The Island of sea Women

Locations
Call Number: Adult Book / Fiction / Historical / See, Lisa, Fiction / See, Lisa
On Shelf At: Pittsfield Branch, Westgate Branch

Location & Checkout Length	Call Number	Checkout Length	Item Status
Pittsfield Adult Books 4-week checkout	Adult Book / Fiction / Historical / See, Lisa	4-week checkout	On Shelf
Pittsfield Adult Books 4-week checkout	Adult Book / Fiction / Historical / See, Lisa	4-week checkout	Due 05-20-2024
Pittsfield Adult Books 4-week checkout	Adult Book / Fiction / Historical / See, Lisa	4-week checkout	Due 05-24-2024
Westgate Adult Books 4-week checkout	Adult Book / Fiction / Historical / See, Lisa	4-week checkout	On Shelf
Westgate Adult Books 4-week checkout	Adult Book / Fiction / Historical / See, Lisa	4-week checkout	On Shelf
Downtown 2nd Floor 4-week checkout	Fiction / See, Lisa	4-week checkout	Due 04-25-2024
Malletts Adult Books 4-week checkout	Adult Book / Fiction / Historical / See, Lisa	4-week checkout	Due 05-16-2024

"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. Mi-ja and Young-sook, two girls living on the Korean island of Jeju, are best friends that come from very different backgrounds. When they are old enough, they begin working in the sea with their village's all-female diving collective, led by Young-sook's mother. As the girls take up their positions as baby divers, they know they are beginning a life of excitement and responsibility but also danger. Despite their love for each other, Mi-ja and Young-sook's differences are impossible to ignore. The Island of Sea Women is an epoch set over many decades, beginning during a period of Japanese colonialism in the 1930s and 1940s, followed by World War II, the Korean War and its aftermath, through the era of cell phones and wet suits for the women divers. Throughout this time, the residents of Jeju find themselves caught between warring empires. Mi-ja is the daughter of a Japanese collaborator, and she will forever be marked by this association. Young-sook was born into a long line of haenyeo and will inherit her mother's position leading the divers in their village. Little do the two friends know that after surviving hundreds of dives and developing the closest of bonds, forces outside their control will push their friendship to the breaking point. This beautiful, thoughtful novel illuminates a world turned upside down, one where the women are in charge, engaging in dangerous physical work, and the men take care of the children. A classic Lisa See story--one of women's friendships and the larger forces that shape them--The Island of Sea Women introduces readers to the fierce and unforgettable female divers of Jeju Island and the dramatic history that shaped their lives"-- Provided by publisher.
"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"-- Provided by publisher.

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COMMUNITY REVIEWS

Inspired by Stronger women submitted by leea on June 28, 2019, 10:52am Lisa See’s new novel, “The Island of Sea Women,” whisks audiences away to the salty shores of Jeju Island, South Korea in this tender and tragic work of historical fiction. A story you’ve never read before and remind you how powerful women can and must be to survive.

Interesting time and place submitted by flemingj on July 28, 2020, 1:35pm Not my favorite of her books, but great way to learn about this unique place and women.

Insight into an unfamiliar world submitted by ldibble on July 30, 2021, 4:18pm The story alone is enough to read this book, with strong character development and a sense of purpose as you move through their interconnected stories. Then, there is the component of a whole new community of women divers and their extraordinary culture.

Unexpectedly engaging submitted by Susan4Pax -prev. sueij- on June 23, 2022, 10:37pm What an unexpectedly engaging book. This is one of those novels where you get an engaging story and a slice of unanticipated history at the same time. I had never heard of Jeju, an island off Korea, or of the haenyeo, the women sea divers. The author follows an old haenyeo’s memories to childhood and through occupations and technological developments to bring readers into a different world. It caught me from the start, and yet still sped up as the story went on, like a rock rolling down a hill. It is beautifully and engagingly done, and I’m glad to have spent the time in Young-sook’s story.

The Island of the Sea Women submitted by leighsprauer on August 13, 2022, 8:48am The Island of the Sea Women follows the heartbreaking story of two women from the Korean island of Jeju. Young-sook and Mi-ja are haenyeo - divers who work collecting food from their "wet fields" - i.e., the ocean surrounding Jeju. The difficult and dangerous job is only one of their worries, however, as they also struggle to survive during the Japanese occupation, World War II, and the Korean War. Although they find it difficult to maintain their friendship, given their very different backgrounds, their deep bonds keep them connected throughout their lives.
This was, all in all, a decent book. It was filled with detail about the lives of haenyeo, and more generally the lives of Koreans during the 20th century. Lee had clearly done her research, and although in the beginning of the book her factoids seemed forced and detracted from the flow of the narrative, after the first couple of chapters this was no longer so noticeable. The characters were well-developed and believable, the writing was good, if not earth-shattering, the plot was engaging. But the total effect was just: okay. It's a good, quick summer read - if don't mind your summer reads to be filled with horrific death, war, and famine - but not what I would call a great book.