Thank you to Axie Oh, Feiwel and Friends Publishing, and NetGalley for the e-book ARC!

Age rating: 12+

Ren is a girl who wants to forget her past. Sunho is a boy who has forgotten his, and wants nothing more than to remember. One is a troupe performer; the other is a sword-for-hire. Both end up embarking on perilous journeys that lead them to each other, where they must decide what is really important to them, and what they are willing to leave behind.
This book was practically dripping with potential. The world was intriguing, the cover art was gorgeous, and the synopsis was memorable.
Unfortunately, it ended up being (as the kids say these days) “mid”. There were few remarkable characters, minimal amounts of world-building that left me with unanswered questions even after I finished, and not nearly enough meaningful interactions between any of our cast. Was it a bad book? No, it wasn’t. The writing was fairly steady, the story flowed naturally—I just couldn’t find it in me to care a whole lot about what happened to either Sunho or Ren. I don’t regret reading it, but I also wouldn’t re-read it.
However, I sincerely hope whoever else gets their hands on this book loves it, and I wish it the best.
Happy reading!

gorgeously written fantasy work with some awesome feels and vibes and characters. i would definitely recommend it! 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

Okay this was so good!! I was a big fan of Axie Oh’s writing in “The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea” so this book was a must read for me and it definitely did not disappoint.

This story was a reimagining of the celestial maidens tale from Korean folklore and as a huge lover of myths/folktales, this was amazing! Immediately, I was drawn to the main character, Ren, who is a traveling acrobat performer with her family. And Sunho, who is an ex soldier with no recollection of his memories.

The two cross paths on separate journeys in the floating world and decide to travel together with similar goals. However, Ren has been keeping a secret, and if Sunho knew, it would change everything for his journey.

I really enjoyed this story and following the two of them as they search for a cure for Ren’s uncle and to find Sunho’s brother. Their chemistry felt so easy and right, I just loved everything about them together. The side characters, Yurhee and Tag, were also interesting and I look forward to reading more about them in the next book of this series.

I mean seriously I will need the next book asap after that ending! So yes beware of a cliffhanger and be ready for the chaos haha!

I would 100% recommend this book if you are a fan of Korean folklore, final fantasy, shadow and bone, action, romance, and adventure!! ✨

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for the eARC copy! 💖

When I saw this was Final Fantasy meets Shadow and Bone- scratch that. As soon as I saw this cover alone, it had me hooked. This was such a fun book! Sunho is an ex soldier turned mercenary living in the underworld. He has a dark secret, mysterious amnesia, and all he wants is to find his older brother. Enter Ren, our cheerful acrobat living in the country with her adoptive family... and secret powers. A demon attacks, her power explodes, and then suddenly there are a hundred assassins and mercenaries sent after her... SUNHO INCLUDED!🤭 This set up just made me want to scream with giddiness. There's a lot of mystery mixed in which I loved as well, from murders to Sunho's past and the whole underworld and mithril mine setting, but one of my favorite things about the book that I didn't necessarily expect was the side characters. I mean, Jaeil?! I love him. He's so complex, I honestly needed more of his chapters too. The only things letting this book down for me is that the romance isn't enemies-to-lovers and I so wish it was with a set up like that! Then again that's probably a me thing, lol. The main thing though was that the story was too fast paced for me to fully immerse in it. I'd have loved for things to slow down a little, to harp on the tension and drama more. I saw so much potential in the story itself though, so fingers crossed this is improved on in finished copies!

5 stars!!! ☆
⤿ spoiler-free review
thank you to net galley for this GROGEOUS arc!!

ೃ⁀➷“If I had wings, would you steal them?”
“If you had wings, I'd want to see you fly.”

★│ The Woodcutter and the Celestial Maiden (aka the plot)│

╰┈➤ "Perhaps that is the truth that can be gleaned from this story, like the woodcutter who stole the wings of the maiden: The general stole her world."

Sunho and Ren live in two different sides of the same coin. Sunho is a swordsman for hire, taking random jobs - usually involving some semblance of criminal activity - to get by in his life in the Under World. Meanwhile, Ren is content with her life as a troupe performer, living in a valley after her caravan is done touring the villages they wish to perform at.
Sunho is hired for a job to capture Ren, and bring her alive, the reason unkown.
Ren is determined to find a cure for her uncles fatal illness.
The rest is history ( please read this. )

★│ The Under World, The Floating World│

╰┈➤ "The other nobles thought him a glutton for punishment, choosing to live in the darkness and the filth. They were wrong. The true filth was found in the light."

This world building omg!! It was so good. I will admit, at some parts I was confused but Axie Oh always made sure to smooth that over, replacing perplexity with fascination. I was in awe of how invested I was in this world, and how well I could picture everything.

★│ The Caravan │

╰┈➤ "She was accustomed to Big Uncle's booming laugh and Little Uncle's teasing chatter. Though it was Auntie who'd brought Ren to the caravan all those years ago, they were the ones who'd smuggled her into this family like expert thieves, stealing her heart until it was entirely her own."

Auntie, Hwi, Big Uncle, Little Uncle, and Ren. They go around each village, performing stories for the residents, collecting money but more importantly, memories. Their love for one another feels like a tangible thing, and not some words on a page. I love love love them all with my whole heart.

★│ Ren │

╰┈➤ "Her eyes widened, then she laughed. That sound again. Was it the quiet of the Under World that made it sound so bright? No, it had been bright from the beginning."

Where do I begin? Ren is such a beautiful character. Her love for the family that raised her, and the appreciation she has for the little moments makes my heart ache. I find it hard to connect with main characters in fantasy books sometimes, but this time, with Ren, I knew she would grow on me since the very first chapter. The way she embraces her life as a troupe performer makes me so happy. The way she constantly sacrifices herself for others... I just love her so much.

★│ Sunho │

╰┈➤ "He was strong because he'd made himself that way. Because he'd chosen to be. For his friends. For his brother. For himself."

If hes not like this, I dont want him. I would leave it at that but I have so much more I want to say about Sunho. He puts others before himself, making sure their safe before he worries about himself. He notices the little things, and makes sure they dont go unnoticed. He is wary to accept love, even though he is always giving it. Sunho is such a sweet soul, even if he is guarded, and seems cold from the outside.

★│ Ren & Sunho │★

╰┈➤ "He'd been alone for so long, he'd forgotten what it felt like to have someone who cared about him; he'd forgotten about how much comfort it could bring, how much strength it could give."

If the plot dosent do it for you, if the fantasy dosent do it for you, if the politics dosent do it for you, and if the world dosent do it for you; the romance will. Thats all I have to say.

Reading The Floating World was an incredible journey, filled with breathtaking action, deep emotional moments, and an atmosphere that completely immerses you in its world. The novel seamlessly blends mystery, adventure, and slow-burn character development, making every chapter feel meaningful and layered. One of the novel’s greatest strengths is its immersive setting. The contrast between the Under World’s perpetual gloom and the vibrant festival life Ren experiences before tragedy strikes adds richness to the atmosphere. The author masterfully builds tension, especially in Sunho’s internal struggles as he unknowingly hunts the very girl he’s coming to care for. The romance is subtle and slow-building, allowing space for trust and understanding to develop naturally amid the dangers they face.
The Floating World is more than just a fantasy novel—it’s an emotional, immersive experience that lingers long after the last page. The tension, the breathtaking battles, the slow-building romance, and the weight of fate and memory all come together to create something truly unforgettable. It’s the kind of book that leaves you both satisfied and yearning for more, making it an absolute must-read for fantasy lovers.

This was 4-4.5 stars for me!

OH. MY! When I saw this gave Final Fantasy and Castle in the Sky vibes, I was sold. I will be the first to say that this absolutely SLAYED. I loved the fantasy build of this story and all of the plot twists we were thrown as the story progressed. I love Axie Oh and her absolute talent in creating these beautiful worlds and characters.

This story was a retelling of the Korean legend of Celestial Maidens. I was uneducated on the legend, so I did some light reading to understand the story and wow. This was such a beautiful reimagining of this legend in its own way. I really loved the creativity in demons and the world building.

I don't want to ruin anything, so do yourself a favor and add this to your TBR!

I've been noticing a pattern with Axie Oh writing main characters full of spunk and temperament. It is fitting for Ren's age to be easy to anger and react impulsively, and I believe it is a personal problem as I may have outgrown the young adult genre. This was not the book for me, but I'm sure many young readers would enjoy this as the lush worldbuilding and Korean mythology is fascinating and well-fleshed out.

Axie Oh you will always be famous. I love that she writes a variety of genres and is able to adapt her writing to each one while still remaining true to her own style. As much as I love XOXO and ASAP, I think my favorite Axie Oh books are her fantasy ones. This one almost seemed a bit more sci-fi to me though?? Anyway, LOVED IT. It felt like a mix between Cinder, Castle In The Sky, Demon Slayer, and The City of Ember. This was so good. Absolutely stellar world building, impeccable characters, and excitement throughout the entire novel. Also, the romance legit gave me full body chills multiple times. Like from the top of my head to the bottom of my toes I was TINGLING. There's something so special about fantasy/sci-fi romance that's not the focus of the story. It makes it all the more special when we get crumbs.
Also loved the dichotomy between Sunho and Ren. I don't want to spoil anything, but it kind of reminded me of Amandla Stenberg's characters in The Acolyte. Do with that what you will.
Axie Oh is an auto-read author for me at this point. I'm so psyched for The Demon and the Light and I will be living in a state of anxious anticipation until it is released.

*Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for an eARC in exchange for an honest review*

This was a bit of a rough read, personally. I felt like the world building was a bit rushed and since it wasn’t a long book it felt like too many pieces tried to come together too quickly. I liked the premise, but I just think it was a bit flat overall and by the time something happened it was over and we were already moving on to something else.

The description is right on the nose for The Floating World. Final Fantasy meets Shadow and Bone is exactly that. The world build is exquisite and the magic system is devastatingly beautiful and intensly tragic. I liked the multiple character POVs and how they were braided into a fantastic timeline. It was very fast paced and unfortunately for me, during some of the dialogue, when I would try to connect emotionally with a moment or character I felt like everyone would move on quickly and it was hard for me to get attached when rushed to continue. For a YA this felt very epic fantasy with the rich discription of the supernatural, evils lurking, and landscapes. I enjoyed it.

Review: 4.75 Stars

The story starts off with Ren, a travelling troupe performer where her adopted family was unexpectedly attacked by a demon of sorts during a performance at a village they stopped by. Her “little uncle” who attempted to shield her ended up in critical condition, leading Ren to unleash her silver light power she kept hidden for years in anger. Due to this, she sets out on a journey to find a cure. Along the way, she stumbled upon Sunho who was unconscious in a field and attempted to save him from his dire injuries and nurse him back to health. They developed an instant connection with one another…not knowing that Sunho was tasked to find the girl with the silver power by turning her over to the army…who may be the lost Celestial Maiden princess and guardian of the Floating World.

This story gives me some Final Fantasy x Ghibli moments and is based on the Korean legend of the celestial maidens…I admit I struggled a little with the worldbuilding and would blame it for my lack of imagination - big thanks for Carthi (raconteur.recs) for letting ping-pong my thoughts of her to help me visualize the world this story takes place. The concept of the existence of the Floating World and how it is powered by a mineral called Mithril with the existence of the “Underworld”, the city below the floating world is such an interesting concept.

| ”I think we shine a little brighter. How could we not? All this darkness surrounds us, and yet we still carry on.I think the stars, when they look down on us, see that spark in our hearts. It’s our wills to live” |

I love Ren, she is everything I love in a FL - she has spunk, determination, is cheerful and optimistic yet has a core of steel in her. This story is told in dual povs with some occasional povs from side characteristics. Sunho, our ML, is a steadfast, cold and quiet person who has been mostly alone the past 2 years of his life…but with Ren’s influence, Sunho slowly opens up. What I love about this book is both characters started off with separate stories and finally only intersect at 30% of the book. This gives a unique insight to the characters to see them grow separately and to finally come together. Ren and Sunho are flawed in their own way having had some past trauma that occasionally haunts them. This makes them very relatable characters. Their bond is one of understanding, and somehow they just get each other. It was very sweet to see how they always look out for each other and put each other first in different ways.

| “I won’t let you lose control and you…You won’t let me fall” |

The supporting characters were fantastic and added to the story. I have a soft side for Yurhee and Tag and their unrelenting support and zero judgement towards Sunho and Ren. It was a refreshing side to the cynical characters we see often. And Ren’s adopted family was so accepting of who she is and even gave her a home and raised her as one of their own.

That ending, though!!! Sometimes, I wonder why I love reading so many fantasy type books with cliffhanger endings. Clearly I am a glutton for punishment seeing that I just went through 2 books with cliffhangers with this being the third book.

Thank you, FierceReads of the eARC, I screamed when I saw this email containing the Netgalley Widget.

Final Fantasy meets Castle in the Sky with a dash of Full Metal Alchemist in Axie Oh’s new YA adventure: The Floating World.

Ren is a performer in her family’s troupe. She finds joy in bringing happiness and entertainment to others. But when her family’s performance is disrupted by the appearance of a demon, her family pays the price. To save them she must travel beyond the mountians to the Under World to find a cure. Sunho is a mercenary blade for hire, trying to find the missing brother he was separated from two years earlier. When one of the Floating World’s soldiers offers him a job, to find the missing Celestial Maiden in exchange for information about his brother, he leaps at the chance. Another demon attack leads them to each other and propels them on the journey to discover just who is behind everything tearing their world apart.

The relationship between Ren and Sunho is so cute. It definitely gave me Ghibli vibes. They just clicked in a way that made sense. It is a bit of a slow burn but absolutely worth it!

The real amazing part of this book is the incredible world building: a blend of technological advancement and traditional living, including the magic of the Celestial Maidens. The balance of scientific experimentation and mythological ability (the soldiers are actually being injected with a serum that gives them supernatural abilities and healing, but turns them into grotesque monsters with blue blood) gave me total Full Metal Alchemist vibes, and gives the story an horrific undercurrent as the truth comes to light.

By the end of book one we see Ren transform from someone who is afraid of so many things into a confident, loving, and strong young woman who is determined yo change her world for the better. I enjoyed this one so much and am looking forward to the release of book two in the fall.

I was super exited going into the book and actually had a good time. It was an enjoyable book. I didn’t love how sudden the ending was. Also felt like some parts were rushed? Other than that I do recommend the book and I will be continuing the series once the next book comes out.

Thank you to NetGalley for an early copy of this book! Below is my honest review.

What caught my attention was this cover. Can you not say that this is one of the most beautiful, fantastical cover you’ve ever seen??? So when I was offered an early copy to read, I jumped on it immediately!

In this book, we follow Ren and Sunho. Ren lives in a village with her aunt, big uncle, and little uncle. They’re all part of a troupe. One day, their village is attacked by a demon and Ren suddenly gains this light power that kills the demon. Unfortunately, big uncle died in the attack and little uncle is on the verge of death. Also unfortunately, other people saw the burst of light and some higher up people want to capture her.

In comes Sunho, a mercenary with no memories outside of two years ago with some vague idea of who he is and how he has a brother. He, along with a bunch of other people, are hired/incentivized to find this mysterious light power source (aka Ren) and bring her back to the Underworld. In exchange, the person hiring all these people (his name is Jaiel) will give Sunho information about his brother.

Thoughts about this book:

Overall, I had a good time reading this! I was a little confused about how the different worlds are physically connected, so maybe a map can be included in the printed version one day. The three POVs (Ren, Sunho, and Jaeil) all have their own mysterious backgrounds that I’m hoping will be explored much more in the next book. We didn’t get too much about Jaeil, so I’m more interested in his background. The magic system could also use more details, but it seems more like a second book thing than a first book thing. I’m very excited to pick up the next one!

Final Fantasy fans will be happy with this one -- specifically Final Fantasy 7 fans. You can tell a lot of inspiration for the world and a few of its characters come from that story. Which, for me is fantastic, because I adore Final Fantasy 7.

That being said, why 3.5 out of 5 stars? For one, I really enjoy having complex characters that we, as readers, can both identify with and connect to easily through emotion and drive. I think when the characters were all first introduced it was fine and interesting... but I never really connected with them as much as I wanted to. In that sense, the romance also felt like it happened overnight with no buildup, tension, or aching emotions that usually pull you in so I was a little disappointed in that regards. There were also periods where I felt myself losing interest here and there because despite all the activity happening, I felt like the writing fell a little flat (was more tell than show for my liking).

However, despite all these issues, I found the world itself to be so different, unique and interesting that it gave me just enough to crave more. I feel like the environment of the Floating World and the world underneath were so fascinating politically, societally and architecturally that it could possibly support several stories just with its culture alone. The side characters were also very unique (I got some Final Fantasy vibes from some of them as well) and I had a good time following along with them and laughing at some of the jokes made at the expense of the other characters.

All in all, this was a great time. If you love magical dystopian worlds with sword-wielding heroes, I would say give this a shot and see what you think. I am looking forward to the second book coming out this year!

The floating world felt like a dream. Sunho and Ren are fun characters that are easy to get attached and invested in. The story flows at a good pace. The building of the world structure and mystery as the story progressed was very well written and it’s easy to slip into the story like your right there with them.

Axie Oh, when I catch you...
4.5⭐️

It's been a WHILE since I've been genuinely blown away by a YA book. I know that if I'm yelling at the book I'm reading, it's a good book. If you like Arcane or the vibes of Studio Ghibli, this book is 100% for you.
I was INSTANTLY hooked between the characters, world, and vibes. Just from the first chapter I was already invested in these characters (the mask part ughh). The progression of the story and world building through the different POVs is utter perfection. The world itself is so unique and fully developed already during the first book. There was no long chapters of boring world building, yet I still understood this world in its entirety. With no dull moments and the strong ends of chapters it's safe to say I binge read this book. I won't even go into how good the characters were... Ren and Sunho have my whole heart. Their journey in healing was just so good. His name literally being SUNho?!? I can't. This book was (dare I say) YA perfection.
My ONLY issue with this book (me just being picky because this book was so good)... I wished the action scenes (specifically in the last 25% of the book) were more drawn out. They felt a tiny bit rushed and if they were more drawn out the suspense of the battle and injuries could've been higher.

Yeah, I loved this book. Going to bully everyone into reading this now. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!

The Floating World is a classic YA fantasy with great worldbuilding and interesting twists.

I definitely loved the world the most! I found it so intriguing. It definitely has a steampunk vibe to it, and I enjoyed learning about the world, its history and legends, and politics. There's a decent amount of political and military intrigue with the POV of a character named Jaliel.

I loved the main characters, Ren and Sunho. They both had interesting backstories and motivations. I was definitely getting some Howl's Moving Castle vibes, with a dash of Shadow and Bone.

My only main criticisms are that the dialogue sometimes fell a little flat and felt stilted. Also, some of the critical scenes felt like they happened really fast while some of the side scenes went on a little longer.

Overall, this is a great start to a series, and I found myself drawn into the story—there was never a dull moment! There's definitely a lot to build on for the sequel!

Thanks so much to Netgalley and Macmillian!

Ren and Sunho were what felt like fate. The Floating World was beautifully described, and you really felt immersed into the story. What I really brought from this story was overcoming darkness with hope. Both of the main characters are well described in personality and physicality, you really are rooting for them both. Yurhee and Tag are very likeable as well! I generally like POV story lines, but really did enjoy the perspectives of Ren and Sunho as I felt it added to the readers understanding of the character development. I really enjoyed the fantasy aspects and felt like this would be an amazing gaming world. I liked that romance was not the main focus and appreciated other aspects like friendship/loyalty. I especially loved the stories of lore – it felt almost like princess Mononoke! Pure magic! It was a stunning way to story tell within a book, and to show how much weight story telling can be generationally. I really loved it! There comes a really big moment, where I actually found myself gasping and putting down my kindle. I am really excited to see what comes! Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read this as an ARC. I personally will be buying myself a hard copy!