After reading and loving Snowflower and the Secret Fan, Shanghai Girls, and Dreams of Joy, Lisa See has become an auto-buy author for me. I was thrilled when I heard she was coming out with a new book.

The Island of Sea women tells the story of amazing Young-Sook’s life. She is a first and foremost a haenyeo, a female diver living on the Korean island of Jeju. The book follows Young-Sook’s life over 45 years and centers around her relationship with her best-friend and fellow haenyeo, Mi-Ja. There are a few brief flashbacks to 2008. What I enjoyed most about this book was learning about the haenyeo and the Jeju culture. The story of these women is fascinating. Haenyeo are strong resilient female divers who financially provide for their families through their diving. Young-Sook was one of the strongest female characters I have ever read. She endured such tragedy as a result of Japanese and American colonialism on Jeju. Her friendship with Mi-Ja is beautiful and difficult and heartbreaking.

If you enjoy historical fiction and strong female characters, I recommend picking up The Island of Sea Women.

Thanks to Lisa See and Scribner through Netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

It's amazing the power of a book can have on a life and I am not talking about this one. Somewhere some nameless bureaucrat decided that the citizens of a Korean island, Jeju, needed copies of the book, [book:Heidi|93], set in the Swiss Alps. Copies were distributed and for some reason the citizens fell in love with it. They sat around and read it as families and discussed it at work. It made a difference in people's lives. I just loved that story.

I have always admired Lisa See's books but I struggled with this one on several different levels. Yes, It was interesting story and I learned quite a bit but the violence in it was a real problem for me. At about 60% through I almost set it aside as it was so graphic. Yet I kept on and, in the end, I am glad I did.

It is the story of a matriarchal society where the women work as haenyeo divers. They dive in the ocean and harvest the sea's treasures including abalone and octopus. They have amazing body chemistry to withstand the cold and the hardship. The men stay home and tend the children and make light meals. Of course, it is not as good as it seems. Property is still in the man's name. They often take the women's wages and gamble and drink it away. As their daughters grow up they take over the child raising and food preparation and the men are left with nothing to do. As the women trudge home from a long day of sea harvesting, they come home and clean and cook and mind children. It's not as idyllic as it seems.

Because of Jeju's location, it has a long history of occupation first by the Japanese then the Americans. Both are cruel and there is massacre after massacre. Villages are burned and large burial grounds appear. Life is a constant struggle and they soon learn not to say anything because of all the informants to all the different competing military factions.

The story is told around two best friends's lives, Mi-ja and Young-sook. They grew up together and became divers and then their paths diverged after marriage and their struggles will break your heart. While I suspect most will be moved Young-sook, it is Mi-ja's story that grabbed my heart.

An interesting book that gave a glimpse into another way of life that I had no idea about before reading it. Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.

A new novel from Lisa See, the New York Times bestselling author of The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, about female friendship and family secrets on a small Korean island..
This was a very interesting book about the women divers of the Korean Island, Jeju. They were deep divers. and the book follows the lives of two of the divers when they were young girls through their lives as they age.
It was very moving and heartbreaking at times. I did not know about these remarkable women and very little of the history of Korea during this time. Highly recommended.

Just finished an amazing story of two women, Young-Sook and Mi-ja set on the island of Jeju south of mainland Korea. Young-Sook’s family is a traditional family of multiple generations. Mi-ja’s parents were killed as Japanese collaborators and she is sent to live with her aunt and uncle on Jeju. Her aunt and uncle do not treat her well.

This is a story over decades of two girls, heart sisters. It is a story of deep friendship, caring and a betrayal that tears them apart, Lisa See gives us insight into the Haenyeo culture of women divers who hold their breaths in all sorts of weather to dive deep into the ocean to harvest abalone, octopus,..... The structure of the society is semi-matriarchal. The women earn the living for the family whil the husbands watch the children.

Their story is one of hardship, courage, love, reconciliation. Lisa See allowed me to feel like I was walking hand in hand with the characters. I also learned so much about a culture I knew nothing about. An amazing amount of research was completed by the author to prepare her story. This book would make an excellent bookclub choice. Thank you NetGalley, Scribner, and Lisa See for the ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

Lisa See’s newest novel, The Island of Sea Woman, takes place on Korea’s Jeju Island, where women divers support themselves and their families by diving for shellfish, octopus, and more. These haenyeo begin training in childhood, learning and moving up in an all-women diving collective, as they take on longer dives for more difficult and valuable prey. There’s a real sense of the mystery, power, and riches of the sea in this novel, beginning when Young-sook and her friend Mi-ja join the collective as girls.

This is a saga spanning generations, but the relationship between these women is the heart of the story. The two girls train together, and grow up almost as sisters, and work side-by-side in dangerous circumstances, although their backgrounds are quite different. Young-sook’s mother is the leader of the haenyeo, while rumors swirl around Mi-ja’s missing parents, which eventually leads to very different marriage prospects for the two friends. Their friendship is threatened again with the brutal Japanese occupation of Jeju.

The novel tells of horrific, brutal deaths on Jeju Island, in a tragic conflict between Japanese soldiers and starving Korean civilians. I found this section especially jarring because I mostly knew of the island as a Korean honeymoon destination before reading this novel. The war changes the shape of Korean life, long after hostilities cease. The conflict between countries and between traditional haenyeo and modernity are fascinating, but still secondary to the complex relationship between these two women.

Lisa See’s novels excel at showing complex friendships between women (Shanghai Girls, etc.), and this is another example. The long years of loyalty and love between Mi-ja and Young-sook are tested and tried through the years by war, family loyalty, and more. I particularly enjoyed See’s use of foreshadowing and time-jumps to highlight the long-lasting relationships and lifetime character traits of these two multi-faceted women.

Slow to start, but ultimately engrossing and enlightening historical fiction. The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See started out very slowly for me. Telling the story of the friendship of Mi-ja and Young-sook, two young divers, or haenyeo, on Jeju Island in Korea, The Island of Sea Women was full of new information for me, but the beginning failed to grab my interest. It starts out as Young-sook is living in 2008, and a young family visits Jeju Island and wants to speak with her about the past and about her friendship with their great grandmother, Mi-ja. Young-sook then reminisces about the past and debates on whether or not to share her story with this visiting family. At first I was quite thrown as to why this visiting family would be so insistent on speaking with Young-sook, but as the story goes on, it made more and more sense as we learned about Young-sook and Mi-ja’s history together.
Mi-ja and Young-sook learned the art of sea diving, and much of the first part of the book focuses on the different diving lessons and diving tragedies that occur, and while this was interesting, I wasn’t really drawn into the story. Yes, diving is interesting and all, but it never really captivated me, and I felt the characters were quite dull and boring at the beginning, and were lacking emotion. I did almost set this book aside because the diving and the characters were just so blah at the beginning, but then the Jeju Uprising happens, and oh my word, I was completely drawn into the book and the characters became so very real and human, that I was glued to the page! Talk about a complete change in a books direction! There’s an action (or inaction) by Mi-ja that tears their relationship apart, and I found the moral implications of these scenes absolutely fascinating. It also sparked a change in Young-sook, and I found Young-sook to be more of a realistic character after the uprising scenes. I was unaware of the Jeju Uprising and the atrocities that happened before reading this book, and wow, these scenes are absolutely heartbreaking and a bit graphic to read.
I love historical fiction that teaches me something, and The Island of Sea Women definitely taught me a lot about haenyeo, the Korean War, and the Jeju Uprising. With characters and scenes that will live forever in my memory, The Island of Sea Women is compelling historical fiction worthy of discussion. This would make an excellent book club choice as there is so much to discuss here from motives and characters, to the history and the skill of the haenyeo, to the wonderful seafood and beautiful setting of Jeju Island. There’s also a different religion that is focused on here, shamanism, and the beliefs and traditions are quite fascinating to read about. So while this one really was a slow start for me, once it got going I was spellbound and I think a lot of readers will love this book!

Bottom Line: Another captivating read by Lisa See!

Lisa See stands alongside Tan, Erdrich, Allende, Silko, and other multicultural voices in contemporary American literature. The Island of Sea Women tells a part of the Korean War that is unknown to most of us. It also celebrates womanhood through its many phases and the bonds that women create with their grandmothers, mothers, daughters, and friends. Moving back and forth through time and from third to first person could become clunky or distracting, but in See’s deft hand, it does not. A reader is left with a new understanding of the complexities of war and wounds that fail to heal. A worthwhile and satisfying read.

I've read many Lisa See books over the years and she never disappoints. This wonderful novel is no exception.

At its core many of See's novels have the same theme: female friendship. They are often overlaid against a historical background and the history is of course inextricably linked to the experiences the women are having and how their friendship evolves (gets impacted) by everything in their lives.

This book in its most basic has the same premise. It's about two women who meet as girls and are as close as siblings from a young age. They are on the Korean island of Jeju and they are part of an all-female diving collective. This culture is characterized as matrifocal, which is, focused on females. The women do all the hard, dangerous work, earn the keep and the men cook and take care of the babies, etc.

The story takes place over a long tumultuous period, including Japanese colonialism in the 1930s and 1940s, World War II, the Korean War and what follows, and then ends up in current day era, a few generations later. There are some horrible horrible things that happen in the book. I am sure much of it is historically accurate and it was tough to read.

The overarching story, as always, is the friendship between the two women. What we keep from each other, even in our most trusted friendships. How we can destroy each other even as we're trying to protect each other. How we can hold on to hatred and resentment for much longer than it serves us. And, of course, regret.

I am grateful for the time I spent with this book, to Lisa See for both teaching me about a time and place in history I knew little about and weaving a deep, touching and thought-provoking story into this time period to make it come even more alive for her readers.

thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Scribner and NetGalley for the free review copy!

Once again Lisa See amazes me with her insight into women's hearts and souls. This is a story of a lifetime friendship between 2 women, spanning from 1938-1975 with snippets of 4 days in 2008 inserted throughout, set on the Korean island of Jeju. It is a quintessential story of the redemptive and healing power of forgiveness, and the bonds of friendship. Young-Sook and Mi-Ja are loyally dedicated to each other, lifting one another up, supporting each other, and sharing secrets. This friendship sustains these women through many years, of good times and bad, until it falls victim to the age old problem of not knowing another’s heartache and reality. It also paints a portrait of strong, courageous women. The main characters are “haenyeo”, female divers. Haenyeo are fiercely independent and loyal, providing the main income for their families while the men care for the children. They take great pride in their work and lives. In the time of war and injustice, they display a willingness to accept their situation and make the most of it, proving to be a good wife & daughter-in-law.


I am also fascinated by the historical aspects of this novel. The author draws you in to the place and time, the customs, and the society. I found myself stopping often to look at a map or look up incidents recounted in the story, and researching facts about haenyeo and Korean culture. Throughout this novel I learned about the making of North & South Korea, and about the atrocities of that time period such as the Bukchon Massacre. The litmus test for excellent historical fiction is one which broadens my world...and this one passed with flying colors!

The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

The first Lisa See book I read was Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. I read it in high school and really enjoyed it (which says a lot because I actually was not a big reader in high school). Fast-forward to a few weeks ago when I was browsing new ARCs on NetGalley and came across The Island of Sea Women. When I saw it was by Lisa See, I requested it right away!

The book did start off a little slow but it picked up fairly quickly and I was completely hooked.

This book was phenomenal. I was really expecting to find a note at the end of the book that the story was based off of a true story and I was expecting an author’s note thanking the person who shared their story with her… But the characters are completely fictional! The way Lisa See wrote the story, it felt like I was reading a memoir. It felt SO REAL. I felt everything.

When I started this book, I did not know anything of the Jeju island. I did not know it existed. I also did no know the haenyeo existed. I learned so much. They did not teach us this stuff in school when discussing World War II and its aftermath. I knew nothing of the cultures and people that were not the “major” parties of the war and how their lives were affected. And while reading the book, I found myself reacting to events that I DID learn about because it’s just so… different. It’s like a different perspective. The events we all know occurred affected different groups in different ways and reading them in this book was like hearing about them for the first time.

The haenyeo were strong women who worked in the sea. The haenyeo culture revolved around these sea women who did all of the hard and dangerous work to provide for their family while husbands stayed at home and basically hung-out, made sure the house didn’t fall apart, and cooked a little. WHO KNEW! I had no idea such a culture existed in Eastern Asia. Coming from a Southeast Asian background, I grew up with the idea that the men provided and the women stayed home (of course, that is the old-school thinking and times have evolved).

Mi-ja and Young-Sook met at the age of 7. Mi-ja was basically a neglected orphan living with her aunt and uncle and Young-Sook’s family took her in and helped her build a life. The two became inseparable and grew up to be like sisters. They became haenyeo together and joined the diving collective together, travelled together, got married around the same time, and even had their first child around the same time. About half way through the book, everything changes. Tragedy strikes and their lives are changed forever.

We are able to see, through the eyes of the characters, the effects of World War II. We watch what happens before and after the country of Korea is split into the North and the South.

WARNING: THIS BOOK DOES CONTAIN SOME GRAPHIC VIOLENCE. So if that’s not your thing, beware. But I don’t think it was too much. I actually think it was the perfect amount to really grasp the feel and setting of the story. It’s a time of war. It’s painful, graphic, and horrifying.

Lisa See had me completely and totally engrossed in her story. Her words read to me like a person telling their horrifying story. It was such a beautifully written book. This is a story of strength, triumph, pain, suffering, love, loyalty, and so much more.

Thank you Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

As with all of her books, this was well researched and beautifully written, this time about Korea. I loved the writing, the setting and the story. She never fails to impress me with all the perfect parts coming together to form a beautiful novel.

In this enthralling, beautifully written novel, Lisa See weaves the story of the friendship between Young-sook and Mi-ja on the Korean island of Jeju. The two girls are part of the collective of haenyeo, the female divers who earn their families living while the husbands care for the children and home. The story follows Young-sook and Mi-ja from Japanese colonialism in the 1930s, WWII, the Korean War and its aftermath to 2008. Their lives inter-twine as they pass from childhood to young women; from daughters to wives and mothers. The dramatic history that shaped the world around them leads to tragedy and threatens to sever the ties that bind them.

This is not just a story of the relationship between Young-sook and Mi-ja, but also a painstakingly researched and stunning depiction of the 20th century history of Korea, as well as a portrayal of the fascinating lives of the haenyeos. I could not put this book down, and the story and history stayed with me for days. This is by far the best historical fiction novel I have read in a while. Lyrically written and richly detailed, this book will be in high demand.

I wasn't sure what to expect from The Island of Sea Women. The book is about Korean women, which is a departure from See's usual stories about Chinese women. After I got adjusted to the different names, places, and histories, I realized The Island of Sea Women still fits into the main body of Lisa See's work.

The book begins during the latter stages of the Japanese occupation of Korea (in fact, this would be an excellent book to read before Samuel Park's This Burns My Heart). We hear the story through the voice of Young-sook, a Haenyeo (sea woman/海女）from Jeju Island. Like many of See's other books, she is inseparable with her best friend, and the state of their relationship directly affects her ability to feel happiness. In The Island of Sea Women (as well as in Snow Flower and the Secret Fan), we learn the importance of thinking outside ourselves and viewing situations from multiple perspectives.

Although the structure of the story was nothing new, I thoroughly enjoyed Lisa See's use of language, as well as her in-depth research. I came away from the book knowing much more about Korean culture and history. Moreover, The Island of Sea Women focused on the strength, courage, and leadership of Korean women, which you don't often see in East Asian historical fiction. I'd absolutely recommend this everyone. (TW for war and its related violence, as well as for domestic abuse)

For fans of historical fiction this is a must read! The relationship between the main characters and the challenges they face would make this an excellent book club book. I learned a lot about the divers of Jeju Island, as well as Korean history. The different roles played by women and men on the island was fascinating. If you liked "Pachinko," you'll definitely enjoy this book.

Mi-ja and Young-sook are best friends who grew up on the Korean Island of Jeju. They are part of the Haenyeo culture on the island. The Haenyeo, or women of the sea, can dive deep, have a higher shivering threshold, and provide for their families, even diving while pregnant. The girls/women met when they were seven years old and became baby divers together. They spent all their time together, as best friends do, sharing secrets, dreams, wishes and their shared plans for their futures. But life and circumstances have a way of altering the best of plans. Separated when they are married, they try to maintain their friendship until a tragic event drives them apart.

This book started slowly for me. I have loved every single Lisa See book that I have read and have been drawn in to them within the first couple of pages. This one took almost half the book to draw me in, but once in, I was full invested in the story. There is a lot of history in these pages, not only between these two women and their families/husbands but also on the island of Jeju itself.

I appreciated the historical aspect of this book and learning about the Haenyeo. I found the culture of the diving women to be fascinating as was the fact that these women were the chief bread winners in their families. “Haenyeo were Korea’s first working moms,” said Koh Mi, an editor at the Jeju newspaper Jemin Ilbo and a participant in a nine-year research project on the sea women. “They were a symbol of female independence and strength in Korea.” I read in one article published in 2014 that in 20 years, most of the Haenyeo will be gone.

The history of the island between the years of 1930's to the 1950's is also shown in this book, having the characters suffer through tragedy, uprising and killings. Lisa See did a wonderful job researching this book and shared how she approached her research in her Author's note.

I just wished I would have been more drawn by the story in the beginning. I can't quite put my finger on what was lacking for me. I did not feel connected to the characters and in the beginning kept turning to other books to read. But around the half way mark, the story picked up for me and I was fully invested in these two women, their lives, their hardships, their heartbreak and the one event which will leave both troubled and haunted. A horrific even which will alter their lives forever.

Thank you to Scribner and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

If you know me, you know that I LOVE the novels of Lisa See and that I have read them all! Her writing is so evocative and beautiful, and her stories often focus on the power of family, love, and friendship. I also always learn something new! This novel was no different. I loved it and couldn’t put it down. From the interesting facts about the Korean women divers, to the tragedies that befell their families and villages, to the storyline of Mi-Ja and Young-Sook’s friendship, this novel was pure Lisa See goodness!

Description via Net Galley (thank you for my review copy!)
full review at drbethnolan.com

5 stars
This is a story of pain , sorrow, anger, anger and grief all rolled into one. This is historical fiction, set on the island of Jeju, South Korea. It centers on the relationship between two women, Mi-ja and Young-sook, from the 1930s to 2008. They are best friends growing up in a Korea run by the Japanese, who made a colony of Korea in 1910. They remain friends until one day in January 1949, when their friendship is destroyed. Young-sook's husband, son and sister-in-law are killed by South Korean soldiers.
I was aware that the US installed a dictator, Rhee Syngman(Korean--US is Syngman Rhee), who was a staunch anti-communist, in S. Korea. I was not aware that his police and army had a large number of Japanese collaborators. His regime ruthlessly suppressed opponents who protested, asking for democratic elections, killing thousands on Jeju alone.
This book also has a large amount of information of the women on Jeju, who do the fishing, while their husbands stay home taking care of the children. This practice goes back hundreds of years to a time when men who fished were heavily taxed by Korean kings, while women paid no taxes.
Some quotes:
"Jeju is her home, an island known for Three Abundances: wind, stones and women."
"Her house is a nest where she hides the joy, laughter, sorrows and regrets of her life."
After giving birth: "The four of us were back on the boat within days. The babies lay side by side in their cradles., linked with all the cradles."
"My solace came from knowing I was not alone in my misery. So many men had been killed in Bukchon that it was now called the Village of Widows."
I strongly recommend this book to all historical fiction and Lisa See fans.
Thank You Simon and Schuster for sending me this eARC through NetGalley.

"If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other." (Mother Teresa)

The threads of time, commitment, connection, and honor run deeply throughout this latest offering by the highly talented Lisa See. We follow her to the Korean volcanic island of Jeju in the Korean Strait. Jeju is filled with jutting cliffs, white sandy beaches, and the deafening roar of the sea. But the beauty of these surroundings is far outmatched by the resilience of its people.........and in particular, its women.

Haenyeo or "Korean Mermaids" have been a collective group of female divers who have taken to the sea for eons. They search for their daily catch of abalone, squid, octopus, and the like while their house husbands remain at home caring for the children. The reverse roles of males/females work well for the divers who provide for their families. Some of the chosen women even travel to the Soviet Union for extra work.

The Island of Sea Women spans from the 1930's to the 1950's and reflects the historical happenings of the time. The Korean people have a strong sense of identity, but it has been mottled by Japanese occupation. The Japanese presence leaned heavily on both the culture and the language. Some Korean men traveled to Japan for work and were away from their families. Suspicion roamed the streets and caution took a palatable place in the market square. We'll also see the effects of the Korean War and the great fear of communism after the U.S. occupation.

And through all of this, two young women, Mi-ja and Young-sook, will take their first dives under the guidance of the experienced haenyeo divers. Mi-ja comes from a displaced background whose father is a Japanese collaborator. She lives with her elderly aunt and uncle. Young-sook's mother takes her in and teaches her the skills along with her own daughter. But the sea is a fiercely dangerous place and tragedy will strike this band of women multiple times throughout the years.

Lisa See creates a panorama showcasing these young women as they perfect their newly found occupation. But just as these women test the uncertainties of these waters, Lisa See goes into the dark depths encasing the relationship between Mi-ja and Young-sook. There will come the day when both women will face an unspeakable horror. A snap decision, a gut-wrenching choice, and the suffocating aftermath will haunt each of them for many, many years to come.

Finding peace is like a twisted piece of driftwood floating upon the surface of the sea........released from its roots and so within reach. But it's all in the desire of making it so.

I received a copy of The Island of Sea Women through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Scriber Publishers and to Lisa See for the opportunity.

Lisa See has once again written a fascinating story that not only depicts life in a specific place through a turbulent time, but also tells the story about the wondrously unique, compelling world of the haenyeo, the female divers supporting their families on the Korean island of Jeju. The danger of the work they do is evident from the accident that occurs on Young-sook's first dive with the collective, and the stories about their diving never cease to be interesting throughout this story. Young-sook's personal story, and the historical elements of this book are also compelling- from poverty and brutality in the midst of war, bringing the story from the 1930s through 2008, seeing the changes in her and in the world around her.

4.5 Rating

Wow! I have enjoyed going on many journeys with Lisa See and this one was quite unique as the Korean island of Jeju was one I was unfamiliar with (even though I've been to Korea) as was the world of the haenyeos. I found myself doing my own research during and after reading the book as the culture of these divers was so interesting. My heart broke from the story of Young-sook and Mi-ja as their relationship was shattered after the two marry and were trying to survive during the tragic period after WWII when thousands on the island were murdered (the 4.3 incident). This is an amazing story that does what good historical fiction is supposed to do. The research done to bring this small island to life was extraordinary and the telling of the hardship brought to its people was unforgettable. After reading The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, I tried some new teas. I don't think I'll try diving but I certainly won't forget about the haenyeos.

Thank you to NetGalley, Scribner and Lisa See for the ARC.