The Floating World has a unique and intriguing world, where the wealthy population literally floats above the .have-nots in the dark below. In this world, main characters Ren and Sunho are strong characters that are easy to root for as they both battle for their futures — Ren in the aftermath of a demon attack in her village that forces her to confront her past and secrets, and Sunho's struggle to survive in the Under World and find his brother.

While I enjoyed getting to know the characters, unfortunately, the execution was a little lacking for me for such a great concept. I was most excited to read this novel because of the Floating World setting, but I felt this backdrop was severely underdeveloped. I had no sense of what the Under World looked like and how it was positioned in space compared to the Floating World, and I was confused as to why the Under World had no light (because it was blocked by the Floating World? This wasn't clear.)

There were also some writing choices that made it hard for me to stay engaged. To me, there was no distinctive dialogue, as most of the characters sounded the same. In one scene, when Ren and Sunho are leaving a group of outlaws they've met, two of them, one young and one old, say “maybe we’ll meet again one day." We also learn the name of the outlaws' horse, but not their leader, who is referenced several times. Small details like this made the writing feel more juvenile.

Finally, there were a few plot points that seemed too convenient and brought me out of the story (no spoilers) — characters that were too trusting of each other upon first meeting, Sunho on a mission to find a young girl around Ren's age and not even bothering to see what she looks like when he meets her. Overall, I think this premise had a lot of promise and I wish this author a lot of success with future books in what I'm guessing will be a series.

Thank you Netgalley and MacMillan Children’s Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Axie Oh’s “The Floating World” is an ambitious and imaginative fantasy that immerses you in a breathtakingly complex universe while weaving together mythology, romance, and social commentary. This first installment of a duology offers a rich exploration of class division, personal destiny, and the cost of survival. Before going into this book, I do want to provide a small content warning for some blood/death throughout the book.

The story is set in a world divided by stark physical and social hierarchies: the wealthy and powerful reside in the radiant Floating World above, while the oppressed lower classes struggle to survive in the sunless Underworld below. This duality is central to the book's world-building, which combines elements of Korean folklore and urban fantasy; the book reminded me of steampunk with some of the scientific elements, like the development of mithril. Oh takes inspiration from the Korean folktale “The Woodcutter and the Celestial Maidens,” using it to craft a story that is both fresh and steeped in tradition. You don’t need to be familiar with the folktale to understand this story as Oh makes the inspiration clear throughout the story.

At the heart of the story are Ren, a resilient and compassionate heroine on a desperate quest to save her ailing uncle, and Sunho, a stoic swordsman with a tragic past. Their journey through this divided world introduces readers to its many facets, from the industrial grit of the Underworld to the serene beauty of the Floating World. Along the way, the two must navigate personal traumas, political intrigue, and their growing attraction to one another.

The romance between Ren and Sunho is sweet and wholesome, but its rapid development did feel a bit rushed to me. Meeting nearly a third of the way into the book, their relationship is marked by an "insta-love" quality, lacking the tension or slow-burn dynamic that might have added depth to their connection. However, their complementary personalities—Ren's effervescent optimism against Sunho's quiet intensity—are endearing, and their bond serves as an emotional anchor in the story.

One of the book’s greatest strengths is its world-building. The Floating World and Underworld are richly imagined, with vivid descriptions and thoughtful details that bring these places to life. The incorporation of mithril, a mysterious element with technological and supernatural applications, adds a unique, almost sci-fi flavor to the story. However, the complexity of the world can also feel overwhelming at first, with terminology and concepts that take time to grasp. You want to take your time diving into this book to fully understand the world that Oh created. The pacing exacerbates this issue; the fast-moving plot often leaves little room to fully absorb the intricacies of the setting or the stakes of certain events.

The story shifts between the perspectives of Ren, Sunho, and Jaeil, Ren’s childhood friend and the captain of the guard. While this multi-POV approach adds depth, I did want more time spent with Jaeil, whose internal conflict and moral ambiguity are compelling. His shifting loyalties and obsession with Ren's celestial heritage hint at a larger role in the sequel, potentially setting the stage for a redemptive arc.

Though the book succeeds in many ways, it sometimes falters in balancing its ambitious scope. The plot juggles numerous elements—mythology, romance, political intrigue, and social commentary—and at times feels overstuffed. Significant moments, such as scenes of violence or betrayal, are resolved too quickly, lessening their emotional impact. Similarly, the broader stakes of Ren’s quest and the power struggles within the Floating World lack the suspense they deserve, as the story often prioritizes the romance over the central conflict. The twist involving Ren’s past was pretty predictable, though I liked seeing Ren’s growth and her purpose develop as more of her secrets were revealed.

Overall, “The Floating World” is a captivating start to Axie Oh’s new duology, brimming with creativity and emotional depth. While I didn’t enjoy this book as much as Oh’s “The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea,” the lush world-building and intriguing characters make it a worthwhile read. Fans of mythology-infused fantasy and character-driven stories will find much to love, and the setup for the sequel promises even greater stakes and revelations to come.

I loved the worldbuilding in this story. The Floating World, the Underworld and beyond were fascinating and interesting places. The relationship between Ren and Sunho was so satisfying. I am looking forward to the next installment.

Axie Oh's 'The Floating World' is simply stunning. The pacing balances quieter, more introspective moments with fast-paced action and twists that keep you on the edge of your seat. Like, I really couldn't put this book down if my life depended on it. It’s a visual and emotional experience that lingers long after the last page!!! It brings together elements of culture with modern fantasy, folklore, and personal growth into two narratives that feel so relatable despite the fantastical bits and bobs. It’s a story that will leave you thinking, feeling, and, most importantly, wanting more. But that's also just typical for an Axie Oh book. A must-read for fans of rich world-building, complex characters, and beautifully crafted prose!!!!

“The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea” was one of my favorite books the year I read it, so I was really excited to see a new series. Unfortunately, for me, this missed the mark. While I found the world interesting and most of the characters had real depth, the story itself felt a little muddled. Oh was trying to do a lot with the plot, and I think a more straightforward plot would have elevated the novel.

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

This book was fairly predictable, and nothing really surprised me. the story was interesting though and I love the romance and it feels like there could be a triangle, but I'm not really sure.

This was so highly anticipated for me! I really loved that this was inspired by Korean folklore. The world building in this was great and I'm so excited to read the next book!

There are few authors writing today who have the skills that Oh has to weave a world! I mean, I thought The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea was a masterclass in world-building, unsurprising that this take on The Celestial Maidens is an upscaling of those skills! I just...this is the first in a duology (more duologies, please! I love them and they are the perfect way to digest a story imho), and I can't WAIT to read it again just to prepare for part two (I already know I'll be reading this one multiple times just to capture all the little things I missed the first time!)

Romance, Fantasy, Action, Adventure! This book has it ALL!

5 stars!

Thanks to NetGalley & Feiwel & Friends for the early copy in exchange for an honest review. Sadly, I DNF'ed at 40% of the way through.

I was so disappointed with this one! I love Axie Oh's other book, so I'm not sure what happened here. Out of the two POVs--Ren was the strongest. Good motivation, cool magic, mysterious backstory. I didn't really care for Sunho and his amnesia plotline isn't a favorite trope of mine. I would've just preferred the book from Ren's POV the entire time, really.

It was really fast-paced so we didn't get to appreciate the worldbuilding. I didn't like that we didn't get a moment to breathe in between dramatic stuff, it was too fast for my taste.

Stunning! Axie Oh has created a breathtaking world that, like in Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea, takes an enshrined Korean folktale, The Woodcutter and the Celestial Maidens, and imagines what lies beneath. Quite literally, in Oh's sweeping fantasy/action/romance we see the struggles of the underworld which exists shrouded in the shadow of a floating kingdom plagued by power struggles in the absences of their goddess, the celestial maiden. In a society of exploited resources and people, each person's survival depends on how they navigate this dark world, whom they can trust and how far they are willing to go for one another. The worldbuilding in this first of a duology is staggering, with hints of folkloric Korea, an urban, industrial (almost Legend of Kora-like) underworld, and a serene, too beautiful floating world. This is combined with deeply developed and truly compelling characters struggling with conflicts like the believers in the celestial maiden vs. non-believers, those motivated by greed vs those hoping to save their families, rebel liberators vs a dark complex of military force and the desire to live a quiet, pastoral life vs. the calling of destiny. We encounter this world through a strong, resourceful, independent and open heroine, Ren, and a guarded but compassionate swordsman, Sunho, both of whom struggle with inner demons and past trauma. It is beautifully told, brilliantly devised and un-put-down-able. I will be anxiously awaiting its release for a reread, then pining for the arrival of the sequel.

Axie Oh has created something truly magical with The Floating World. I loved every moment of this breathtaking story—from the vivid worldbuilding to the rich, emotional journey of the characters. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to see what happened next. I’m already eager for more! I really want to know what happens next.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy!!! The characters were really starting to get fleshed out near the end. A good mix of fantasy and science fiction. The rest of the series is going to be fun going forward. A side note. This cover is amazing.

I’m grateful to be able to read this book about a world of fantasy, which is easy to get lost in. Each character had great depth and made me want to learn about each one even more.. I know this will be an ongoing series so I do not want to give out any spoilers, but I believe the main character will undergo changes in the future. Thanks NetGalley for allowing me to read this book.!

This book fell flat for me. I was intrigued by the premise, the gorgeous cover, and the promise of Korean-inspired folklore, but ultimately disappointed by lackluster characters and a surface level exploration of the world.

Ren being a storyteller was an interesting way to give us insight into the world, and a great connection between myth and reality. I found the stories fun and they also added interesting questions and layers to be picked at later in the book. Ren was a fun, unique, strong, and likable protagonist. I admired her dedication to her Uncle and her bravery going out into a world she knows little about. Watching her use her charisma to get out of situations were my favorite parts of the book. And, whole predictable, her character arc are exciting to piece together.

The world had a lot of potential but missed the mark in that I felt like we did not get to explore an area for very long. Ren and Sunho's adventure moves extremely quickly and characters were introduced and then not given much payoff. Many of them blended together and I felt like they mostly served to move the plot along.

Sunho's mysterious backstory was intriguing and I liked getting bits of it as the story progressed and he regained bits of memory. However, regaining his memories seemed to have little sustained impact on him and I was bummed out that the fantasy element was grounded in military experimentation. Even though I spent a book with him, I barely feel like I know much of his motivation beyond finding his brother, and even that did not seem to drive him much during the story. After he met Ren, he kind of threw everything out the window and followed her around instead. Their relationship developed too quickly and I did not think they had much chemistry. Even though they spent most of the book together, I found their conversations dry and boring.

Overall, this book was not for me. The writing was beautiful and the world building had so much potential. The characters and overall plot elements just turned me off from the intriguing premise.

The book starts great. I appreciated the uniqueness of the story and it's inspiration from Korean folklore. But I felt like the story falls flat. The plot doesn't carry the urgency, and most of the story happens because it's needs to happen.

I loved The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea, so I’m disappointed that The Floating World didn’t do it for me!

The world that Oh has created is compelling, with social classes divided in a physical hierarchy: the nobles live on the Floating World, while the lower class lives in the darkness of the Under World, blocked from the sun by those above them. The characters that occupy this world are clearly products of their cultural and physical context, and I appreciated that Ren and Sunho’s journey allows the reader to explore the varying ways that people live in these different places.

That said, The Floating World never quite cohered for me, in part because it didn’t seem to know what kind of book it wanted to be. Ren’s high stakes effort to find a cure for her ailing uncle provides plenty of drama, but there is rarely an effort to build suspense or linger in scenes of violence or betrayal. Surprising things happen, but they don’t seem to occupy the characters for long. Instead, the central romance is the primary focus, with Ren and Sunho both spending a fair amount of time thinking about each other. The “will they or won’t they?” feeling that romance novels traditionally seek to create is missing, though; the shifting narration confirms that their attraction develops mutually and without much conflict. The result is a lack of tension that deprives the story of energy. In other words, a lot happens, but the pacing and emphasis make for a less-than-thrilling reading experience.