Bride of the Water God, Volume 1 (Bride of the Water God #1) by Mi-Kyung Yun

Description:
When Soahs impoverished village decides to sacrifice her to the Water God Habaek to end a long drought, they believe that drowning one beautiful girl will bring much-needed rain. Not only is Soah surprised to be rescued by the Water God, she never imagined she’d be a welcomed guest in Habaeks magical kingdom. Young adult. 

Review:

I’m a dedicated fan of Japanese manga, but even I have to admit the Koreans take the cake for beautiful graphic art. I always think that since the stories of manga/manhwa are static, the drawing style is very important. This manhwa is delicately drawn and absolutely gorgeous. There is a certain openness to it, countered by the grand and detailed costumes and characters (they are divine, after all).  It’s a good thing that this manwah has a quietness. It’s full of pregnant pauses, giving the reader the opportunity to stop and admire the pictures.

I don’t mean to suggest that beauty is all this story has going for it. Soah is a strong, if initially pitiable, girl who accepts her fate. Be it being sacrificed by her village or being rescued by the Water God. The Gods themselves all have their own aloof characters. They’re almost immortal (if not immortal), and a definite sense of frustration and boredom seeps through. You can sense that the mores they abide by aren’t quite the same as on the mortal plane.

The story has love, drama, intrigue, and sacrifice. I’ve read up to volume 14 and am still enamored with the story. I’ll definitely be reading on. Highly recommended.