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bahlamber's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
I love that you immediately jump into the action with Mina. She's a fun FMC and her banter with Kirin, Namgi, and Shin is delightful. A beautifully woven story of a sea god who's lost himself under a curse, a village being ravaged by terrible storms, and the girl who's determined to save them all.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
Minor: Child death
readingwithtemperance'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
4.0
I want this book turned into an animated film immediately, preferably by Hayao Miyazaki please and thank you.
I feel like I just really love books set in the afterlife honestly. I loved that you could visit your ancestors and all of the gods and goddesses. And choose what form you take as well.
The story itself was beautifully crafted. Very atmospheric and whimsical. I love stories based on folklore!
I feel like I just really love books set in the afterlife honestly. I loved that you could visit your ancestors and all of the gods and goddesses. And choose what form you take as well.
The story itself was beautifully crafted. Very atmospheric and whimsical. I love stories based on folklore!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Blood
Moderate: Violence, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Miscarriage, Death of parent, and War
bethann_coleates's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
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 and Death
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Miscarriage, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
roseleebooks's review
fast-paced
3.5
This book had a lot of elements I enjoy in a YA fantasy. The mythology retelling, the worldbuilding, and side characters were definitely strengths. I think my favorite scenes were all ones in which Mina was interacting with someone who wasn't the sea god or Shin. The family dynamics and flashbacks as a way to build connections and explanations were also a key part of the story and helped to make Mina's character more dimensional.
The plot and the romance aspects of the story were rushed throughout. I appreciate that there was a lot of story to cover in a relatively small number of pages, but as a reader it felt like I was expected to accept this as part of the story without any of the background that was built in for other relationships.
Overall I enjoyed the story and read it very quickly. The fantasy retelling and family dynamics were my favorite aspects. I think as a teenager I would have had no complaints about this book.
The plot and the romance aspects of the story were rushed throughout. I appreciate that there was a lot of story to cover in a relatively small number of pages, but as a reader it felt like I was expected to accept this as part of the story without any of the background that was built in for other relationships.
Overall I enjoyed the story and read it very quickly. The fantasy retelling and family dynamics were my favorite aspects. I think as a teenager I would have had no complaints about this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death
bookish_hollyx's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
2.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, and Violence
Minor: Blood and Injury/Injury detail
heatherpageone's review
hopeful
lighthearted
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? Yes
3.75
I recently finished this book in one sitting, and I’m left with some mixed feelings about it.
First off, I really enjoyed the premise of the story. The setting was captivating, with a whimsical and mythical vibe that carried through the entire narrative. However, I felt that the execution fell short in some areas. The author introduced a lot of intriguing concepts and cool ideas, but they often felt underdeveloped. The story was packed with information and events, but there wasn’t enough time spent fleshing out these ideas, leaving them without proper explanation or conclusion. As a result, the world-building and magical system felt a bit confusing and lacked detail. The pacing was inconsistent, with some parts dragging out longer than necessary. As someone who appreciates well-fleshed-out worlds, I found myself a bit frustrated with the lack of depth in certain areas, but it still provided an enjoyable, if not fully satisfying, reading experience.
As for the characters, the main character was decent, and I found their romance to be sweet and cute. However, the relationship felt rushed, with not enough build-up to make it fully believable. The romance started from a rocky place, so it needed more development to really sell the connection between the characters. On the other hand, some of the secondary characters, like Kirin and Namgi, were quite interesting. I just wish we could have delved deeper into their thoughts and given them more opportunities to shine.
The plot twists towards the end were a nice touch, although some of them were predictable due to the hints dropped along the way. However, the ending itself felt rushed. I was hoping for more, especially when it came to exploring what happened to the Sea God in the spirit realm during the two-year gap after everyone returned to their respective places.
Overall, this book might be a good choice if you’re looking for a palate cleanser or an easy read, but it left me wanting more in terms of depth and development. It would likely appeal to readers who enjoy fantasy with a strong mythical element and don’t mind a bit of ambiguity in the world-building.
First off, I really enjoyed the premise of the story. The setting was captivating, with a whimsical and mythical vibe that carried through the entire narrative. However, I felt that the execution fell short in some areas. The author introduced a lot of intriguing concepts and cool ideas, but they often felt underdeveloped. The story was packed with information and events, but there wasn’t enough time spent fleshing out these ideas, leaving them without proper explanation or conclusion. As a result, the world-building and magical system felt a bit confusing and lacked detail. The pacing was inconsistent, with some parts dragging out longer than necessary. As someone who appreciates well-fleshed-out worlds, I found myself a bit frustrated with the lack of depth in certain areas, but it still provided an enjoyable, if not fully satisfying, reading experience.
As for the characters, the main character was decent, and I found their romance to be sweet and cute. However, the relationship felt rushed, with not enough build-up to make it fully believable. The romance started from a rocky place, so it needed more development to really sell the connection between the characters. On the other hand, some of the secondary characters, like Kirin and Namgi, were quite interesting. I just wish we could have delved deeper into their thoughts and given them more opportunities to shine.
The plot twists towards the end were a nice touch, although some of them were predictable due to the hints dropped along the way. However, the ending itself felt rushed. I was hoping for more, especially when it came to exploring what happened to the Sea God in the spirit realm during the two-year gap after everyone returned to their respective places.
Overall, this book might be a good choice if you’re looking for a palate cleanser or an easy read, but it left me wanting more in terms of depth and development. It would likely appeal to readers who enjoy fantasy with a strong mythical element and don’t mind a bit of ambiguity in the world-building.
Content Warnings
Minor: Child death and War
blondofondo's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-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
5.0
Such a good book. The ending had me in (happy) tears. I really enjoyed the characters and the author’s adaptation of Korean mythology and storytelling. This would be enjoyed by anyone who likes swoon-worthy romances. The spirit world and underwater kingdom of the Sea God are well illustrated. Strong themes about family, destiny, and the choices we make.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death and Miscarriage
gkaltam's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
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? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Death of parent
jessawarner's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death
piprigsby's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
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
4.5
this book was so good!! it was very whimsical and adventurous, and i loved the romance elements!! i will say that the first portion of the book is a bit confusing because the exhibition just throws you in and you learn alongside the main character, but at a point you just realize that it is a very fantastical world and so the worldbuilding falls into place. the conclusion was also good and overall it was a pretty good book. the one kind of downside is that at times it was written feeling a little young (even for a ya because i mainly read ya as a ya) but yeah that's about it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, Blood, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Death of parent