Axie Oh

Deadly storms. An ancient curse. Will her sacrifice save them all? For generations, deadly storms have ravaged Mina's homeland. Her people believe the Sea God, once their protector, now curse them with death and despair. To appease him, each year a maiden is thrown into the sea, in the hopes that one day the 'true bride' will be chosen and end the suffering. Many believe Shim Cheong - Mina's brother's beloved - to be the legendary true bride. But on the night Cheong is sacrificed, Mina's brother follows her, even knowing that to interfere is a death sentence. To save her brother, Mina throws herself into the water in Cheong's stead. Swept away to the Spirit Realm, a magical city of lesser gods and mythical beasts, Mina finds the Sea God, trapped in an enchanted sleep. With the help of a mysterious young man and a motley crew of demons, gods and spirits, Mina sets out to wake him and bring an end to the storms once and for all. But she doesn't have much time: a human cannot live long in the land of the spirits. And there are those who would do anything to keep the Sea God from waking . . . The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is a magical feminist retelling of a classic Korean legend, perfect for fans of Uprooted and Miyazaki's Spirited Away. 'Clever, creative, and exquisitely written' Stephanie Garber, Sunday Times bestselling author of Caraval 'A beautiful, mesmerizing retelling' Elizabeth Lim, New York Times bestselling author of Six Crimson Cranes

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea

Axie Oh's The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is an enthralling feminist retelling of the classic Korean folktale "The Tale of Shim Cheong," perfect for fans of Wintersong, Uprooted, and Miyazaki’s SpiritedAway.

Deadly storms have ravaged Mina’s homeland for generations. Floods sweep away entire villages, while bloody wars are waged over the few remaining resources. Her people believe the Sea God, once their protector, now curses them with death and despair. In an attempt to appease him, each year a beautiful maiden is thrown into the sea to serve as the Sea God’s bride, in the hopes that one day the “true bride” will be chosen and end the suffering.

Many believe that Shim Cheong, the most beautiful girl in the village―and the beloved of Mina’s older brother Joon―may be the legendary true bride. But on the night Cheong is to be sacrificed, Joon follows Cheong out to sea, even knowing that to interfere is a death sentence. To save her brother, Mina throws herself into the water in Cheong’s stead.

Swept away to the Spirit Realm, a magical city of lesser gods and mythical beasts, Mina seeks out the Sea God, only to find him caught in an enchanted sleep. With the help of a mysterious young man named Shin―as well as a motley crew of demons, gods and spirits―Mina sets out to wake the Sea God and bring an end to the killer storms once and for all.

But she doesn’t have much time: A human cannot live long in the land of the spirits. And there are those who would do anything to keep the Sea God from waking…

Mary Carmona

"Look, Shin," I say with a smile."I found your soul”.

I lift my palm. At the center sits the pebble with the the carving of the lotus flower. 

He says nothing for a few minutes, and I wonder if offended him. But then he reaches out his hand, brushing his fingers across the pebble and my open palm. 

"It might not be as large as a mountain or as bright as the moon," I say as he lifts his eyes to meet mine, a heartbreaking, vulnerable look in their dark depths, "but it's just as beautiful because it's your soul. It's strong, resilient, and steadfast. And stubborn." He laughs softly. "And worthy, just as you are." 

My heart begins to beat painfully in my chest. "Well?" I say lifting my hand. "Will you accept it?" 

Kaitlyn

"I’Il return you home, Mina. I promise. But it might take longer than a week." He curls his hand around the pebble. "In order to remain a human, you'd have to tie your life to an immortal. I may not be the god of a river, a mountain, or a lake, but I am a god, and I would tie my life to yours, if you'll have me."

His eyes find mine. "I was angry, but not at you. I was angry at the fate I’d been given. Because I realized that in order for you to have what you want, I'd have to lose the only thing I've ever wanted."

"I should rejoice that it's gone and I'm still alive. But strange, Mina, why do I feel like this? I don't need a Red String of Fate to tell me that if you should die, so will I."

HE’S LYINGGGGGGGGGG OMGGGGGGGGGG AAAHHHHHHHHHH

I dip the cloth again and bring it to his neck. "Did he say anything else?”

He must have told Shin about how the Red String of Fate can be broken. 

I look up. Shin meets my gaze, his expression inscrutable. Is he...lying? But why would he lie about knowing the truth? 

"He told me some things as well," I say. "He said that the way to break the curse upon the Sea God is to form a fated connection with him, the same as between lovers. As for the Red String of Fate we share, he said—“

“You’re wrong,” Shin interrupts. “I think I have a fever.” I was disoriented before, upon waking, but reason has now returned. According to Nari, spirits and gods cannot become ill.

This isn’t a romantic line, but it’s sweet all the same. Broke my heart a little to read that 🥹

“Do you know how much I love Mimi? I came down from heaven so I could be with her.”

jade

"Your people suffer not because of any great will of the gods, but because of their own violent acts. They wage wars that burn the forest and fields. They spill the blood that pollutes the rivers and streams.  To blame the gods is to blame the land itself. Look upon your reflection to find your enemy. "

Axie Oh's The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is an enthralling feminist retelling of the classic Korean folktale "The Tale of Shim Cheong," perfect for fans of Wintersong, Uprooted, and Miyazaki's Spirited Away.

Deadly storms have ravaged Mina's homeland for generations. Floods sweep away entire villages, while bloody wars are waged over the few remaining resources. Her people believe the Sea God, once their protector, now curses them with death and despair. In an attempt to appease him, each year a beautiful maiden is thrown into the sea to serve as the Sea God's bride, in the hopes that one day the 'true bride' will be chosen and end the suffering.

Many believe that Shim Cheong, the most beautiful girl in the village and the beloved of Mina's older brother Joon, may be the legendary true bride. But on the night Cheong is to be sacrificed, Joon follows Cheong out to sea, even knowing that to interfere is a death sentence. To save her brother, Mina throws herself into the water in Cheong's stead.

Swept away to the Spirit Realm, a magical city of lesser gods and mythical beasts, Mina seeks out the Sea God, only to find him caught in an enchanted sleep. With the help of a mysterious young man named Shin as well as a motley crew of demons, gods and spirits Mina sets out to wake the Sea God and bring an end to the killer storms once and for all.

But she doesn't have much time: A human cannot live long in the land of the spirits. And there are those who would do anything to keep the Sea God from waking

Laura Scanlan

It is true that a wish is a piece of your soul. Because a true wish is something that if it never came true, it might break your heart. 

"In all my lifetime, I've never seen more wonderful creatures than ducks."

Elena M.

The memories of spirits and gods might be hazy, but not the memories of books. Stories are eternal.

Why must everything we love be taken from us? Why can’t we hold what we love forever in our hands, safe and warm and whole?

You claim the gods should love and care for humans. I disagree. I don’t think love can be bought or earned or even prayed for. It must be freely given.

Humans are fickle, violent creatures. Because they fear their own deaths, they are driven to war, scouring from the earth in seconds that which takes years to grow.

Tears are fine every now and then, but it’s never a good thing to waste water.

I was twelve years old, and I could feel the hours of our childhood slipping through my fingers like sand in the sea.

Who are you to say what my fate is— if I am to fail, or if I am to succeed? My fate is not yours to decide. My fate belongs to me.

Your people suffer not because of any great will of the gods, but because of their own violent acts. They wage the wars that burn the forests and fields. They spill the blood that pollutes the rivers and streams. To blame the gods is to blame the land itself. Look upon your reflection to find your enemy.

Humans tell myths to explain what they cannot understand.

After all, not all storytellers are grandmothers, but all grandmothers are storytellers.

This is the strength I call upon now, because even if I am afraid, I know I’ve chosen this. I am the maker of my own destiny.

I wonder if it happens in a day, for your fate to change. Or if it takes longer for your life to be stolen from you.

Suze

That's just like a human to think the world revolves around you, to think the rivers are for you, the sky, the sea is for you. You are just one of many parts of the world, and in my opinion, the one that blights them all.

Stories are both an escape from the truths of the world and the only way to see them clearly.

clover

I blame you, Mina. You've turned me into a kindhearted goddess.

beautiful imagery and spirited away vibes

deniz

IT WAS SO GOOD almost made me cry a few times

I found this pleasant enough to have in the background while going on walks; I found the prose to flow well, too - though it may be difficult to separate that from the narration of the audiobook which was excellent. Even so, it felt like it dragged on a little bit too often - which is a bit of a strange thing to say when the plot is relatively fast paced.

With all of the above, the rating may seem a little high but I really just found the novel fine, nothing more to it.

I found this pleasant enough to have in the background while going on walks; I found the prose to flow well, too - though it may be difficult to separate that from the narration of the audiobook which was excellent. Even so, it felt like it dragged on a little bit too often - which is a bit of a strange thing to say when the plot is relatively fast paced.

With all of the above, the rating may seem a little high but I really just found the novel fine, nothing more to it.

Beautifully written Asian inspired fantasy that reads like a timeless fable. I thoroughly enjoyed Axie Oh’s writing in particular; so many quotes in this book that could rival “critically acclaimed” works of literature.

It is uniquely different to see a protagonist that adores her family (extended family included!), and one who’s motivations of duty and familial love outweigh romantic love.

However, things come too easy for our protagonist and the story had a general low stakes feel to it. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it (It’s nice to know that your favourite characters will not die an agonizing death XD)

Jawahir M

Beautifully written Asian inspired fantasy that reads like a timeless fable. I thoroughly enjoyed Axie Oh’s writing in particular; so many quotes in this book that could rival “critically acclaimed” works of literature.

It is uniquely different to see a protagonist that adores her family (extended family included!), and one who’s motivations of duty and familial love outweigh romantic love.

However, things come too easy for our protagonist and the story had a general low stakes feel to it. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it (It’s nice to know that your favourite characters will not die an agonizing death XD)

If I wasn't reading this book for a book challenge I would've dropped it. The BIGGEST problem is how the author starts off with a female lead who is 15 ( almost 16 )  and male lead who is a god , indicating centuries of age. The "big reveal" that's supposed to make us jump on the ship is that he's secretly NOT just a random god but the actual Sea God himself . So shes not the bride of some random but his bride and what makes it worse it that they dont get married until the year Mina turns 18. Which ofcourse , TOTALLY makes the relationship acceptable since she's not a child bride anymore , right? Does Axie Oh understand what a predator is? Clearly not since she doesnt know about that special word you call an adult who's in a relationship with a minor but waits till they're 18 to physically touch them. Its like the author saw Twilight and was like 🤔 "what if I went even YOUNGER ?!" Even before these revelations I wasnt enjoying the story. Mina is a human traversing the spirit world to save her loved ones and I was bored. I felt absolutely nothing for the characters or the plot after she got her voice back. The writing falls flat on every moment it needs to keep your eyes open so when you get to the big reveal its hallow . I wish more people had tagged the adult/minor warning so I could've known but I don't blame folks for not catching it. I'm not marking this as a spoiler because more people need to know what they're walking into. There's only 2 short mentions of her age that are easy to miss but i'm incredibly disappointed since I've had my sights on this book since it was released. 

this was definitely Giving Spirited away vibes !! with the colorful lively mystical world that mina fell into 

tbh i didn’t truly know what was going on in this book and the romance is very subtle yet cute 

the plot of this fantasy world was so confusing. the storytelling and world-building also felt clustered where i had no idea what was happening most of the time. the character development was weak to me as well. there’s so many characters and i couldn’t fully connect with any of them. yea this book was not helping my reading slump

i liked the romance especially shin!!! however the romance did feel rushed and underdeveloped. i totally missed the part where shin and mina fell in love??? and i’m pretty sure i didn’t miss anything (the author wrote barely any development) bc i was just reading for the romance. sure they had some cute banter and subtle moments but they were SUBTLE!! like how did the subtle become LOVE?? i did love the mention of how shin’s empty bedroom was later filled with mina’s stuff. anyways when mina mentioned that she was in love with shin, i was like girl when did this happened???? overall, i wish we got more of shin and mina ESPECIALLY SHIN’S POV! oh that would’ve ate 

invisible strings by taylor swift

magnets by niki

this was definitely Giving Spirited away vibes !! with the colorful lively mystical world that mina fell into 

tbh i didn’t truly know what was going on in this book and the romance is very subtle yet cute 

the plot of this fantasy world was so confusing. the storytelling and world-building also felt clustered where i had no idea what was happening most of the time. the character development was weak to me as well. there’s so many characters and i couldn’t fully connect with any of them. yea this book was not helping my reading slump

i liked the romance especially shin!!! however the romance did feel rushed and underdeveloped. i totally missed the part where shin and mina fell in love??? and i’m pretty sure i didn’t miss anything (the author wrote barely any development) bc i was just reading for the romance. sure they had some cute banter and subtle moments but they were SUBTLE!! like how did the subtle become LOVE?? i did love the mention of how shin’s empty bedroom was later filled with mina’s stuff. anyways when mina mentioned that she was in love with shin, i was like girl when did this happened???? overall, i wish we got more of shin and mina ESPECIALLY SHIN’S POV! oh that would’ve ate 

Very nice book, well written, just not really my style 

Chrispy

there's just something off with the writing but it's a solid book!!

yousr abu sboulah

started this a while ago and wasnt really into it, last night i picked it up and finished it all in one sitting … so gooooooood!

There were some parts of this where the narrative thread got a little lost, and some parts dragged on while others were rushed through. 

However, there is so much vibrant life in this book. It’s incredibly creative and rich with lore and character personalities. The big twist was something I did not expect, and the ending had me crying. There’s an abundance of good lines in this that hit close to home, and the vibes are adjacent to Spirited Away. 

Floofyflower

There were some parts of this where the narrative thread got a little lost, and some parts dragged on while others were rushed through. 

However, there is so much vibrant life in this book. It’s incredibly creative and rich with lore and character personalities. The big twist was something I did not expect, and the ending had me crying. There’s an abundance of good lines in this that hit close to home, and the vibes are adjacent to Spirited Away. 

tori 👻

"The water stretches out to the horizon, its beauty unparalleled, filling my heart with a joy that is boundless, that both grounds me to this moment and spirits me away, to a world far beyond this one, to the place where I long to be."

Where do I even start? I love the world, I love the characters, I could easily read 500 more pages about them. The mythology is beautiful and the way Axie Oh described the spirit world made me picture it so powerfully in my head. I wanted to know all its crooks and crannies, all its creatures, and all its spirits and gods. 
The only reason I'm giving it 4 stars is that it felt rushed a few times, but ugh this is one of those reads that will stick with me. Beautiful. I'm really excited to read more from Axie Oh.

And can we PLEASE talk about how STUNNING this cover is?

Bria

(view spoiler)[Maybe I'm just not a fan of Oh's writing... (hide spoiler)]

** spoiler alert **
           4.50

a must read!

this is not an exaggeration but this book made me feel what is it like to be in love with a book and its characters - and i only feel this way with ghibli studio’s movies. will definitely re-read when i have a spare time.

also, this may not have the usual ~ open ending ~ agenda of ghibli movies, but still delivered. all over, a whooping chef’s kiss for this book!

sarah

the writing in this book was super easy to get through as i sped through this within like 24 hr LOL 😋😋😋 but will say this book delivered more breadth than depth 🤌🤌🤌 when i wanted to see certain characters / plot points developed a little further 😫 did love the ambiance of a Korean myth, and all tbe embedded folktales that were told within the story 🫶

I do not know words are enough to explain the thoughts and emotions swimming in my head. I love this book so much… the story resonated with me deeply, both in plot and character-wise. as it reminded me of my own culture and beliefs. some lines in the books abt the relationship of gods and people gripped and tugged at my heartstrings, it’s like a nail hitting its mark. in the case of character-wise, I rlly see myself in mina ( as cringey as that may sound ). a lot. it’s because we share a lot of the same views, that made me feel very connected to her character. while reading, I find myself cheering her on or feeling the same emotions as her. besides that, the other characters are multifaceted with lots of layers to them although the story is told through mina’s pov. they’re colourful and full of live plus sooo well developed. ALSOOO I love the plot twists, they felt very refreshing ( as someone who read / watch a lot of media, it can be easy for me to predict twists ), the twists and turns felt rlly unexpected and I really like that about this book. now… I can see myself thinking abt this book for the next few days and in the near future rereading it, that’s how much I loved this book. 

Chloé

Beautiful. I'm so glad this was my first read of the year. I didn't read a lot of fantasy last year and I hope to read so much more, and this was one of my most anticipated from last year. I kept seeing spirited away and Studio Ghibli vibes comparisons AND OMG IS THAT ACCURATE.
The writing is stunning first of all. Mina was such a wonderful and likeable character, within the first chapter we see Minas character when she sacrifices herself for her brother and his love. Mina being a storyteller is another of my favourite traits of her and is so integral to her being. I adored the character of Shin aswell, he and mina had a great enemies-lovers romance just beautiful, I loved them apart and together.
The reveal with spirits at the end had me crying. I loved this and now can't wait to read more fantasy.

Axie Oh's The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is an enthralling feminist retelling of the classic Korean folktale “The Tale of Shim Cheong,” perfect for fans of Wintersong, Uprooted, and Miyazaki’s Spirited Away. Deadly storms have ravaged Mina’s homeland for generations. Floods sweep away entire villages, while bloody wars are waged over the few remaining resources. Her people believe the Sea God, once their protector, now curses them with death and despair. In an attempt to appease him, each year a beautiful maiden is thrown into the sea to serve as the Sea God’s bride, in the hopes that one day the “true bride” will be chosen and end the suffering. Many believe that Shim Cheong, the most beautiful girl in the village—and the beloved of Mina’s older brother Joon—may be the legendary true bride. But on the night Cheong is to be sacrificed, Joon follows Cheong out to sea, even knowing that to interfere is a death sentence. To save her brother, Mina throws herself into the water in Cheong’s stead. Swept away to the Spirit Realm, a magical city of lesser gods and mythical beasts, Mina seeks out the Sea God, only to find him caught in an enchanted sleep. With the help of a mysterious young man named Shin—as well as a motley crew of demons, gods and spirits—Mina sets out to wake the Sea God and bring an end to the killer storms once and for all. But she doesn’t have much time: A human cannot live long in the land of the spirits. And there are those who would do anything to keep the Sea God from waking... Praise for The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea: "A journey of both heart and spirit. With its captivating world-building, fast-paced story and cast of memorable characters, The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea will charm, delight and surprise readers." —Juliet Marillier, award-winning author of the Warrior Bards series "This brilliant retelling of Korea's most famous legend preserves the beloved classic while empowering Shim Cheong for a modern audience. Oh's fantastical world is unique and absolutely mesmerizing." —Ellen Oh, editor and co-author of A Thousand Beginnings and Endings

aiden

This was honestly so nice and really easy to read, especially after reading a pretty heavy book. I loved the magical aspects and the retelling of 심청가

Krys C.

Strong Spirited Away vibes from this one. Literally felt like watching a Ghibli movie in my head while reading. Honestly speaking, the plot was a bit predictable and the worldbuilding was a bit vague for me, but the writing and vibes were simply immaculate and whimsical.

Christine

3* - Gorgeous but insubstantial, which is mainly my own fault for theorizing so much that I actually figured out pretty much the entire story. Still a very worthy read.

Axie Oh has created a beautiful tale in The Girl Who Fell Beneath The Sea, her world building is magical and the characters she has designed all make her story more engaging. Whilst the plot isn’t the most complex, her storytelling skills are magnetic and charming. I loved it.

Charlotte Squire

Julie Rubens

Wow. I loved this book. If I'm completely honest, the only reason I bought the book was because of the gorgeous cover, it's so so so pretty. But I'm so glad I did. The storyline was great and made me want to keep reading the entire time and the characters were amazing. I could go on for days about this book, but all I'll say for now is: go read it!

revina

i have no words to describe how much i loveee this book.. and this is the BEST book i've ever read in my entire life. the characters, the plot, the ending are just perfect. i am really really enjoyed reading this and there’s no plot hole and part yang bikin bosen gila this such a page-turner book t____t also mina and shin's love story is sooooo invisible string and daylight coded !!! <3333 now I NEED namgi and kirin side story cuz there must be something going on between them *begs*

fran

this was… wow. this story was so full of love i think i experienced actual chest pains while reading this. i loved mina as an mc, she loved so fiercely. each character was an entire person, i felt so strongly each and every one of them. the yearning, the sacrifice, all written so clearly and beautifully. finished it in one go. 

this might be my favorite read of the year.

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea

Reviews

Highlights