The Girl Who Fell Beneath The Sea by Axie Oh
A New York times bestseller 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 winter song, uprooted, and miyazaki and #8217s spirited away. Deadly storms have ravaged mina and #8217s 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 and #8217s bride, in the hopes that one day the and #8220, true bride and #8221, will be chosen and end the suffering. Many believe that shim cheong, the most beautiful girl in the village and #8212, and the beloved of mina and #8217s older brother joon and #8212, 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 and #8217s 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 and #8212, as well as a motley crew of demons, gods and spirits and #8212, mina sets out to wake the sea god.
- Suggested age range - 13-18 years
- Format- Hardcover
- Product dimensions- 8.3" W x 5.6" H x 1.1" D
- Genre- Young Adult
- Publisher - Feiwel and Friends, Publication date - 02-22-2022
- Page count - 336
- ISBN - 9781250780867
Web ID: 13394166
Stunning
Oh goodness this story had me in almost tears by the end. It was so heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. Some of the quotes and conversations are so provocative in a way of emotions that it hits. I adore this and loved that I thought I guessed the ending right… but ended up being the complete opposite. This is a very emotionally driven and powerful tale. I’m so happy to have picked this up.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Great Read!
Overall, The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea was a great read. There were some minor characters that were too predictable or too obvious, and the ending was a little drawn out. But I loved Mina, who had a gift of telling a story, and Shin, who was a mystery throughout the entire book. Mostly though, I enjoyed the underwater city. I had read several people’s reviews where they compare this book to The Little Mermaid. However, the underwater city and the elements within it reminded me more of the retellings of Atlantis. I look forward to reading more books by Axie Oh as well as other books with similar themes.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Amazing book!
I finished the book in just a few days! It was amazing and the story kept drawing me in. The plot twists and love story was written brilliantly.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Simple retelling
As with most books lately, it seems like I am drawn in by a strong beginning and then everything just falls apart. The book felt like one long story, one told verbally that moved from one scene to the next with little elaborate explanation or prose. The character did this, they did that. Then this happened. It was an easy read because of this. I wasn’t getting mired in long drawn out complicated explanations. It felt like a myth that was expanded to become a novel, with the bare bones of the story, but little further embellishment. I enjoyed some of the visuals, like the continued presence of the red string of fate. And the characters were interesting on the surface, though could have used more development. The ending felt rushed because of massive amounts of time passing before the final act. It also felt too easy. Though I’m sure Mina suffered because she was missing her love, it was very glossed over by years and months passing. I would recommend this book for middle grade readers, or young YA. Though the main character is about sixteen, the book read much younger for me. It’s a nice retelling, but isn’t anything amazing.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
beautiful story of china
The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea (Hardcover) by Axie Oh A look in the legend and mythology of China. Dragons and ancestors this is a great look into Chinese culture. Its an story that will connect modern children to the story. I can see the beautiful images explained in the story. The world of ancient myths, of the land under the sea, the gifts of sea gods brides and the idea of pearl wishes. I was entranced by the story, connected easily to the characters, making this a great book for young adult readers.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Stunning
This book was beautifully written, filled with fascinating and thoughtful characters, and was a joy to read from beginning to end.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
gripping
Deadly storms have plagued Mina's village for generations. It wasn't always like this way. Many year ago the countryside was protected by the great Sea God--both a protector and confidant of the emperor. Everything changed when the emperor died. Now instead of blessing the area with protection, many believe the Sea God curses them with death and destruction. Every year a beautiful maiden is thrown into the sea to become the Sea God's bride in an attempt to appease him and break the curse. Eventually villagers hope one girl might be the Sea God's true bride--able to love him and remind him of his duty to protect the people and stop the storms. No one is surprised when Shim Cheong is chosen as this year's bride. She is, by far, the most beautiful girl in their village. But she is also the only girl Mina's older brother loves. Rather than watch them both suffer, Mina sacrifices herself in Cheong's place. Beneath the sea Mina finds another kingdom in chaos filled with lesser gods and magical creatures all waiting for the Sea God to wake from an enchanted sleep. Trapped in the land of spirits with a god unable to break his own curse, Mina will have to take fate into her own hands to break the curse and save both her people and the Sea God himself in The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea (2022) by Axie Oh. The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is a standalone, feminist take on the Korean folk story "The Tale of Shim Cheong." Mina's narration is practical but also open to wonder as she explores the literal magic (and dangers) of the spirit world. Oh introduces many of the elements found in the traditional story, even including one version in the text of the novel, so that readers do not need to have familiarity with the source material before reading. Throughout the novel female friendship and matriarchal bonds take center stage as Mina again and again makes her own fate. Alone in the spirit world, Mina draws strength from memories of her beloved grandmother and support from the other former sea brides that she finds in beneath the sea. In saving Cheong, Mina claims agency over her fate in a figurative sense but also, later, in a literal sense as her red String of Fate repeatedly tries to steer Mina in directions she refuses to follow in the spirit realm. Mina is a proactive, clever heroine who is very aware of her strengths as well as her vulnerabilities as a mortal trapped in the spirit world. With support from surprising allies including a trio of ghosts and other mythical creatures, Mina slowly begins to make a place for herself beneath the sea while also making inroads with understanding and ending the Sea God's curse. But it isn't until Mina embraces her role as a bride and accepts help from other brides, including Cheong, that Mina is fully able to understand how to break the curse and save everyone she loves. The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is a retelling that is as evocative as it is inventive; a gripping story where a girl has to learn how to save herself in order to save her world. Highly recommended. Possible Pairings: The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi, Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones, The Drowned Woods by Emily Lloyd-Jones, A Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy I. Lin, Uprooted by Naomi Novik, Star Daughter by Shveta Thakrar, Spirited Away
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Love, love, love
I loved this book. I could read it over and over and not get sick of it.The twists and details like you can picture it before you.It is a beautiful adventure and wish for more
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com