'The Floating World' is a fantasy YA novel and the first book of the new duology by Axie Oh, who has proven with her previous fantasy novel 'The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea' that she can nail the cozy magical vibes. This one was less Ghibli, which is true, but it leans more toward steampunk vibes, which is never a bad thing.

The story is quite interesting, though the pace was messy, with a slow start and a rushed ending. But I did love how the main lead, Ren, wasn't interested in pursuing a grand destiny, but appreciated a simpler life.

I also enjoyed Ren and Sunho as a couple, and even though the instant attraction was a letdown for me, the rest of the love story was a slow burn, and I loved how these two just fit nicely together.

The other characters were interesting as well, with Jaeil being my favourite of them all!

And so, I can't wait to read the next book, which, fortunately, will be out later this year!

The Floating World is Final Fantasy meets reimagined celestial maiden Korean folklore, with a generous dash of RPG storytelling and it starts out with a bang. A claws-out, people-dying, secret-magic-to-fight-demonic-creature kind of bang.

The Ghibliesque-adjacent worldbuilding is lush and strange with murderous mercenary train journeys, a pitch-black Under World filled with poisonous blue clouds and toxic mines, and a world quite literally floating above it all. It's all beautifully rendered, but never overindulgent. The stakes hit fast and hard and the emotional undercurrent is real. There’s blood, grief, memory loss, scientific experimentation and family, real and found, but it never felt like too much was going on.

What I didn’t expect was how tender the heart of this story would be. Beneath the sword fights and yearning is a story about trauma: inherited, inflicted, survived. What it means to be soft without being weak. And about reclamation of identity and memory.

It didn’t hit instantly for me. Probably due to me taking a while to connect with FMC, Ren, who felt too naive for her age, plus the third-person narration, which kept me emotionally distanced for a while. That’s a “me” problem, I know.

Plus, after the banging start, it was a slower burn, with the first half moving like a side quest-heavy RPG, all mood and mystery. To be fair, however, it really builds up to a gripping crescendo.

Once the character work clicked for me, The Floating World soared, with the last third steeped in love, grief and heart-wrenching reveals. It got under my skin. Made me care more than I expected. And that’s what elevated my rating in the end.

I need the sequel. Immediately. Please protect our sadboy, <s>Cloud Strife x Wolverine</s> Sunho at all costs.

THE FLOATING WORLD is an inventive fantasy with a brilliant world.

I loved the world. It can be split into three parts - where Ren begins the book (nothing in the sky), the under world (full of darkness, no sunlight thanks to the world above it), and the floating world (flying above the under world). It was such an inventive set up for a world, and came with so many inherent tensions and inequalities.

It was the relationship between under world and floating world that I really liked. The mines on the underside of the floating world for the metal that helped the floating world levitate (strangely called mithril, as in the metal from THE LORD OF THE RINGS, and I cannot work out if that is a name that also comes from Korean mythology or not). There is a tension there - they need the mithril for the economy but also mining it means the floating world is sinking.

The book is largely told from Ren and Sunho's perspectives, but Jaiel, a captain, has a few chapters here and there to give additional context to the tensions of the world. I would like to see more of him in the next book, see him forced to really pick a side and oppose his father outright.

There is another book, which promises to be a clash between powers now that many of the secrets have been aired. Plus the ending puts a wrench in the romantic arc that needs to be overcome.

Another great read from Axie Oh. It was fascinating to jump into this fantasy world, to discover Ren and her magic, and watch her determination as she battles her way with sheer determination towards what she needs. Ren's a fantastic character, and though for the story we don't get to spend much time with her family, it's easy to see how close they are and to have a soft spot for them - especially her uncles. Ren's rebellious spirit gets her into a little bother at times, but it's a trait I loved to see. This story is also told across three different points of view and at first, we don't quite know why but eventually all becomes clear and each of these narratives offers insight into different characters, their motivations and their worlds. Sunho's character is far more complex than he first seems and has a lot to learn about himself and his past. His is an interesting story, one shrouded in mystery and something a little sinister. I'll leave our third narrator a surprise!

It was really easy to power through this book as I was invested in the characters and the story, and wanted to know what we'd discover and what paths these characters would take. I admit that by the end of the book I was still a little bit confused by the Under World, where Sunho lives, so that perhaps could have been laid out a little clearer but otherwise this was a really great read and it's left me wanting more.

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC.

The Floating world is the first book in a new fantasy duology. Axie Oh created an interesting world with lovable characters that are nor perfect, but still aim to do the best they can. I had some issues with the pacing, but overall I really enjoyed this book and will be looking foward to the sequel!

You're already gonna guess it, but I was firstly attracted to this book because of the cover! I have not read anything from this author before and after reading the synopsis I got really curious. I pre-ordered a copy and when I saw the book on Netgalley I requested a digital review copy. Hodderscape granted me one and last week it was time to dive in.

I have conflicted feelings about this book and I don't really know why. Let me start with the positive things. This book is a quick read. The chapters are relatively short and the writing style makes it easy to fly through it. I also like that this book has a true YA feel. Although the characters are dealing with quite some responsibilities, they feel and sound young. The finale of the story also makes me really curious about what's gonna happen next.

However, it also feels like nothing really stuck. I was thinking about this review and what to write and my mind was blank. Nothing really stood out. Although the world building is decent, it never feels like the world comes to life. Although the characters are likable, it never feels like I really get to know them and although the plot never gets boring, there was also no point I really had to continue reading. I was never really hooked.

It's quite hard to stand out in the current landscape of books. I'm also very aware that reading is subjective. This book clearly wasn't a great fit for me. I was reading it, but I wasn't really caring about it. However, there is also nothing really wrong with the book. I'm pretty sure that if you check out some other reviews you will find enough people loving this book. Maybe I'm simply getting a little too old to really enjoy books targeted at actual Young Adults. And that's totally fine, right?

Last year I read "The Girl who Fell Beneath the Sea" and loved it, so I could not pass the new story by Axie Oh. Although , I expected a Korean folklore book, this was so different; steampunk, mythology and Ghibli studio all meet in this new story by the author!

Ren is content with her life as an acrobat with her family but everything crashes down when a monster attacks her village and her people. She then goes to a new adventure trying to find a cure for her uncle but her past catches up to her.

Sunho is a lonely boy living in darkness. He is an ex-soldier with no memories except his will to find his lost brother. When an opportunity arises, he goes to a new journey to hunt down a girl full of light.

Their paths are crossed and these two strangers soon become friends but their enemies are threatening their new balance.

I loved both characters, Sunho is a protective boy who wants to be loved and love and Ren is an innocent girl who is determined to save her family. Their relationship is pure and slow burn. These are two kids who want to find roots. I would have liked to see more of the progression from strangers to more. It was a little insta-like for me.

The setting is dystopian and this story has adventure and intrigue and the author "painted artistically" the background of these characters.

I didn't expect to read a story which Final Fantasy and Korean mythology would meet, but Axie Oh combined these two successfully! I cannot wait to read the second story that thankfully, comes out this year!

3,5- 4 stars!

Ren & Sunho
Amnesia
Hidden Identity
Grumpy x Sunshine
Bounty Hunter
Found Family

I love Ren! She's a travelling performer who's life is turned upside down one day....

Sunho is suffering from amnesia from the last few years, and we get flashbacks of his past.

This book is full of Korean folklore and a lot of world building, which was a little confusing for me, but I still enjoyed this one!

Let's talk about The Floating World by Axie Oh, coming out May 13th in English.

First of all I wanted to thank Netgalley and the publisher for the copy of the book to read in advance, it is always a pleasure and an honor to be able to read the books so far in advance and to be able to give my honest opinion.

But what is The Floating World? Here is the plot of the new book (first of the duology) by the author of The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea:
Final Fantasy meets Shadow and Bone in this unputdownable romantic fantasy from the New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea:
An amnesiac sword-for-hire and a theatre troupe performer with mysterious powers discover that their destinies will change the fate of multiple worlds.
Ex-soldier Sunho lives in the Under World, a land of perpetual darkness. Possessing just his name and sword, he comes across the score of a lifetime - a chest of coins for hunting down the girl who wields silver light.
Ren is a spirited acrobat travelling with her family. But everything changes when they are attacked by a demon. Desperate, Ren releases a blast of silver light and kills the monster - but cannot save her beloved uncle from grievous injury.
Determined to save him from succumbing to the poisoned wound, Ren sets off for the mountains, where the creature came from - where Ren herself fled from ten years ago. Her path collides with Sunho's, but he doesn't realize who she is. As the two grow closer, it becomes clear their pasts - and destinies - are more entwined than they could possibly have imagined . . .

A summary of the tropes
- Hidden identity (ok here)
- From strangers to allies to lovers (mmm very hinted at)
- Found family (YES)

So, how did this reading go?
I have to admit that I didn't think I would read it so quickly, because usually Asian fantasy books have very slow parts of narrative construction for me, and therefore I tend to take a little longer to read them, but I have to say that this time the long train journey helped a lot.
This new fantasy is certainly very interesting and unique in its genre and in its niche, because it has some very original and interesting initial elements. Despite this, for me it turned out to be a little too slow, since I felt involved in the action and the story only after 70%, which is practically at the end of the book.

What I liked:
- the element of creating this very particular world, which in my opinion works
- The element of the “errantfamily”, it is perhaps the first time I read it in an Asian fantasy, when instead in the European/American ones it is always connected to the figure of the circus or something like that
- The element of “dark magic” that I think in the next volume could transform into something really interesting.- yes but in the next one, you had to give me something here too!!!

Good book!

I loved the characters. The main characters are likeable, with interesting backgrounds. Their relationships (and relationship with each other) were too cute

The world building is definitely nice, but not as well explained and details as I would have liked.

There were a few cool twists (predictable but still satisfying, like the ending)

I love the vibes, it gives me Watermoon

Overall, it was a nice weekend lecture that improved my mood. Will definitely check the second book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for giving me the chance to read and review this title.

I already knew I loved Axie Oh’s writing after The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea, but The Floating World might have made me a lifelong fan. It’s fast-paced, heartfelt, and richly imagined—exactly the kind of fantasy I love getting lost in. You’re swept up alongside the characters from the very first chapter, and despite the breakneck pace, the emotional moments still land beautifully.

The story centres on Ren, an acrobat trying to live a quiet life with her adoptive family, hiding from a past she desperately wants to forget. When a demon attack forces her to reveal a long-buried power, her peaceful life is upended, and she sets off in search of a cure for her uncle—unknowingly stepping into a much bigger story. I loved how deeply empathetic Ren was; even though she’s caught up in something world-changing, what you want most for her is something simple: peace, safety, and a life that’s hers.

Sunho, the mysterious mercenary with no memory of his past, was equally compelling. Watching him piece together fragments of who he was (and who he might become) added real weight to his chapters. There’s a softness to both him and Ren that makes their bond so special. Their romance is understated but full of quiet moments that hit hard—especially as the stakes start to rise.

The world itself is a blend of fantasy, folklore, and a touch of steampunk, with airships, demons, and ancient powers all layered together in a way that feels both whimsical and grounded. I can definitely see why people have likened it to Ghibli films—it has that same sense of magic-meets-heart.

There’s also a larger mystery simmering beneath everything—about Ren and Sunho’s powers, about the world’s balance, and the creatures that threaten it. And although Jaeil didn’t feature much in this one, it feels like he’s going to be important down the line.

The ending hit me like a freight train, and I’m so glad the sequel isn’t a year away because I am not patient when it comes to stories like this. I'm fully invested now and can’t wait to see where Axie Oh takes these characters next. This is a series I’ll be following closely, and I already know I’ll be reading anything she writes in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

The so-called Floating World is just one part of the magical setting created by Axie Oh. Beneath it lies the Under World, where the MMC, Suhno, comes from. On the other side of the mountains is a separate land, where the FMC, Ren, lives with her adoptive family after escaping the Floating World for mysterious reasons. There, she is part of a performing troupe, until a demon attack forces her to unleash a hidden power to protect herself and her Little Uncle. Although she saves them, her uncle is badly injured in the attack. In search of a cure, she travels to the Under World and crosses paths with Suhno, who has been hired to find a mysterious girl... who just happens to be Ren, though he doesn’t realise it. Amidst growing demon threats and the political maneuverings of a power-hungry general intent on eliminating any opposition, the two find themselves on a perilous journey full of unexpected revelations.

I was really hyped for this one, as I loved the author’s The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea, making this one of my most anticipated releases of the year. I did enjoy it overall, though I wasn’t quite as blown away. The premise was strong - I especially liked the concept of the Celestial Maidens and their Light powers, as well as the unique take on demons and the layered world-building. The power-hungry general made for a truly detestable villain, easily reminiscent of real-world figures who climb by pushing others down.

However, the main characters felt a bit too young for their stated age of 17 - while 17 is still young anyway, their level of naivety made them read even younger. The insta-love felt underdeveloped, and I struggled to “feel the feelings” , which made it harder for me to fully buy into their romance. That said, they were a very sweet pair - romantically, yes, but also as emotional and practical support for one another in the fantasy arc.

I’d still recommend this book to readers who enjoy fantasy inspired by Asian (particularly Korean) mythology, especially if you like stories about young characters navigating fates much larger than themselves.

Okay, wow. my brain is still spinning. Axie Oh has done it again, crafting a story that’s equal parts whimsical, heart-pounding, and achingly beautiful. If you loved The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea, brace yourself, because this one might just top it.

The book follows two incredible characters: Sunho, an amnesiac ex-soldier with a sword and a mysterious past, and Ren, a spirited acrobat with a secret power she doesn’t fully understand. Their paths collide in the most unexpected way, and from there, it’s a wild ride of demons, destiny, and a slow-burn romance that had me kicking my feet. The world-building is *chef’s kiss floating cities, perpetual darkness, and a magic system that feels fresh and thrilling.

Ren is an absolute gem of a protagonist. She’s brave and kind, but what I loved most is that her trauma doesn’t turn her cold. She’s still funny, still hopeful, and her determination to save her uncle had me emotionally invested from page one. Sunho, on the other hand, is the perfect broody counterpart with a heart of gold. His missing memories add so much intrigue, and watching him slowly piece together his past while protecting Ren? Swoon. Their dynamic is everything , grumpy-meets-sunshine, strangers-to-allies-to-lovers, with just the right amount of tension.

The side characters are just as memorable, especially Ren’s found family in the theater troupe and Sunho’s unlikely allies. The bonds between them feel real and lived-in, which made the stakes even higher when danger rolled in. And oh boy, does the danger roll in. The last quarter of the book is non-stop action, with twists I did *not* see coming. That ending? Absolutely criminal. I need book two yesterday.

The writing is so immersive, blending Korean mythology with a fantasy world that feels both magical and eerily plausible.

The Floating World is a masterpiece. It’s got everything: heart-stopping action, a romance that’ll make you melt, and a world so vivid you’ll dream about it. Axie Oh has solidified herself as an auto-buy author for me, and if you’re a fan of lush, cinematic fantasy, you NEED this book on your shelf. Just be prepared for the brutal wait until the sequel.

4.5 stars rounded up.

I loved The Girl Who Fell Beneath The Sea so much and have been eagerly awaiting the author's return to fantasy, and I am very glad that I loved this book just as much.

It took me a bit to get into the story, but once it all clicked for me, I devoured it and could not stop reading.
I think the thing that threw me off at first is how different the two POVs are at the beginning.
The FMC lives in this quite idyllic, nature-y place, traveling around as a troupe performer with her found family. She also felt quite young and protected, which isn't necessarily a flaw at all, but I think it's the reason why I felt so much whiplash when we switched to the MMC.
He lives in this dark, sci-fi city as a mercenary, working on a mission to break into some mines, feeling so much older than the FMC.

However, once the plot got going and things were set into motion, things fell into place for me very quickly and I was sucked into the story.
The author certainly has a talent for beautiful writing and big emotions, and I loved how this was woven into this fast-paced and dark world.

The storytelling was immaculate, I love how the plot progression and character arcs mirrored each other, with new revelations about the main character furthering the plot. It all felt very organic even though events unfolded at a rather high speed where the ending felt SO MUCH bigger than the beginning. Despite the book being rather short, it did not feel like it would have benefited from more pages because of how well it was paced.

I'm very glad we don't have to wait very long for the sequel as I can't wait to see how this story ends.
Overall, I highly recommend this book, especially if you're a fan of sci-fi fantasy.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC.

✨The Floating World by @axieoh ✨

Thank you so much @netgalley and @hodderstoughton for my review copy!

Well I now know I need to get her other book that I didn’t know existed. “ The Girl Who Fell Beneath The Sea.
This book is jam packed full of action, adventure, albeit a little slow starting, but then I couldn’t stop reading.
Slow burn romance, magical powers and demons! I loved watching the relationship develop between the two main characters, this was shown through dual POV. It felt very Studio Ghibli esque, with a fun and unique take on it. So any fans of this, I would definitely recommend!

This story low key reminded me of Castle in the Sky and I loved it! Ren is a wonderful character with strength and will go to any lengths to heal Little Uncle and does not just sit around and wait to be rescued. Mix that in with Sunho, a swordsman for hire who lost most of his memories, carries around a demon, and is looking for his brother and it makes quite the tale both in the Under World and up in the Floating World. Fantastic worldbuilding that weaves in among the story vivid and magical like the veins of mithril that keep the Floating World afloat now that the celestial maidens have been killed off, or so everyone thought.

The relationship between Ren and Sunho is so sweet! It is a slow burn romance that occurs naturally and both the light in Ren and the darkness in Sunho are needed to bring about the changes needed for this world now that so many things have gone wrong as people scrabble for control over the Floating World.

It is fast pace for the whole book but it ramps up near the end with so many things revealed and although there is hope, things will still need to be fixed. Though I am sure that Ren and Sunho can do it and bring the Under World and the Floating World together for the struggling good people just trying to survive. I cannot wait to find out!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to get lost in this book and all its adventures!

DNF at 60%

I was a huge fan of The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea, so I was super excited to read this as I liked the authors work in her other book. The cover I was definitely drawn to and the concept of it being final fantasy vibes.

It definitely gave off that concept. But unfortunately I was lost, a lot. I felt like there wasn’t that much world building, so I couldn’t envision the underworld that well or even the floating world, I got so confused at one point I thought Ren was also from the underworld but she’s from the normal world? I don’t know. The main characters Ren and Sunho I found them to be quite basic and lacking a lot of depth. I really struggled trying to connect to both of these characters, I don’t feel like they were developed that well. Jaeil’s character just I found to not be interested in at all. I also found that it didn’t really pick up until about 25% the way through, I was hoping for a bit more action packed, especially given the final fantasy vibes, but it felt like it was just a lot of conversations instead.

But thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher for giving me the chance to read this.

I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and honestly review an advanced reader’s copy of this book.

I really loved The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea, so I was very excited to read this new fantasy work from the author.

I wish I loved it more; it has a great concept, but I found the world building surprisingly weak. There’s a fantastic concept here, but it almost feels like the author expects you to already know how to world looks and works.
This also has a bad case of insta-love, which I never enjoy.

It’s well written and cute, I just wanted more! Still, I had a pleasant time with this.

4.75 ⭐️

“The Floating World” is the first chapter of a ya fantasy duology written by Axie Oh and currently in progress. A delicate, moving, and enchanting story that reimagines the Korean legend of Celestial Maidens. A profound, intense, and gripping novel that won me over and touched me repeatedly!

The author's evocative, lyrical, and light writing depicts vividly, intensely, and powerfully the landscapes, events, and characters, giving the story the feel of a fairy tale.

I loved Ren and Sunho, protagonists with their respective third-person povs! The relationship that develops between them is incredibly sweet, spontaneous, slow, and painful. In addition, I appreciated many of the secondary characters, among whom Ren's family and Sunho's accomplices/friends stand out.

In any case, I don't think it's a perfect novel: the world building seemed a little vague to me and the story at times rushed, including the ending. However, this does not affect my very high appreciation!

All in all, “The Floating World” is a book that enchanted me and I can't wait to read the sequel!

Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much to Hodder and Stoughton for sending me a copy of The Floating World in exchange for an honest review.

The Floating World follows a performer named Ren, who travels with her family performing shows in villages. One day, as they begin to perform, the village is attacked by a demon and Ren defends herself with her hidden power of silver light. Her uncle is injured in this attack, so Ren leaves the village to find a cure for his injuries. While she's looking, she comes across a mercenary named Sunho, who is looking for the source of the silver light in order to receive information about where his brother is.

I enjoyed Axie Oh's other fantasy, The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea so I was really looking forward to this, however I do feel a little disappointed in this one. The premise and the world sounded so good; I really enjoy floating city kind of books, but the world building just wasn't as in depth as I would have wanted it. We barely spend any time on the Floating World, and aside from the Under World location I got very confused about where the characters were actually located. I could have done with a map, but I understand why we didn't get one in the eARC copy I read.

I also found the characters came across as quite young. I liked Ren's character and how determined she was, but I didn't fall in love with any of the characters really. None of them stood out to me; they were all quite generic. I don't really know why we got POVs from Jaeil, but I imagine he'll be more integral to the story in the sequel. The romance was also not as compelling as I wanted it to be. Maybe it's just my mood while reading it, but I just didn't care all that much.

The writing style was beautiful, as it was with TGWFBTS. As a lot of people have already said, it really does feel like you're watching a Studio Ghibli movie and was a definite positive to this book.

Overall I wish I'd enjoyed this more. It was an atmospheric read but I just didn't care much for the characters and the stakes. Very sad.