The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea

Looks like I'm having a good time this year reading YA fantasies which are based on Asian mythology/folklore and I'm glad to add this book as well to that list. I've been eagerly waiting to read it since the announcement, and the gorgeous cover only cemented my belief that I would love it. I was ecstatic when I got an advance listening copy and it was truly worth all the wait.

The inside of the book perfectly matches the outside. The writing here is absolutely stunning - the author creates such a lush and vibrant world borne out of myths that even me who has zero imagination could picture the sea god's city in my head. The alleys, the pavilions, the gardens and lakes and food, the various spirits and beasts of myths and the gods and goddesses - it all adds up to a world which feels both real and dreamlike, somewhere I wished I could travel to as well. The pacing is also pretty fast, with the author throwing us in the middle of the action right from the first page and then keeping it up all throughout; but there are also many lovely and soft moments of wonder and love and hope and it all ends up being a perfect balance in storytelling. There are quite a few thrilling action sequences which were both exciting and very tense, and I really enjoyed them. I also loved the author's use of flashbacks as well as stories within stories to evoke various emotions among the reader and I felt magically transported every time I heard a new story. The beautiful story is well complemented by the narrator Rosa Escoda whose enchanting voice kept me hooked and I couldn't stop listening.

Mina is such a wonderful protagonist. Yes, she can feel like a typical YA heroine who has to sacrifice her life to save the world but she truly is special. Because she isn't the chosen one - she chooses to be the one, so that her brother can have his love. Her love for her family is her strength throughout and whenever she feels unsure or lost, she derives hope by reminiscing about them and finds herself renewed in purpose. She is also extremely compassionate, moved by the plight of the sea god and wanting to do her very best to help him break his curse and take away his loneliness and despair.

In her new found purpose, she is ably supported by a whole host of characters and I'm absolutely in love with every single one of them. Mask, Tai and Miki are the first trio she meets in the spirit realm and though she doesn't know them, she finds trusting them easy and all three of them help Mina in multiple dangerous situations. Mask is mysterious, Tai is a delightful but brave boy and Miki is the most adorable baby, and they are instantly lovable. Then we might next trio who become indispensable in her quest to save the sea god as well as her people. Namgi is ever cheerful and talkative, forming a deep friendship with Mina pretty quickly. Kirin is more reserved and grumpy but he is loyal as ever and his steadfastness is commendable. But it is Shin who steals our heart, maybe not right at the beginning but slowly, with his protective nature, his willingness to fiercely defend the sea god and the city, and trusting Mina to solve such an immense curse. His relationship with Mina is so well written and delicious that I could weep.

To conclude, this book was everything I wanted it to be and more. It has all the elements of a great YA fantasy - strong female character, both amazing blood and found families, a wondrous tale of curses and gods and fate and adventure, a vibrant world taken right out of Korean mythology, and ultimately a story of love, family, duty and hope. I'm absolutely delighted that I got to experience this tale and I can't wait to read the author's future works.