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klsreads's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
OK, first off, the cover art is gorgeous.
I REALLY wanted to love this book. Loosely based on a Korean fairy tale, it follows Mina, a young girl who sacrifices herself to the increasingly violent Sea God to save her people. In a page right out of Spirited Away, she falls through the sea into the Spirit World and must find a way to break the Sea God's curse. There were quite a few lovely ideas in this novel, but they were underdeveloped, weaving circuitous plotholes that left me exasperated.
This book was confusing - sometimes barreling at break-neck speeds through assassination attempts and sometimes dragging through memories and myth. I wish the author had spent more time developing the characters and world. It was whimsical and sweet, but the pace moved so quickly that the world collapsed on itself. We barely had time to get to know anyone - most things were shown, not felt, and there was little time for lingering or angst. I wanted more lyrical, fairy-tale esque prose because of the format. Perhaps this would've worked better as a short story? There were lots of explanations and little trust in the reader, which makes me think it was written for a younger audience. That being said, I did like Mina, though she fit many of the "special, strong chosen one" tropes (which can be done well, tbf). Namgi might've been my favorite character (queer, found family, creature of myth? Sign me up).
It's possible I'm not the demographic audience, which is ok! I might not have a cultural understanding. At this moment, this book wasn't for me. I recommend it if you like Studio Ghibli, easy-read fairy tales, and Korean folklore.
(Am I a hater?? This is not the best review streak, lol).
I REALLY wanted to love this book. Loosely based on a Korean fairy tale, it follows Mina, a young girl who sacrifices herself to the increasingly violent Sea God to save her people. In a page right out of Spirited Away, she falls through the sea into the Spirit World and must find a way to break the Sea God's curse. There were quite a few lovely ideas in this novel, but they were underdeveloped, weaving circuitous plotholes that left me exasperated.
This book was confusing - sometimes barreling at break-neck speeds through assassination attempts and sometimes dragging through memories and myth. I wish the author had spent more time developing the characters and world. It was whimsical and sweet, but the pace moved so quickly that the world collapsed on itself. We barely had time to get to know anyone - most things were shown, not felt, and there was little time for lingering or angst. I wanted more lyrical, fairy-tale esque prose because of the format. Perhaps this would've worked better as a short story? There were lots of explanations and little trust in the reader, which makes me think it was written for a younger audience. That being said, I did like Mina, though she fit many of the "special, strong chosen one" tropes (which can be done well, tbf). Namgi might've been my favorite character (queer, found family, creature of myth? Sign me up).
It's possible I'm not the demographic audience, which is ok! I might not have a cultural understanding. At this moment, this book wasn't for me. I recommend it if you like Studio Ghibli, easy-read fairy tales, and Korean folklore.
(Am I a hater?? This is not the best review streak, lol).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Grief, Murder, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Death, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Child death, War, Pregnancy, Death of parent, and Miscarriage
Minor: Bullying
morininung's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
a romance tied by an invisible string of fate woven by gods of old & a second family as loving and forgiving and understanding as the first
though the pacing left a lot to be desired, TGWFBTS made up for it with its rich worldbuilding and awe-inspiring characters. more than once, i found myself in tears and on the edge of my seat. through the journey mina took, she found love in all its forms, each more true and beautiful than the last, shown and reciprocated through compassion and laughter and truth.
dialogue lines that tore my heart out of my chest, shattered it against the ground, and then laughed at me
"Really, I don't need this torch, but you do, so I'll hold it for you."
"There is no place you can go so far away from forgiveness. Not from someone who loves you."
"I apologize for many things, but mostly I apologize for making the weight you carry a little heavier."
"When I look at Kirin, I see only him, a bright light in the darkness. When he looks at me, he sees only the darkness."
"Sometimes, you don't find family in your own blood, but elsewhere."
"This room was empty before," Namgi says. "And then you filled it with all these things. Is that a good metaphor for how you've filled all our lives?"
"I wanted to be wise and good. I wanted to be whole."
Kirin's grip tightens. "You are, Namgi."
"I will miss you, Mina, my favorite sister."
I scoff. "You only have one sister."
"Yes, and she is the bravest person I know."
"With everyone and everything pushing you toward the Sea God and a fate not of your choosing, you looked back to what you wanted. And because of that, to me, you are the Sea God's bride. The girl who, by saving herself, saves the world."
dialogue lines that made me gasp and giggle and squeal
"She is my bride."
"As for the Red String of Fate we share, he said—"
"You're wrong," Shin interrupts. "I think I have a fever."
"I don't need a Red String of Fate to tell me that if you should die, so will I."
I take in the dark circles beneath his eyes, his lips red against the pallor of his skin. "You look awful—when was the last time you slept?" At the same time, he says, "You look beautiful."
"I would tie my life to yours, if you'll have me."
He releases me, placing his body between the dragon and me. "I won't let you hurt her."
"I may be soulless and haven't a Red String of Fate, but I don't need either to tell me that I love you."
"Will you wait here? Do you trust me?"
He doesn't answer me at first, watching me with his sea-dark eyes. Then he smiles, a small quirk of the lips. "With my soul."
I love you. Wait for me, where the land meets the sea.
His arms tighten around me. "Wherever you are, I'll find you."
"I'll make it easy for you. Because I'll be right here. With you."
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Death, Violence, and Grief
Minor: Murder, Bullying, Death of parent, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, and Misogyny
cecinamo's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This book was an absolutely mesmerizing and epic tale of a girl and her pursuit of her own fate. It was a retelling of a korean legend. I absolutely loved the story and how beautifully it described everything. It was like I was right there and could see the vibrant colors and smell the sea salt. The characters were all so interesting and made me even more invested in the story. It is one of my favorite books now. 💗🌊🐋
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Grief, and Death
Minor: Death of parent, Violence, War, Murder, Child death, and Death
squinnittowinit's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
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
4.25
A very charming read, about a girl who chooses her own destiny. A high-stakes cozy fantasy that remains fairly relaxed despite the many dangers woven into the plot and delivers a satisfying ending.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death and Death
Minor: Death of parent, Violence, Murder, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, and Sexual harassment
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
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
wickedgrumpy's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Oof.
While I agree that the premise is reminiscent of the movie Spirited Away and Uprooted by Naomi Novik (two things I enjoyed thoroughly), it was very much written for a YA audience. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. I think the main difference between YA classics and contemporary YA is that the classics are written to be understood by younger audiences but will still have a broader appeal.
At the end of the day, this one missed that mark for me. It was very much full of emo, cringey moments, insta-lovey when I could have sworn they were initially portrayed as enemies. The pacing was bizarre and very jarring (which could be attributed to a dream-like quality, if I was being generous). Situations were convenient when needed to be, and I often had to suspend my disbelief to continue reading. Lastly, the characters were lacking development and the repetition got old (referring to all of the grandmother's grandmother bits, and so many sentences starting with "But").
While I agree that the premise is reminiscent of the movie Spirited Away and Uprooted by Naomi Novik (two things I enjoyed thoroughly), it was very much written for a YA audience. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. I think the main difference between YA classics and contemporary YA is that the classics are written to be understood by younger audiences but will still have a broader appeal.
At the end of the day, this one missed that mark for me. It was very much full of emo, cringey moments, insta-lovey when I could have sworn they were initially portrayed as enemies. The pacing was bizarre and very jarring (which could be attributed to a dream-like quality, if I was being generous). Situations were convenient when needed to be, and I often had to suspend my disbelief to continue reading. Lastly, the characters were lacking development and the repetition got old (referring to all of the grandmother's grandmother bits, and so many sentences starting with "But").
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Sexism, Violence, Xenophobia, Alcohol, Blood, Confinement, Miscarriage, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical content
saoreads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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
Mystical, all-consuming, and a marvel to read. The plot and character development were beautifully geared toward a lesson on how it takes a brave heart to change things. You either let fate decide for you or let fate chase after you. The world-building was easy to comprehend and imagine with the straightforward details it let on. I just loved it, especially that it didn't have unnecessary content and was very straight to the point considering it is a standalone novel. And you just can't help falling in love with the characters brimming with emotions. The tales being told felt nostalgic and brought back childhood memories. I've added it to my list of books to reread.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Pregnancy, Violence, War, Blood, Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Grief
melaniereadsbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for an ALC of this book.
To combat the deadly storms, each year Mina's village sacrifices a bride to the sea god, as legend says only his true bride will stop the storms. But to save her brother's beloved, Mina takes the place of the chosen sacrifice and falls beneath the sea to the realm of spirits, where she will find there is more to the legend than she originally thought.
This was so beautiful! I definitely see why it says this would be great for fans of Spirited Away because it definitely is! I loved the mythology and beautiful storytelling. The characters were excellent and the pacing was really good! Mina is such a great main character and I love how fierce and determined she is to save the ones she loves. I also love the red string of fate woven through this entire story!
I do wish that it felt like the characters knew each other better. At one point it seemed like they just all really liked each other and I wasn't sure exactly what Mina had done to make them all her friends at that point. I did love this though!
To combat the deadly storms, each year Mina's village sacrifices a bride to the sea god, as legend says only his true bride will stop the storms. But to save her brother's beloved, Mina takes the place of the chosen sacrifice and falls beneath the sea to the realm of spirits, where she will find there is more to the legend than she originally thought.
This was so beautiful! I definitely see why it says this would be great for fans of Spirited Away because it definitely is! I loved the mythology and beautiful storytelling. The characters were excellent and the pacing was really good! Mina is such a great main character and I love how fierce and determined she is to save the ones she loves. I also love the red string of fate woven through this entire story!
I do wish that it felt like the characters knew each other better. At one point it seemed like they just all really liked each other and I wasn't sure exactly what Mina had done to make them all her friends at that point. I did love this though!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Death, and Child death
Moderate: Grief, Violence, and War
Minor: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder