The Girl Who Fell Beneath The Sea by Axie Oh
(Hodder & Stoughton, 2022)
Reviewed by Ksenia Shcherbino
Axie Oh’s The Girl Who Fell Beneath The Sea is a sweet and neat fairy tale about coming of age through the encounter with the fantastic.
In a village by the sea they have a cruel tradition. Every so often a maiden beautiful, or skilled in crafts, or intelligent and otherwise distinguished, is thrown into the sea to become Sea God’s bride and ensure her people’s safety. Mina is neither, but she is brave, strong-willed and devoted to her family. So, when her brother falls in love with a girl who is chosen for this year’s rite, she secretly follows them to the sacrificial site and jumps into the water to take the bride’s place. This is Mina’s entry into the Spirit world, and for some inexplicable twist of fate, or rather, red ribbon of fate, she is tied to the Sea God. The Sea God is no monster, but a young boy under a deep spell. His sleep is affecting not just the human world, but the Spirit realm as well. Our self-appointed bride is determined to protect her village, but finds herself in the centre of palace intrigues, shape-shifting dragons, shifting identities and shuffled allegiances. She embarks on a journey to break the spell and wake the Sea God, and the truth she uncovers changes her life forever.
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Review from BSFA Review 18 - Download your copy here.
