The Island of Sea Women

This book was a relish! A delight! I love asian histories of war and independence with a perfect blend of culture. Hence, I finished it as soon as I could get my hands around it. All I could say now is I am hungry for more from the author.

Heartwrenching tale about two friends Young sook and Mija and their journey of love, betrayal and forgiveness, War and it's aftermath and Brief history about Korean divers. Incredible historical fiction set in Jeju Island Korea.

As far the story goes, it was quite interesting. I learnt so much about haenyeo and the various Jeju wars and their tragic consequences.This story was as much about Jeju life and culture, as it was about being a woman during harsh times. There were a few lessons to learn from this book.But in saying all this, I have to say that I preferred the author's other books over this one. While the book was good, it didn't hit all the right notes with me. But it is definitely worth a read.

Superb book. I am introduced to Lisa See by chance, but it was such a beautiful coincidence

This story was difficult deep and well written. Trauma struggle and survival with currents of love from start to finish

Book reviewers tend to make full use of the vernacular of the day; they want their review to highlight the things that are most important to the reader. So used in abundance to describe Lisa See's Island of Sea Women are words like female friendship, historical novel, women's strengths, powerful women, multigenerational story, and so on. All these adjectives are accurate but don't do justice to See's book regarding its full scope.This is the story of Korea as told through the friendship of Young-sook, the daughter of the head haenyeo diver, and Mi-ja, the orphaned daughter of a Japanese collaborator. It is unique, beautiful, and sometimes brutal, but most of all, its historical context is authentic. I was fortunate enough to have once lived in South Korea, and while the book enabled me to revisit some familiar words and places, the story of the Island of Jeju and the haenyeo was sadly unknown to me. See's research and how she weaves it into the storyline is flawless. Her writing is clear and honest and never wavers towards unnecessary melodrama or superfluous emotions. To read this book is to immerse oneself in the best and worst of humanity.One cannot help but feel saddened that the lifestyle of the haenyeo is changing, ageing and performative for visiting tourists. South Korea has emerged from its often-dark history, now a vibrant and beautiful country, but to some degree, this has come at the cost of its spirituality and culture.I highly recommend this book because, like those fantastic female divers, it will gently take you down into its depths, from which you will slowly emerge a little richer and a little wiser.

This is the second book I have read by Lisa See. She is so good at setting the scene and describing a very different culture but so readable.

um dos melhores livros que li nos últimos anos.

Uno dei miei libri preferiti, arrivato in ottime condizioni