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Darling readers, after last week’s missed connection, I’m delighted to say this week’s selection is exactly the book I wanted it to be!  The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is a delightful retelling of a classic Korean folktale.  While the original is “The Tale of Shim Cheong,” in our version, Mina is our guide and hero.  Each year in Mina and Cheong’s village, a bride is sent to the Sea God in an attempt to lift the curse and regain his protection.  When her brother’s beloved, Cheong, is sent out as the bride, Mina chases after them and goes in her place.  Finding herself in the spirit realm, Mina sets out to break the curse once and for all.  She’s got help from a fun ensemble of spirits, demons, and even a couple of gods, but she doesn’t have much time, and there are those who want to see her fail.  

If it wasn’t for a bit of romance, I’d love to hand this tale to my elementary aged boys because they love mythology and I love them reading books where women, especially women of color, are the hero.  That bit of romance might be perfect for a middle schooler, particularly as Mina herself is only 16, and it’s very PG.  Through the story, we meet several gods, hear what happens to the offerings for ancestors, and even how the curse came to be.  I suspected some of the twists and was excited by others, which is always a fun time.

I’m giving The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea 3.5 stars and rounding up.  Oh’s writing is picturesque, the story is complex, and the characters are engaging.  It’s also a really fun hang that allows the reader to go deeper, or not.  I’m very interested in Oh’s backlist and to see what else she brings to her readers.  

What’s a title that you found impressively fun to read?

~ Nikki

Axie Oh is a first generation Korean-American born in New York but raised in New Jersey. She received an undergraduate degree from University of California San Diego where she studied Korean History and creative writing. Lesley University is where she earned her MFA in Writing for Young People. Her debut title is first in a YA Science Fiction Duology, Rebel Seoul, followed by Rogue Heart. Her contemporary YA title XOXO was released in early 2021 followed quickly in 2022 with the mythological retelling of The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea. She is a New York Times bestselling author and her next mythological retelling, The Floating World, is scheduled to be released in 2024. Oh currently lives in Las Vegas with her dog and enjoys K-pop, anime, and stationary supplies. A girl after my own heart right there. A good pen is my love language.

As I was typing up Axie Oh’s author bio, I kept thinking of a teenager that I know who would be super thrilled to read her backlist, and now I have to make plans to take her to the bookstore or library. I know her mom will be fine with it as long as I make plans to take the little sister out on another day. I also think reading this is just serendipitous because said teenager’s grandmother is obsessed with Korean soap operas on Netflix and I think they would love to have something to bond over in a readerly way. Oh, how my bookish heart loves a good connection!

All these sneaky matchmaking plans aside, The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is honestly a perfect mythological retelling aimed at the young people. Our protagonist Mina and the majority of the supporting characters are all described as teenagers or young adults. The pacing of the action is just ::chef’s kiss:: as we literally jump into a raging sea storm with Mina within the first few pages and the action never slows down. Even during the ‘passage of time’ sections allow the story to breathe and our characters to have the development they need to complete the story in the most satisfactory manner. Human or god or spirit or mythical beast, every character we meet has a purpose that is fulfilled by the end of the story. And oh what a delightful ending! I don’t think Nikki could find fault with the wrap up. [Nikki here – it always needs a bigger bow of an epilogue, well, almost always, and I wouldn’t have turned down more pages here.]

I’m giving The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea 4 stars, too. Yes, I know I’m partial to a mythological retelling. Yes, I know that I probably would have loved ANYTHING that was a 180 degree difference from the nonfiction struggle bus we reviewed last week. And Oh’s mythological retelling debut hit the sweet spot. I’m very excited for her next release and I hope she keeps bringing Korean mythology to the American best seller lists.

~Ashley

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