Book Review: The Island of Sea Women
Title: The Island of Sea Women
Author: Lisa See
Length: 384 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Plot Summary: Set on the Korean island of Jeju across several tumultuous decades, this historical fiction follows the lifelong, complex friendship between two young women, Young-sook and Mi-ja. Both begin training to join their island’s legendary haenyeo: an all-female collective of free-divers who serve as the primary breadwinners of their matriarchal society. Despite coming from vastly different backgrounds, they form an unbreakable bond as they brave the perils of the sea together. However, as Japanese colonialism, World War II, and the devastating aftermath of the Korean War sweep across their homeland, political forces and personal tragedies force them into impossible positions. Ultimately, a singular, devastating event shatters their friendship, leaving them to grapple with decades of trauma, guilt, and the agonizing weight of forgiveness.
Review: While the prose isn’t quite as gut-wrenching or emotionally gripping as Kristin Hannah’s writing, this novel offers an incredibly important and rare perspective of World War II and its aftermath that very few readers are aware of. Personally, I learned an immense amount about the rich traditions, unique matriarchal culture, and daily lives of the haenyeo on Jeju Island. At times, several portions of the story suffered from a “tell instead of show” narrative style, which dragged the pacing down in the middle. However, the final act of the novel was heartfelt, bringing the emotional stakes together and delivering a genuinely satisfying conclusion to Young-sook’s journey.
Rating: 3.5/5
