Reviews with content warning for Violence - The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea

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The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh

99 reviews

bree_h_reads's review against another edition

adventurous emotional slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.25

I was really looking forward to this book and what story it could tell. And it had a pretty strong start to backup this hope. Unfortunately it fell a bit short by the halfway point.

As mentioned the start was pretty strong. I felt like it established action and motivation really well. Not to mention a strong setting of scene and tone. I thought Mina losing her voice was really interesting and I liked how it changed her communication and how others understood her. I also thought the introduction to the main cast was interesting and got me interested in them.

But once Mina got her voice back I just felt like the book took a dip in quality. The feeling of inconsistency in Mina’s character seemed highlighted and relationships with other characters felt rushed. It felt like it was trying to mimic ACOTAR, but wasn’t executed very well. Not to mention the grossness around a romance between a 16-year-old minor and an ancient immortal. It’s not realistic, but it still leaves a bad taste in my mouth in regards to the love interest. By the end it really just felt like the book was a checklist of tropes.

Overall it wasn’t super great, but I think people that like ACOTAR might enjoy it more than me.

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morininung's review

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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."

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vif's review

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adventurous emotional hopeful reflective 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? It's complicated

4.5

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bellebookcorner's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring 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? It's complicated

3.5

“Nothing extraordinary is ever done out of reason or logic, but because it’s the only way for your soul to breathe.”

I had quite a high expectation towards it since I never read a retelling of a Korean folk story before so I was very excited.

There are some things that I love here but there are some that I wished for more.

First of all, I really like the whimsical and magical world building of the Spirit Realm that comes with magical creatures such as Imugi and dragons.

I also enjoy getting to know the loveable characters such as the brave and selfless FMC – Mina, mischievous characters like Dai and Namgi as well as mysterious characters such as Mask and the Sea God himself.

There’s very little romance in this one so the romantic relationship between the main characters appears instant which is something I’m not a huge fan of.

It took me quite a while to get hooked into the story with the uneven pacing, fortunately things started become more interesting in the second half part of the book. There are some unexpected twists along the way piqued my interest once more and I feel quite satisfied with the ending.

Overall, it’s a pretty good read even though it started out slow at the beginning but the twists near the ending bump up the stars I’m giving this book.

I do enjoy reading this book and will look forward to read more books from this author in the future.

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green_amaryllis's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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emmieanna's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

I run a YA bookclub and this was a book that they chose almost unanimously to read next. What a beautifully written, folktale infused story with so much heart.

I have wanted to read this book for a long time and it has sat on my shelf for almost a year. The descriptions are so lyrical and vivid and Axie really made me believe in Mina’s story. The only thing stopping me from giving the full 5 stars is the fact I wish it were a duology. I want to know more about this world and Mina’s aspirations, as well as perhaps Shin’s POV and more internal struggle from both of the characters. A lot of the time they changed their minds rather quickly and the plot is so fast paced that we don’t have time to dwell on details.

Overall, I could not recommend this book enough. It is a gorgeous folklore fantasy that has strong Ghibli and fairytale threads.

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