The Girl who Fell Beneath the Sea

A girl travels to the Spirit World to break a curse that threatens the lives of her people in this feminist YA retelling of the popular Korean legend "The Tale of Shim Cheong."

Deadly storms have ravaged Mina’s homeland for generations. Her people believe the Sea God has cursed them, so each year a beautiful maiden is thrown into the ocean in the hopes of appeasing him.

Many believe that Shim Cheong, the most beautiful girl in the village—and the beloved of Mina’s older brother Joon—may be the one to finally end the suffering. But on the night Cheong is to be sacrificed, Joon follows Cheong out to sea, knowing that to interfere is a death sentence. To save her brother, Mina jumps into the water instead.

Swept away to the Spirit Realm, Mina seeks out the Sea God, only to find him caught in an enchanted sleep. With the help of a mysterious young lord named Shin, Mina sets out to wake the Sea God and bring an end to the killer storms.

Axie Oh is a first-generation Korean American, born in New York City and raised in New Jersey. She studied Korean history and creative writing as an undergrad at the University of California San Diego and holds an MFA in writing for young people from Lesley University. Her passions include K-pop, anime, stationery supplies, and milk tea, and she currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada, with her dog, Toro (named after Totoro). 

"An empowering fantasy story about defining your own fate. ... On every page I found something marvelous and new, and I was eager to keep reading because I wanted to further explore this wondrous new world." —The New York Times

"Nicely paced and beautifully written, this engrossing fantasy is packed with memorable characters, starting with the headstrong Mina, and including the mysterious Shin, with whom she becomes inexplicably tied. ... A perfect for fit readers who love Spirited Away." —Booklist

"Oh weaves an intricate and engaging tale. ... Captivated readers will long to be pulled deeper into the story. A fantastical world to get lost in." —Kirkus Reviews

"Beautifully written, heartfelt, and lovely imagery. I smiled, I cried, I smiled through my tears. It felt like a timeless classic right off the bat." —Forever Young Adult

ISBN: 9781250866097