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odquint's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
magico_dragon737's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
bookbabe_jazzie's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book, the world building and the storyline. Now, I will say that the one thing I loved about it the most is that it is a retelling of a Korean folk story "The Tale of Shim Cheong". However, with this story it doesn't follow Shim Cheong but Mina, a girl from a Korean village that is ravaged by storms and death. The story starts with Shim Cheong who is chosen as the year's sacrifice, but Mina, knowing her brother loves Shim and sees her hesitate, throws herself into the sea instead.
She then enters the Spirit Realm and wakes with the mystical Red String of Fate attached to her hand (a ribbon believed to tie a person to his or her destiny). From there the story starts to truly unfold and every page has a new adventure and even shades of mystery of solving who cursed the Sea God.
I definitely think that Axie Oh did an amazing job with taking a folk story and making it her own and keeping her readers locked in and awaiting to see where it all leads.
She then enters the Spirit Realm and wakes with the mystical Red String of Fate attached to her hand (a ribbon believed to tie a person to his or her destiny). From there the story starts to truly unfold and every page has a new adventure and even shades of mystery of solving who cursed the Sea God.
I definitely think that Axie Oh did an amazing job with taking a folk story and making it her own and keeping her readers locked in and awaiting to see where it all leads.
rthpr's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
A very sweet story. I liked all the characters and enjoyed reading about Mina and her family. The only thing that could be better was the pacing. It was far too fast in my opinion, there was no time to breath throughout the whole thing
mayxamy's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
xtinaji's review against another edition
3.0
Pretty much what you would expect from this book's premise! Satisfied, but wouldn't say I was wowed :0
The story is relatively predictable, which isn't a bad thing! The twist and romance are relatively obvious from the get go, but I think the pacing of everything felt fine? However, I do think that the characters are a bit one-note; I really wish there were more interactions between Mina and the others before they became "found family." The development of those relationships didn't necessarily feel rushed, so much as they felt unearned. For instance, Namgi and Kirin both get their *one specific interaction* with Mina in order to establish how their dynamic changes, but it's really just a singular conversation. There's a lot of characters that are mentioned and tossed in who have emotional relevance to Mina, but some of these revelations feel like they're shoe-horned in and have to be explained to the reader.
I also think there's a lot of missed opportunities in this book! There's hints of different lore and conflicts from the other characters, but they really don't get a chance to sign at all. Namgi and Kirin's entire friendship, including their loyalty to Shin, are barely expanded on. You get the barest hints, but without solidifying these dynamics with actual application, these relations feel surface level. There's lore behind both Namgi and Kirin's origins as well, but they become characters that are the bare minimum, just serviceable to what the plot needs. Shin and Mina are more fleshed out for sure, but even their romance is a little underbaked before the drama that happens in the third act. It feels like there were multiple fake-outs for no reason.
As for the writing style itself - it really suits the sort of whimsical myth vibe that the book was going for! Very appropriate for the genre, albeit at times quite dramatic.
Overall, an enjoyable quick read! I think that the one thing I wanted more from this book was...more of it! If given time to explore the characters and world a bit more in depth, I think this would have really satisfied that found-family + romance craving. As it is, it leaves me wanting, but I'll still keep an eye out for Axie Oh's other works!
The story is relatively predictable, which isn't a bad thing! The twist and romance are relatively obvious from the get go, but I think the pacing of everything felt fine? However, I do think that the characters are a bit one-note; I really wish there were more interactions between Mina and the others before they became "found family." The development of those relationships didn't necessarily feel rushed, so much as they felt unearned. For instance, Namgi and Kirin both get their *one specific interaction* with Mina in order to establish how their dynamic changes, but it's really just a singular conversation. There's a lot of characters that are mentioned and tossed in who have emotional relevance to Mina, but some of these revelations feel like they're shoe-horned in and have to be explained to the reader.
I also think there's a lot of missed opportunities in this book! There's hints of different lore and conflicts from the other characters, but they really don't get a chance to sign at all. Namgi and Kirin's entire friendship, including their loyalty to Shin, are barely expanded on. You get the barest hints, but without solidifying these dynamics with actual application, these relations feel surface level. There's lore behind both Namgi and Kirin's origins as well, but they become characters that are the bare minimum, just serviceable to what the plot needs. Shin and Mina are more fleshed out for sure, but even their romance is a little underbaked before the drama that happens in the third act. It feels like there were multiple fake-outs for no reason.
As for the writing style itself - it really suits the sort of whimsical myth vibe that the book was going for! Very appropriate for the genre, albeit at times quite dramatic.
Overall, an enjoyable quick read! I think that the one thing I wanted more from this book was...more of it! If given time to explore the characters and world a bit more in depth, I think this would have really satisfied that found-family + romance craving. As it is, it leaves me wanting, but I'll still keep an eye out for Axie Oh's other works!
leitoralesbica's review against another edition
funny
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
phoebeneedsalife's review against another edition
4.0
korean mythology and heartbreak all in one? sign me up.