The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea

By Axie Oh

Book Overview

A New York Times Bestseller

Axie Oh's The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is an enthralling retelling of a classic Korean folktale, perfect for fans of Wintersong, Uprooted, and Miyazaki's Spirited Away.

Deadly storms have ravaged Mina's 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's bride, in the hopes that one day the "true bride" will be chosen and end the suffering.

Many believe that Shim Cheong, the most beautiful girl in the village--and the beloved of Mina's older brother Joon--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's 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--as well as a motley crew of demons, gods and spirits--Mina sets out to wake the Sea God and bring an end to the killer storms once and for all.

But she doesn't have much time: A human cannot live long in the land of the spirits. And there are those who would do anything to keep the Sea God from waking...

Praise for The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea:

An ABA Indie Bestseller

"On every page I found something marvelous and new, and I was eager to keep reading because I wanted to further explore this wondrous new world." --The New York Times

"A beautiful, mesmerizing retelling I wish I'd had when I was growing up. ... A heartfelt tale that I will be recommending for years to come." --Elizabeth Lim, New York Times-bestselling author of Six Crimson Cranes

"A clever, creative, and exquisitely written tale of sacrifice, love, and fate." --Stephanie Garber, New York Times-bestselling author of Caraval

Also by Axie Oh
The Floating World
The Demon and the Light

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 125086609X
• ISBN13: 9781250866097
• Release Date: April 2025
• Publisher: Square Fish
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.3" x 8.2"
• Age Range: 13 to 18 years
• Grade Range: Grade 8 to Postsecondary

Customer Reviews

Definitely underrated!!

I was drawn to this book just by the cover but my interest didn't stop there in any way. This book had such a weird magical feeling to it. It might sound weird but to me it's one if those books that felt like coming home??? I don't even know what that means. I feel like it would be a nice book to read to your kids lol. I 1000% recommend this book!

Wow!

I was sucked into the story immediately! Every waking moment I was consumed by thoughts of this book. I’ve never read a book by Axie Oh but she’s automatically on my buy instantly lists now. A beautiful story woven masterfully in such a way that you just can’t put it down. I’ve never devoured a book so thoroughly.