raypaws's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Blood, and Death
Moderate: Injury/injury detail, Violence, and Grief
Minor: War, Miscarriage, and Death of parent
conina's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-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? Yes
5.0
I really enjoyed this book! It started slow, but I got invested pretty quick. I loved the characters and their development. The last few chapters made me go from really liking the book to loving it!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, Violence, and Blood
Minor: War
aexileigh's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death of parent, Blood, and Death
Moderate: Violence, Murder, War, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/injury detail, and Alcohol
tashtasher's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Murder, War, Grief, Injury/injury detail, and Violence
Minor: Child death, Fire/Fire injury, and Kidnapping
leguinstan's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Bamboozled by a beautiful book cover once again!
Book cover aside, I was interested in this book because I knew practically nothing about Korean mythology/folklore and I actively seek out fantasy that takes inspiration from cultures from areas outside of western Europe. While the setting was certainly a nice change of pace, The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea left me dissatisfied on several fronts.
I can't help but think that most of the novel's issues could have been resolved if the plot was simplified for a middle grade audience (instead of a YA audience) or if ~150-200 more pages were added for further development. As it stands, the story moves way too fast--so busy bull rushing from one plot point to the next that it barely has any time to flesh out its setting and characters. The romance between Mina, the main character, and Shin is underdeveloped and severely lacking in chemistry. In addition, the initial antagonism between Namgi and Kirin is not explored in any depth and as a consequence
While the Spirit Realm felt like a complex and believable place populated by a diversity of beings (gods, spirits, imugis, etc.), there were a lot of unexplained aspects of the world that left me with so many questions about the goals and motivations of several key characters. For example: if the Sea God has been spending the last few decades asleep in his palace, failing to exert any governmental(?) influence on the spirit realm and failing to protect humans from natural disasters, then why is it a problem that some are seeking to overthrow him? If the antagonists successfully overthrow the Sea God do they inherit his godly powers, his political(?) power, or both? And if the antagonists obtain "power", how is that detrimental to the wellbeing of those living in the Spirit Realm and the human realm? I could go on.
Despite my complaints about the novel, there were two aspects of it that I found particularly engaging. Shin's conflict with Mina over their differing opinions about human-god relations--what they owe each other and how they should treat each other--is genuinely interesting. I like that the novel questions the assumption that gods exist to be of service to humans, an idea that runs counter to the vast majority of fantasy stories I have read centering on gods. In addition, I enjoyed the way the story plays around with the "red string of fate" trope and how it is used to explore the concept of agency. The story is certainly not lacking in potential... but unfortunately that potential is unfulfilled.
Book cover aside, I was interested in this book because I knew practically nothing about Korean mythology/folklore and I actively seek out fantasy that takes inspiration from cultures from areas outside of western Europe. While the setting was certainly a nice change of pace, The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea left me dissatisfied on several fronts.
I can't help but think that most of the novel's issues could have been resolved if the plot was simplified for a middle grade audience (instead of a YA audience) or if ~150-200 more pages were added for further development. As it stands, the story moves way too fast--so busy bull rushing from one plot point to the next that it barely has any time to flesh out its setting and characters. The romance between Mina, the main character, and Shin is underdeveloped and severely lacking in chemistry. In addition, the initial antagonism between Namgi and Kirin is not explored in any depth and as a consequence
Spoiler
their eventual reconciliation has no emotional punch.While the Spirit Realm felt like a complex and believable place populated by a diversity of beings (gods, spirits, imugis, etc.), there were a lot of unexplained aspects of the world that left me with so many questions about the goals and motivations of several key characters. For example: if the Sea God has been spending the last few decades asleep in his palace, failing to exert any governmental(?) influence on the spirit realm and failing to protect humans from natural disasters, then why is it a problem that some are seeking to overthrow him? If the antagonists successfully overthrow the Sea God do they inherit his godly powers, his political(?) power, or both? And if the antagonists obtain "power", how is that detrimental to the wellbeing of those living in the Spirit Realm and the human realm? I could go on.
Despite my complaints about the novel, there were two aspects of it that I found particularly engaging. Shin's conflict with Mina over their differing opinions about human-god relations--what they owe each other and how they should treat each other--is genuinely interesting. I like that the novel questions the assumption that gods exist to be of service to humans, an idea that runs counter to the vast majority of fantasy stories I have read centering on gods. In addition, I enjoyed the way the story plays around with the "red string of fate" trope and how it is used to explore the concept of agency. The story is certainly not lacking in potential... but unfortunately that potential is unfulfilled.
Content Warnings
Minor: Violence, War, and Child death
scrubsandbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-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? Yes
4.0
The world building is chef's kiss. The romance is a slow burn and I absolutely enjoyed it but what got to me is a discovery that the MC makes closer to the end of the book in regards to her ancestors and that.. THAT.. was what made me cry happy tears.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief and Child death
Minor: War
thenovelmaura's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-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
I read this book back in October and it was so charming and heartwarming that I still feel warm fuzzies when I think about it. Mina was an enthralling protagonist; she wasn't strong because of her physicality or magical powers, but because of her compassion for others and the morals and teachings of her family that served as her guiding light. This standalone had just enough world-building to draw you in and a perfectly-sized cast of characters to keep you engaged without feeling overwhelmed.
Thank you so much to my friend @loveat1stwrite for putting "The Girl Who Fell Beneath The Sea" on my radar! This one could be the perfect read for you if you're looking for a fantasy that isn't the start of a lengthy trilogy. This has earned its rightful place in my list of 2022 favorites.
Thank you so much to my friend @loveat1stwrite for putting "The Girl Who Fell Beneath The Sea" on my radar! This one could be the perfect read for you if you're looking for a fantasy that isn't the start of a lengthy trilogy. This has earned its rightful place in my list of 2022 favorites.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Violence and Grief
Minor: War
sarah_speaks's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Child death, Blood, and Death
Moderate: Injury/injury detail, War, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy
Minor: Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
nrogers_1030's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Death
Moderate: Death of parent, Child death, Violence, and Injury/injury detail
Minor: War and Fire/Fire injury
chrisljm's review against another edition
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Honestly I feel like three stars is being generous but the book was entertaining enough so I'll leave it (I've since decided not to leave it). However I found the plot drags and meanders, and it just felt incredibly unorganized. The characters were flat, and not to say they're unlikable, but there wasn't enough development for me to grow attached to any of them, and this includes all the relationships as well. The prose itself was pretty and flowery, but it also felt juvenile and repetitive. I think the book was too ambitious, and perhaps with a different editor it could have been better.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Violence, Alcohol, Blood, Grief, Injury/injury detail, Murder, Self harm, Child death, and War
Minor: Pregnancy