Book Review: The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea

Mina finds herself on the boat carrying this year’s bride for the Sea God. She was following her brother, Joon, who loves the bride, Shim Cheong. Once the moment arrives when Sim Cheong is about to given to the sea, Mina steps in and takes her place instead. She finds herself in the Spirit Realm where the Sea God is found to be in an eternal enchanted sleep. Will she find a way to awaken him, or will she become a spirit herself, forever trapped beneath the sea?

Axie Oh’s The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is a really fun novel. It is marketed for young adult readers, but I think it can absolutely be enjoyed by adults as well. It has a very simple and straight forward plot which makes it a really fun and easy read. I enjoyed just following Mina along her journey as she explored the Spirit Realm. There is a lot to learn about the realm and the spirits that reside there. Oh does a great job with both her world and character building.

Mina is my favorite of the characters which is good considering she is the main character. I love how strong of a person she is. Not only does she bravely decide to become the Sea God’s bride instead of Shim Cheong, she also takes on the responsibility of trying to awaken the Sea God. Mina is a very independent woman, and her compassion is as endless as the sea. Sometimes, she does get herself into trouble when she doesn’t listen to others telling her not to do something. But, overall Mina is merely a genuinely great person who cares about everyone.

Another great aspect of this novel is the mythology and story telling that is woven throughout it. In the beginning, we learn a lot about Mina through the stories that are told as part of the narration. As the reader, we read many mini stories about Mina’s grandmother and brother. Those stories then explain the way Mina thinks or feels about something. Then, as the story progresses, she tells stories to other characters or relates a myth that is important to her people. This is especially true of myths about the Gods. Oh uses these stories to do many things: develop Mina, develop the world, or allows Mina to communicate her feelings to someone else. All of these stories and myths are woven in so well that they naturally add richness to the storytelling of the novel as a whole. If you are a reader who really likes reading or listening to myths and/or legends, I think you will really enjoy this aspect as well.