Book Review: The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea
by Axie Oh
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.
The only aspect of the book that I feel could have been a bit stronger is the development of the romance. This book does have some romance in it. I wouldn’t say that the book is focused on being a romance, but it does have it running subtlety throughout the story. Unfortunately, I didn’t quite catch the development of it until the characters where already fairly confident in their feelings. It would have been better for me, to have had a few more moments where it portrayed that chemistry building between them.
Overall, I had a lot of fun reading this novel. It was an easy simple read and felt very unique and fresh. If you are looking for something that isn’t too long, isn’t a series, and has an interesting plot, I think you should consider picking up this novel. This is the first book I have read from Axie Oh, and I will be on the lookout for more of her works.
*Side note: I listened to this novel as an audiobook. I really enjoyed Rosa Escoda’s narration and recommend it to anyone who prefers audiobooks.
Pros:
- Mythology and story telling within the novel
- Great main character
- Nicely incorporated mystery
- Author’s story structure
Cons:
- Romance development not as clear as I’d like
Recommended for readers who like:
- Stand-alone stories
- Myths and legends
- Romance
- Simple, straight forward stories
Book Details:
- Published: February 22, 2022
- Series: N/A
- Book Number: 1
- Pages: 337
- Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
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