Aug 2026 Book Recommendation: The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh

Intro

Although I’ve only started reading her books in the last few years, Axie Oh is quickly becoming one of my favorite YA authors. Her fantasy books—such as The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea—are largely based on Korean fairy tales and folklore, which is always refreshing in a genre flooded with European-based worlds. That, combined with her whimsical storytelling and charming characters, really make her work stand out.

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea was the first of her books that I read, and I remember loving every second of it. Based on The Tale of Shim Cheong—an old Korean folktale—it tells the story of a girl who travels to the spirit world to convince a sea god to stop tormenting her homeland with brutal storms and floods. Combine that with the romance and whimsy that kept me so enthralled, and you’re in for a treat.

So, if that sounds good, let’s dive into the details!

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh Overview

Genre(s): Young adult, fantasy

Series: N/A (Standalone)

POV/Tense: First-person present

Length: 352 pages

For generations, Mina’s coastal homeland has been the victim of brutal storms believed to be a punishment from the vengeful Sea God. To try to win back his favor, the people of her village have taken to sacrificing a beautiful young woman to the sea every year, in hopes that the Sea God would eventually accept one as his bride and put an end to the storms.

Mina is not one of those prospective brides. But Shim Cheong—her brother’s beloved—is.

When her brother attempts to stop Cheong’s sacrifice—a crime punishable by death—Mina, determined to save them both, throws herself to the sea in Cheong’s place. She fully expects to die but, instead, finds herself transported to the Spirit World, the home of gods, spirits, and demons.

Realizing that she has a chance to end the storms herself, she goes to the Sea God, only to find him trapped in an eternal slumber. So, with the help of Shin—a mysterious young man who serves as the Sea God’s protector—and a group of other unlikely allies, she embarks on a quest through the Spirit World to free the Sea God from the curse.

But the Spirit World is a dangerous place for mortals such as Mina, and the dangers only intensify when those who seek the Sea God’s demise learn of her mission. Will the courage that brought her to the Spirit World in the first place be enough to help her see her quest through? Or will her sacrifice prove to be in vain?

Personal Thoughts

My favorite thing about this book was probably the vibe. Like I mentioned earlier, it’s got a very whimsical feel—which isn’t something that I often say about the books I read—and the Spirit World is probably among the most magical locations I’ve ever read about. The spirits who live there are quirky and memorable, and there are three in particular that were part of one of my favorite plot twists I’ve read in recent years—but I won’t spoil it.

Mina herself was also great. She really stands out from most of the other fantasy heroines I’ve read, in that she’s portrayed as being strong and selfless, but also soft and sweet at the same time—a combination that I rarely ever see in fantasy heroines. Most of the time, fantasy heroines seem to be portrayed as being these tough, independent, no-nonsense, often kind of snarky women—which is great, and I love them. (A lot of my favorite fantasy characters fall into this category, so don’t think I’m complaining.) But I do think that, when every fantasy heroine is portrayed this way, it kind of sends the false message that, in order for a woman to be strong and heroic, she has to be those things. Characters like Mina show that there are many ways for a woman to be strong and heroic, which I think is a really important message to send—especially to the teenage girls that this book is meant for.

And, as I mentioned earlier, there’s also a considerable amount of romance in this book too—not enough for it to be rightfully labeled as a full-on romance, but it’s definitely the biggest subplot. As you’ve likely guessed, Shin—that mysterious protector of the Sea God—is the primary love interest. (If you want the classic dark, brooding, and mysterious YA boyfriend, you’re gonna love him.) This was another area where Oh included an interesting bit of Asian folklore: the Red String of Fate, an invisible thread that binds the souls of two people who are destined to be together. I’ve always thought it was an interesting concept—not to mention extremely romantic—and I especially liked the way that Oh handled it in this book. So, if you’re into dark and brooding boyfriends and fated lovers, that’s another reason to give this book a shot.

Outro

That’s all for today’s reading recommendation. I hope I’ve convinced you to check this book out. Or, if you’ve already read it and are looking for something similar, be sure to look into the similar titles that I’ve listed below. As always, thanks for reading!