budding thing, soft and tender.

I did enjoy the set up and the world building, and I look forward to seeing Ren step into her own and use her power and lean on her own strength to find a way to help Sunho.

✨ The Floating World Book Review ✨

I wish I had this book growing up 🥺 I love the Korean representation sm 🇰🇷 Axie’s books always heals something in me ❤️‍🩹😭 Highly anticipated read and it did not disappoint! My favorite author y’all ✨ The Floating World felt like a perfect blend of her sci-fi debut Rebel Seoul and her magical fantasy The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea 🤌

Whenever I watched Ghibli films growing up, I always yearned to wander through more of the scenery, to peek around the corner, each artistic background showing hints of an expansive world that we, the viewers, could never fully explore. The Floating World had the same kind of Ghibli magic, but luckily I felt I could experience and explore the world in this book. The world building felt more immersive, expansive, and even more magical than Axie’s previous beloved books. We love the consistency and growth 🥹 I could imagine this world so vividly and some scenes sounded so breathtakingly beautiful that I teared up and had to reread my favorite scene towards the end multiple times. IT WAS MAGICAL ✨🪽🥺 I need ALL the artists out there to draw this scene once the book comes out…plz I’m on my knees 😭🙏

Once Ren and Sunho finally crossed paths, I couldn’t put the book down as the stakes rose. I love them, your honor 🥺🫰 The Floating World reminded me of many beloved Ghibli movies - Castle in the Sky, Princess Mononoke, Howl’s Moving Castle 🪽👀 There’s 3 POVs in TFW, but tbh I’m still trying to figure out the 3rd character’s motive. Hopefully book 2 expands on this character more to help me sympathize with him better cuz I’m still side eyeing his actions Y U DO DAT BRO 😒

The ending…my goodness…no spoilers but THE ENDING ENDED ME 😭😭😭🥺 I was in awe of the ending (while crying) because I really didn’t expect it ❤️‍🩹 Axie, you brilliant genius you but also…HOW COULD YOU 😭😭

…do it again. We love the pain 🤣

I can’t wait for the sequel to come out later this year cuz I need to know my babies will have their happy ending 🥺 If you love Studio Ghibli, Final Fantasy, and Korean folklore, you need to read this book 📚

Thank you so much for sending me a physical ARC to review 💖🥹🫶

For fans of:
Final Fantasy - specifically Cloud and Aerith, Ex-Soldier turned Mercenary, Materia as a concept loosely, celestial beings.
Arcane: The dynamic of an ‘above’ city and a ‘below’ city, children of the below city finding family and sticking together, having toxic materials and how the differing cities deal and adapt to it.
Shadow and bone: Light bringer/powered being, dark wielding beings.


TLDR:
Swordsman vs his hired mark
Slow, slooooooow burn romance; it’s not the main focus of either of them, but it is there in a soft, first-love way.
They protect each other
Found family

Enthralling fantastical world and characters from the very first page. Sunho, a swordsman for hire, is tasked with finding Ren, who is being hunted for having ‘light’ powers. We see each of their POVs throughout the book, which also allows us to see each of them before they meet and the circumstances that lead up to it.
I LOVED the dynamic between these two, as well as them as individual characters. Ren from the get-go, loves her family and her life with them dearly, but throughout the book, shows herself to be selfless and caring about those around her. Sunho wakes up with memory loss and is searching for his brother and answers to why he has immense power. He’s hired to find Ren and bring her back alive but ends up becoming her friend and protector as they travel together.
It’s a slow-burn romance, more of a slow-burn interest. Their main goal is survival, and over the book, their interest becomes apparent to themselves and one another.
But my god, the way they protected and spoke to one another? Absolute perfection.

I cannot WAIT for the second book to come out!

The Floating World is an outstanding adventure that reimagines the Korean legend of Celestial Maidens and invites readers into a world filled with intrigue, action, shock, and heart-wrenching discoveries, and heartwarming romance. I am blown away by the sheer visuals this story arose, the poignant character work it weaves, and the plot choices that fascinate and surprise.

Ren is part of a traveling troupe family who bring delight and cheers at every village they visit. She is loved and protected by her family, family not related by blood but by choice, who took a young, lost girl in when she needed someone most. Her past is one full of secrets--and of hidden legacy and power. A power when discovered will place her life in grave danger. Nevertheless, Ren will face whatever dangers head her way as she scours the land to find a cure for her uncle who was attacked by a strange monster. Ren journeys across the mountains for a cure, but her journey becomes one of self-discovery and choice, and it begins with deciding whether to help the injured boy sent to kill her. Sunho is a former soldier who works odd jobs to get by, with a goal to find answers he's been seeking-- and a brother he has lost. When tasked with finding a mysterious girl who wields a tantalizing power in the form of silver light, he finds himself on a journey that collides with the very girl he's looking for-- and the girl who he too will have a choice about. To turn her in or to protect her. Together, Ren and Sunho journey down a path of many choices and consequences, a path that will forever change them.

Both Ren and Sunho are excellent, captivating leads. I was so tuned into both of their individual arcs and backstories. They complement once another so beautifully, in both strength and vulnerability. Ren is open-hearted and generous, always looking out for others, taking care of them, placing herself at risk for their betterment. As she does with an injured Sunho. Sunho begins as a closed-off, isolated individual who prefers solitude to company, but Ren's company-- her light and warmth-- have him stepping out of the shadows and reaching his own hand to others. Forming tentative connections he so sorely needs. His courage, his bravery even in the face of perceived defeat, motivates Ren to face her own fears, becoming stronger with every step she takes. They are two halves of a whole, who lift each other up, who help each other out, and who choose each other even when the odds are against them. Their relationship is the core of this story, and it's one that you will embrace and pray will find a happy ending. For no two characters deserve it more, not after all they go through, both in the past and present.

But theirs isn't the only story told.

There is a surprise third POV I won't spoil; it comes in interludes but its importance becomes abundantly clear as the narrative unfurls. I'm extremely eager to see how this POV further develops in the next book-- and I hope a supporting player in that POV becomes more prominent as I quite liked the connection to that POV it entails.

All three POVs serve with great purpose, develop masterful character arcs, and intertwine in the most surprising ways.

The world-building in this tale is awe-inspiring. The detailing is vivid, and key information is dealt without ever feeling overwhelming, allowing the mind to construct this world. The world is feels so giant yet so accessible in its engagement and immersion. It felt almost tailored made for my preferences. The storytelling is impactful, it comes with twists and turns you may or may not see coming-- and with reveals that will both exalt the emotions and devastate the soul.

This book felt like a movie, it's gorgeously paced, it made my heart soar like the most cinematic movie score, and it left me in array of hope and desperation by its end. Let me go ahead and get in line for the sequel, because there's no way I'll be missing it!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for this advanced complimentary copy, I leave this honest review voluntarily.

Stunning. That's the first word that came to my mind after I finished reading the Floating World. Axie Oh really has a way with words through her descriptions. Everything from the worldbuilding to the characters felt so delicately and intentionally crafted. Genuinely so beautifully done - it was such a magnificent read with a perfectly woven together blend of fantasy, intrigue, and mystery. I truly could not put this book down. I'm generally not the biggest fan of multiple point of views, but each character's narrative was so interesting and unique and also critical to the plot. The characters all felt very well-rounded and distinct and so hard not to like. The reveal of backstories and information was wonderfully done and had me flying through the pages trying to piece everything together too. Easily one of the best books I've read in 2025 so far.

I’ve read and loved this authors work before so I was very excited to get into this story! This book so was fast paced and kept my attention throughout. I found myself flying through the pages, desperately wanting to know what would happen.

The next fast-paced addictive fantasy that’ll for sure take BookTok by storm!

While this is my first Axie Oh novel, I’ve always heard that her writing is always, in some way, enchanting, and now I can say that ultimately rings true. The Floating World and the Under World dynamic along with Demon and light sorcerer is reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet, or more so, the forbidden romance trope for those who are fans of it. The settings also reminded me of Arcane which made me so interested in exploring further . . . So much so that I wished Axie Oh expanded upon it.

The worldbuilding feels so vast and exciting, and the detailed descriptions are gorgeously written—I only wish we had gotten a lot more backstory about these locations and history of The Floating World/Under World to elevate the story into an epic scale.

For readers who enjoy light, young protagonists, The Floating World is right up their alley. The two main heroes (and the third being an anti-hero) have a fun relationship with some flirtatious elements, but nothing ever too serious. The ages of these characters were a bit on the younger side than typical of stories I normally read, so personally I had trouble connecting to them the way I would with more mature characters. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed reading about them and loved that Axie Oh made their self-conflicts that drove their motives, thought-process, and actions very clear.

I enjoyed almost everything else, never felt tired, and never felt bored either while reading The Floating World. Honestly, I craved more. This feels like Arcane and Final Fantasy meets K-Drama and Romantasy. So, if even one of these things is something you want more of in a book, The Floating World is the next read for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing an ARC (Advanced Readers Copy). This review is based off of an uncorrected proof.

This book was highly anticipated for me and it did not disappoint!! Axie Oh wrote such a lush, unique world in The Floating World. I was immediate enthralled with the characters, the setting, and the lore of the story. We follow three POV’s throughout the book but focus mainly on Ren and Sunho. Ren is a travelling performer, but must unexpectedly venture away from her troupe in search of a cure for her uncle- who is injured in a sudden attack. As the story unfold we learn lots about both Ren and Sunho’s past, and how their presents intertwine!
I could not put this beautifully fantasy book down, and now I anxiously await book two!! You will be pulled in immediately, and will not regret picking this one up one bit!!

Ren, a troup performer, just wants to live a peaceful life with her adopted family. Sunho will do anything to buy his brother's freedom from the army, even if he can't exactly remember where his brother is....or anything else from his past. When Ren comes face to face with a demon, she accidentally uses the magic she's tried so long to hide, only to draw the attention of the rest of the underworld. Many forces in the underworld want Ren, and Sunho is hired along with many mercenaries to be the first to find her..though not all are hired to keep her alive. Ren and Sunho's paths collide in the "Floating World", a new series by Axie Oh.

This was a really interesting start to a new series! I loved Axie Oh's "Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea" and knew I had to try out this new series. I really liked both Rena and Sunho as characters, as well as the friends they made along the way. The story was fast paced and very engaging, and it had me on the edge of my seat being like "what's going to happen next!". I also loved how pure Ren and Sunho's relationship was and how it developed slowly throughout the novel. There's a lot going on in this book, but if you like magic, sweet, slowburn romance, action, and adventure, you'll love this new series! I absolutely cannot wait for the next book, and will be reading it as soon as it's published.

The only thing that led me to rate this 4/5 stars is that I'm very confused by the different political parties. I'm not sure who's fighting who. Hopefully that gets cleared up for me in book 2.

This would be the perfect series for teens and up! It's very wholesome and the romance was super cute, exactly what I would have loved to read as a teen.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

As soon as I saw this book described as a cross between Final Fantasy and Shadow and Bone, I knew I needed to read it asap! But man, was that a mistake because I have to wait how long for the second book?

This book was action packed with never a dull moment. I find the world to be quite immersive without the author overexplaining. Though I did have a bit of a hard time picturing how some parts of the world connected. Though, I assume the final book will include a map as most fantasy books do.

I am leaving myself a note to check out the second book when it releases because I need to see more of Jaeil!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy for review!

Axie Oh does it again by crafting this masterpiece with ‘The Floating World’, a breathtaking blend of romance, mythology, and adventure.

We meet Sunho and Ren’s, bother incredibly determined and driven characters who go on a journey unfolding a richly imaged world where fate, memory, and hidden power collide.

The novel’s lyrical prose and cinematic action scenes make it impossible to not want to turn the page. And although this book is far from being a romantasy, it still has a slow-burn romance as subplot that adds depth to this already compelling tale.

This book is truly one in the making that everyone is going to absolutely love!

Final Fantasy meets Korean mythology. Ren and Sunho are literally my new faves; their story is full of action, romance, and mystery. I loved how Oh weaves together mythology and fantasy, but sometimes the pacing felt a bit rushed. Still, I’m hooked and can’t wait for the next book! If you love fantasy and adventure, this is a must-read!

I quite like this one!

The world building is unique with the floating world and under world like i can imagine the vibes from asian fantasy dramas also the ghiblis movie

Starting off strong with 2 main character with different motivation. Ren is looking for a cure and Sunho looking for his brother that makes them cross paths.

It's very quick pace and straightforward which i think lead the two MC kinda rush romance but it ruin much of the plot to me

There's also politics in The Floating World with reveals of characters deaths which i like

But the cliffhanger ending sure made me wanting to know more!

dnf’ing this one at the moment- it was marketed as a shadow and bone type of book but i may just not be in the mood for a ya currently…i would think about giving it another shot at another time and for now would still recommend to those who liked fantasy’s from the 2010s!!!