The Floating World: The epic fantasy romance about destiny, and the power of light in a world of darkness
Paperback Published on: 05/03/2026
Price: £10.99
Bookseller Reviews
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‘Final Fantasy meets Shadow and Bone’
A stunning fantasy book of Final Fantasy meets Shadow and Bone mixed with incredible Korean mythology of the celestial maidens, incredible world building a... READ MORE
Absolutely stunning!
Axie Oh has done it again! Another incredible book that I did not want to put down!
I absolutely adored the characters. Ren and Sunho instantly captured... READ MORE
In a World of Darkness, There is Light
I’ve enjoyed Axie Oh’s previous writing, specifically her XOXO series, but this was my first dip into her mythological writing, and I must say, I was very ... READ MORE
An Immersive reimagining
This was a book that truly transports you into the world it’s set in whilst cleverly reimagining the Korean Legend of the Celestial Maidens. Set in a troub... READ MORE
A beautifully realised fantasy adventure
Axie Oh is that teen author who hits all the right notes every time. The Floating World is a wonderfully imagined fantasy world with roots in Korean mythol... READ MORE
Book two can't come fast enough
This was one of my most anticipated releases of the year and it did not disappoint!!
From start to finish, I was hooked. I loved the world building and I ... READ MORE
A gorgeously written young adult fantasy
Floating World by Axie Oh is a gorgeously written young adult fantasy that swept me away and left me utterly enchanted.
I equally enjoyed both Ren and ... READ MORE
A Mythical Fantasy with Heart
I loved The Girl Who Fell Beneath The Sea and I loved The Floating World! Axie Oh is back and doing what she does best, writing beautiful fantasy worlds an... READ MORE
Gorgeous
This was my first venture into Axie Oh’s writing and I loved it.
The prose is clean and precise with a compelling flow that draws you in from the begin... READ MORE
An immersive tale of magic, love and adventure.
Between The Floating World and The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea, it's clear that Axie Oh is a true master of unique and vivid of world creation. With vibe... READ MORE
whimsical and heartfelt
This is another fantastic story from this author that is the perfect blend of folk talent, adventure and romance.I cannot wait to see what else they come o... READ MORE
Synopsis
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 . . .
Publisher information
- Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
- ISBN: 9781399718776
- Number of pages: 368
- Dimensions: 194 x 128 x 30 mm
- Weight: 259g
- Languages: English
Customer Reviews
View allBEST FANTASY BOOK 2025
Wow this book was everything I had hoped for!! It was like watching an Anime or Manga cartoon and the writing was beautiful and easy to follow. It was su... READ MORE
Highly Recommend!
I’m totally hooked on Ren and Sunho’s story. From the first chapter, this book grabbed my attention and kept me up late every night. The early chapters rea... READ MORE
Intriguing Read
Firstly, I did enjoy this. I found the characters interesting enough to care what happened to them, and to carry on reading until the final page, however I... READ MORE
Fast Paced but sooo good!!!
I usually do not like fast-paced books. I stand corrected, I ate this up and it left very few crumbs. I loved the vibes this whole book had, both lore wise... READ MORE
A magical story!
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 Un... READ MORE
Captivating
The Floating World is a unique and rich story with a host of interesting characters. The world building is extremely well done and the pacing fits the stor... READ MORE
Can Sunho save Ren or hand her over?
Sunho has lost his memories and lives in the underworld. He accepts an offer of great wealth to find a girl who emits silver light. Our adventure begins. S... READ MORE
4 stars
In The Floating World, Axie Oh weaves a rich, imaginative tale that blends fantasy, folklore, and quiet romance into an engaging young adult adventure. The... READ MORE
The Floating World was such a dream to read.
I am incredibly grateful to both NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the opportunity to read and review The Floating World. Being selected to explore this... READ MORE
Immersive fantasy adventure
The Floating World by Axie Oh is a highly imaginative fantasy novel about Ren, who performs in a traveling trope with her adopted family and encounters a d... READ MORE
Couldn’t recommend this enough!!
5⭐
This was my first Axie Oh book but it won't be my last, so beautifully written... I'm so glad that book two is coming out this year too cause I need to... READ MORE
4.25 Fast Paced but so good!!!!
Thank you Netgalley, publisher Hodder and author for granting me an early copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I usually do n... READ MORE
Another exceptional YA fantasy inspired by Korean mythology and culture by the amazing Axie Oh
The Floating World is another exceptional YA fantasy inspired by Korean mythology and culture, written by the wonderful Axie Oh. As you may know, I love an... READ MORE
4.25 ⭐️A must read for fantasy lovers
Great
'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 F... READ MORE
Absolutely enchanting world, perfect for fans of Arcane, Final Fantasy or the Grishaverse
Mix the undercity & shimmer of Arcane, the world and characters of Final Fantasy and a dash of magic from Shadow & Bone and you'll get The Floating World.
... READ MORE
A captivating, gorgeous YA romantasy that blends Korean folklore
The Floating World is a mesmerizing fantasy that blends Korean mythology of demons and celestial maidens with science, warfare, and enigmas to create an im... READ MORE
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