"She taught me many songs, as well as folktales and myths. She said that through songs and stories, I could learn about the world, and about the people who live in it."

I could not put this down, I adore Mina so much, such a spirited and kind individual! I didn't give it 5 stars because there were a few things that weren't explained but you can use your imagination to fill those out! XD

I recommend this to those who enjoy myths and are a fan of Studio Ghibli ( )

I’m a little biased because I love this myth but what a nice retelling! It didn’t feel super YA but was just nothing too dark or heavy. I enjoyed myself while I was reading and even finished it in one sitting! ( )

A little slow at first, and wasn't really sure how it would play out. True love amid dragons and Chinese gods with a lot of twists and turns, and the next thing you know it's over! This was very interesting and well told.

The Girl Who Fell Beneath The Sea is a lovely tale set against a well-imagined backdrop that evokes Hayao Miyazaki’s work at Studio Ghibli.

I love the beautifully-described setting, the whimsical side-characters (Mask and Dai and Miki), and especially the details of Asian culture that infuse the story with a distinctively Korean flavor, adding so much to the mystical lore of the Sea God’s bride.

Mina is a worthy main character, pragmatic and courageous, fiercely loyal and loving.

The author has said that this is the story of her heart, and that the story is about many things, foremost of which is Family. Indeed, the deeper themes go far beyond the usual YA fantasy fare, touching on:

- the malleability of Fate,

- the need to be true to ourselves (“Nothing extraordinary is ever done out of reason or logic, but because it’s the only way for your soul to breathe.”),

- the power of Love, and

- the power of Story. (“Stories are both an escape from the truths of the world and the only way to see them clearly.”)

This last quote resonates deeply with me.

A nitpick - I couldn’t understand how a personal loss of memory could cause a collective memory loss. Even so, this is, hands down, the best YA fantasy I’ve read in years. So glad I picked it up on a recommendation. ( )

In a Nutshell: Minority opinion alert! This wasn’t my cup of tea. Sorry to the fans. But this was a disappointing mess of a book for me.

Story:

Mina’s village is ravaged by severe storms since decades. To appease the Sea God, a pretty young girl is thrown in to the sea to serve as his “bride” so that someday, he will choose the right bride and be appeased, thereby ending the calamities. This year, it’s the turn of Shim Cheong, the most beautiful girl in the village to be the Sea God’s bride. However, Cheong is in love with Joon, Mina’s beloved older brother. To keep the two lovers united, Mina makes a last minute sacrifice and throws herself into the sea.
Swept away to the Spirit realm by an underwater dragon, Mina is stunned to see that the Sea God is in an enchanted sleep. All she has for company is three strange young men – Shin, Namgi and Kirin – and a few spirits. But whom can she trust and who is out to get her? Will she able to serve her purpose and save her village?
The story is written in the first person perspective of Mina.

Where the book worked for me:
( )

The beautiful cover says it all: This book is vibrant and enchanting. To save her brother, Mina sacrifices herself to a god. Thus begins the story of a bold and plucky girl on a quest through the Spirit World to break a curse. Mina is spunky and full of conviction. She practically leaps of the pages without being cartoonish or cliché, and the characters around her are just as vivid. Their decisions drive an entertaining tale that reads like a love letter to the Korean myth that inspired it, but full of reminders that this version centers a woman who has agency. To be sure, the book has its problems—a meandering plot that lacks motivation and direction at times (despite its promise to offer a straightforward quest), predictable twists, a corny romance (that will look overly familiar to YA readers), physical stakes that feel smaller than they should, and an unclear set of antagonistic forces and characters. However the author's lovely prose is enough of a distraction that the book's flaws can go unnoticed. ( )

#ReadAroundTheWorld. #South Korea

This is a feminist retelling of the classic Korean folktale “The Tale of Shim Cheong,” by Korean American author Axie Oh.

Mina’s hometown has been buffeted by storms for years with whole villages washed away. The villagers believe the Sea God’s wrath needs to be appeased and sacrifice a beautiful maiden each year into the sea as the Sea God’s Bride. When the beautiful Shim Cheong, in love with Mina’s brother, is chosen, Mina’s life is changed and she finds herself suddenly taking Shim Cheong’s place. Mina must now find the Sea God and put things to right before her time under the sea as a mortal runs out.

She meets the harsh Shin, fun-loving Namgi and a cast of ghosts and gods. I loved the concept of this book, retelling a legend, and the cover is very attractive, but this was definitely not for me. It did not catch my attention and it felt very YA (I don’t mind reading YA but only if the story is engrossing enough to forget that it is written for teens). The romance felt undeveloped and the whole story felt flat for me. I don’t think I’ll be reading another of this author. ( )

While all the strings of the plot were well tied-up (haha) by the time I finished this book, I couldn't help but wish there was more. I had fallen so in love with the characters, their complex relationships, and the setting, and found myself wanting to linger just a little bit longer in the Spirit Realm. This book was exciting and heart-wrenching and so, so enthralling. I personally found the portrayals of life-beyond-living in this book deeply comforting, and though I can't really explain it better, the intermingling of the characters both dead and alive was so...healing. I will be recommending this book to everyone that I know, and (having read the e-book) now plan to add one of its beautifully-bound versions to my physical collection. Thank you so much for sharing this story, Axie Oh! ( )

The audiobook narrator had a voice I loved, but listening to the audiobook left me confused sometimes about the plot. It didn't make sense to me until the end, and even then I was not 100% sure I understood. Still, this is a lush fantasy with a tween-friendly romance element and overall very enjoyable.

The Goddess of Moon and Memory was the character who interested me the most, though sometimes I thought she was just there to add in excitement/violence.

I would probably read a spin-off about the sidekick boys who maybe are in love. ( )

I thought this was a such a lyrical read and one that gave me all the vibes!! I also loved the plot and the path of this journay. I wish i would have felt connected to the main characters. I thought it was quick read and it felt like I was almost taking a journey though the character life. I felt like this book was more plot heavy then character focused! It was quick read, but one i enjoyed!! ( )

I thought this was a such a lyrical read and one that gave me all the vibes!! I also loved the plot and the path of this journay. I wish i would have felt connected to the main characters. I thought it was quick read and it felt like I was almost taking a journey though the character life. I felt like this book was more plot heavy then character focused! It was quick read, but one i enjoyed!! ( )

What a beautiful, colourful, and magical tale... I fell in love with the world and the characters that Axie Oh had created. The images that came into my head as I read were so vivid, so alive.

(And yes, it's nice to dream about an anime based on this book - preferably made by Studio Ghibli.) ( )

What a beautiful story of family and love! And I got heavy Spirited Away vibes from this story, love it. I’d read that this was a retelling of the Tale of Shim Cheong, which I was unfamiliar with prior to reading this.

Mina, the MC is likeable and relatable and realistically portrayed as a bit naive, but kindhearted 16-year old girl. We all need someone like Shin…lovely MMC and love interest who is kind and patient and handsome. And all the Gods and Goddesses and spirits were so much fun to read about! The Spirit World and Mina’s hometown are described beautifully. Her devotion to her family is admirable.

Told in first person from Mina’s POV.

4 stars because the middle dragged quite a bit and I had to force myself to keep reading in some parts, and there were many times where I felt as if nothing was happening. But that ending was powerful and warmed my heart when all was revealed.

Well done, I really enjoyed The Girl Who Fell Into The Sea! ( )

The cover is lovely but as the story continued my interest dwindled. I also found Mina and the side characters to be bland. I think the mystery behind the Sea God and Shin were the most promising parts, but he warmed up to Mina almost a bit too quickly for my liking. I enjoyed the Korean mythology and lore and the inclusion of imugi. ( )

beautifully written (and narrated). its nice to read/hear east asian mythology retold lovingly. however, the book has this sense of disorder or untidiness bursting off the seams that's keeping the plot together. its also somewhat predictable, and borders on being too preachy and on the nose.

maybe its just me though, and the mood i'm in when i read this. i imagine this would be a good read for others.

also, i just adore the book cover! ( )

Fantastic storytelling with layers and layers of stories intertwined with Asian fairy tales about spirits and gods and dragons. It's an all inclusive love story-love for family, love for community, love for gods and goddesses, love for friends, and romantic love- interspersed with action and danger. Vibrant symbols and more twists and turns than the alleys in the city that keep you guessing and surprised by the unexpected. ( )

I love Uprooted and recently discovered the wonder that is Spirited Away, so when I first saw this book it felt as though it had basically been written for me! And I am really glad my NetGalley request for this was approved because The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea was exactly the kind of book I needed, with a story that is just as great as its breathtaking cover.

I absolutely loved being immersed in the world of this book and following Mina in the Spirit Realm. Some of the initial descriptions of the Realm definitely reminded me of Spirited Away, so much so that I could almost picture it in exactly the same way. The story soon continued on its own independent path, and it was so engaging and fast-paced that I may possibly have forsaken other duties just to continue reading as I was so engrossed in the action.

The characters were delightful, and I was especially taken with the protagonist, Mina. She is everything I want in a main character: smart, generous, kind and brave. Plus, she is an excellent storyteller, and that never hurts! The rest of the cast was varied and just as compelling, even though there were a few characters I would have liked to see developed a little further. I wasn't wholly sold on the romance at the beginning, but it completely won me over in the second half of the book! And I absolutely adored the focus on family relationships and friendship: they were so wholesome and heartwarming and gave me all the feels. There may have also been some tears... mostly happy tears, though!

I loved the setting and I found the descriptions to be beautifully delivered, lush and very evocative, but at the same time the worldbuilding is the aspect I had the most issues with. In a sense, it felt as though the book's fast pace worked against it in this respect, as it often seemed rushed and I couldn't help feeling as though large parts of context were missing. I won't go into any more detail to avoid potential spoilers, but I'll just say that I'm still wondering about the motives behind certain characters' actions and decisions.

Still, I had a great time with this book and I loved getting lost in it. Magic, action, love, grief, honour, family, gods and goddesses and even a dragon: this book has it all! Plus, I loved discovering more about the original Korean legend that inspired this retelling. Definitely recommended to anyone looking for a magical easy read.

I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way. ( )

Captivating story, beautifully written. ( )

A swoon-worthy love story. Each year a maiden is given to the Sea God to be his bride in hopes to appease him as they believe he has cursed them. Each year they hope that the Sea God will find his true bride to end the suffering.
This story begins with Shim Cheong, the most beautiful girl in the village, and Mina's elder brother, Joon, who loves Shim Cheong, on a boat in the middle of the sea. Shim Cheong is to jump into the sea to be the Sea God's bride and Joon is with her to stop it from happening when unbeknownst to them, Mina hid on the boat as well. Mina came out to protect her brother, Joon, from the Sea God's wrath and jumps into the sea in Shim Cheong's place and there her journey and adventure begins in the Spirit Realm.
When Mina meets the Sea God, she finds him in an enchanted sleep. With the help of a young man named Shin, Mina sets out to wake the Sea God and save her people. She only has a short time to figure out how to help the Sea God though as a human cannot live long in the Spirit Realm.
Mina finds friends to help her and a swoon-worthy romance while she goes about figuring out how to help the Sea God and her people. She also goes about finding herself, who she is, what she wants, and shares how stories shape, teach, and help her to solve things and know what to do.
I loved this story and this audiobook. The narrator does a wonderful job with the characters' voices and bringing them and the world to life. Listening to this narrator and the audiobook immerses you into the world. If you haven't checked this out, be sure to grab it and listen to it now.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for letting me listen and review this ALC. All thoughts and opinions are my own. ( )

Originally posted on Just Geeking by.

Content warnings:
As this book is set in the spirit realm there is a lot of discussion about death, loss and grief. In particular there is a storyline involving the loss of an infant during pregnancy, which may be triggering for readers who have had a miscarriage or lost a family member in this way. It is handled respectfully, and I say that as someone who comes from a family who has lost a baby to stillbirth (my brother). But it did still hit me in the gut, so I would like others to be aware.

While there are no scenes of specific violence towards women, the basis of this novel is that women have been sacrificed to the Sea God to be his bride regularly for years. Some went willingly, some volunteered and some did not. This is not romanticised, however, it is a form of violence against women and is based on misogynist attitudes.

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is a breathtakingly beautiful and haunting tale that is brought to life by Oh’s descriptive prose. As Mina falls beneath the waves and then walks through an abandoned village, everything was brought to life in mind with every word. The visualisation was so strong that I didn’t feel as though I was reading a book most of the time; I was right there alongside Mina, experiencing what she experienced.

Another of the things I liked about Oh’s writing was the way she chose to imagine indescribable and unseeable things, such as fate and a soul. In The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea fate is seen as a red string, connecting two people and providing the reader with a clear visual. Likewise, the souls of the Sea God’s brides are represented by birds. Fate and souls are two concepts that can mean something completely different depending on where you’re from, your culture or your beliefs, and by unifying them with a specific visual Oh unites the visualisation. The reader is “seeing” the same thing, and it also makes it less confusing by having a solid construct; souls have a tendency to be explained as some glowy intangible thing. In The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea they are real, they are tangible and things can happen to them. The same goes for fate.

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is a retelling of the Korean folktale “The Tale of Shim Cheong” and the original folktale is retold by Mina during the novel. By moving the tale away from Shim to Mina, to a girl who was not intended as the Sea God’s bride, Oh provides us with a protagonist who is instantly likeable. She’s not the most beautiful girl in the village, she’s just an ordinary person who wants to help. However, it isn’t just that she’s a good person – after all she jumped into the sea instead of someone else – it’s because she did it with just the vaguest of ideas of a plan. Find the Sea God, save village, check. That is as far as Mina had gotten and when she gets beneath the sea she finds that she is way over her head. How many of us have been there? *raises hand*.

She is not the only character that was likeable, and in all honesty, I can only think of one I disliked, and you’re supposed to dislike her. Everyone else was genuine and more importantly flawed. Not one of them was perfect. They either worried because they didn’t have something vital, because they had too much of something and didn’t want to become something bad, or because they were lonely and didn’t know how to express their emotions. Even in the Spirit Realm people have their insecurities. When I say people, I’m referring to a diverse range of creatures from Korean mythology that Oh has brought to life in wonderful detail. From the spirits of deceased humans, to mythical sea creatures, gods and goddesses, and demons.

I often find that in most mythological tales the gods and goddesses are one dimensional, not just seen as aloof but completely unable to change in any way. It was remarkable to come across a book where for once they weren’t set in stone, where they were seen to actively change based on events that happened in their lives (on and off the pages), affected by new people entering their lives.

While it is the spirit realm, it is not a realm full of doom and gloom. Mina finds a world that is worried about the Sea God’s sleep and raids by a mysterious goddess, yet still imbued with life and love. The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is a book of opposites. It’s beautiful and joyful, yet it’s hauntingly emotional and there is one scene especially that will have you reaching for your tissues – I’m not sure if they were unhappy or happy tears (or a mixture of both!) for me! This is a tale about family and found family, of forging your own path while also following fate. Of doing the wrong thing, yet also doing the right thing. In death many characters have found rebirth, and I was strongly reminded of ying and yang, the concept of opposing forces actually be complementary and interconnected rather than total opposites. That is certainly the case in The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea where everything is connected.

I had a lot of theories, and while I had a few things worked out, I never quite connected everything. This is a book that is an emotional rollercoaster filled with twists and turns, and Oh keeps you on the edge of your seat. She feeds the reader just enough to get their imagination going, to keep the story moving but without giving the whole game away.

The one downside to The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is that it is a standalone novel. It works as one, I have to admit, but as with all books that I love I always want the author to return to that universe and continue the characters’ story. This fact should not dissuade you from reading The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea at all. It is a magical book and one that will whisk you off to a world under the sea, and yes, you may have that song in your head for a few days after reading it ;)


For more of my reviews please visit my blog! ( )

Excellent YA book with an oriental focus.

Easy to read, semi-typical plot with some lovely nuances behind it. ( )

this was so beautiful and I have been crying for the last few chapters oh boy ( )

Possibly it’s not you it’s me... I wasn’t sucked into the synopsis, don’t care about any of the characters nor the plot, nothing much seemed to happen and I just got bored. Generous with my rating because there’s not really anything bad, the writing is okay, other people seem to enjoy it. Just not for me ( )

This book was excellent. Interesting world-building, with clues but not overly predictable, and a satisfying ending. Hoping for more of the same from this author. ( )

3.75

My biggest issue with this is that she’s 16 - and in a relationship with someone MUCHHHHHHH older.
Not into that at all. She didn’t need to be 16.

Besides that the world was cool and I thought it was ok. ( )