The Girl who Fell Beneath the Sea

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…

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This will be a slightly more scattered than normal review, as I'm having trouble being coherant over all the squeeing in my head right now.

- I hadn't heard the Spirited Away comparisons before I started

- but I started thinking them almost straight away

- (I thought I was really clever and had spotted some amazing insight)

- (but no literally everyone on goodreads had seen it too)

- none of this is complaining that movie is AMAZING

- Shin is literally Haku 

- look at those amazing covers

- I can't decide which is better 

- I think it's whichever one I happen to be looking at at any given time

- things did move a little fast towards the end

- also not a complaint, just a noticing

- also I cried like five times, so there's that

- I didn't, but should have, guessed who Mask, Dai and Miki were

- I love this version of the afterlife

- can I go there eventually please?

- The Spirited Away vibes are strongest in the first half

- found family is best family and Shin's found family are best found family

- The Sea God was great in an unexpected way

- descriptions are amazing, when can we see this on screen?

- I want more of this world please

- I started reading this before bed, planning to read enough to get a taste

- yeah that didn't work so good

- bed was slightly delayed that night

- it's quite a quick read

- but so detailed

- I love it and want more

- Gotta go watch Spirited Away now

- If you haven't seen it you should

- but read the book first, don't delay

- here is my very favourite quote which I picked with great difficulty because there were so many options: Nothing extraordinary is ever done out of reason or logic, but because it’s the only way for your soul to breathe.

- Also I really want to read the original folktale now

- I don't know enough Eastern mythology really, I should correct that

- Read this book

- I really think you'll like it.

The Girl who Fell Beneath the Sea publishes on the 22nd of February in both the US (top image) and the UK (lower image). I received a free copy and am giving an honest review.