Reviews

The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See

manseau's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

sel21's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

cleothegreat's review against another edition

4.0

‘ And on those days when we walked to the sea and found Mi-ja waiting at her usual spot in the olle, Grandmother recited common sayings in hopes of comforting us two motherless girls. “The ocean is better than your natal mother,” she said. “The sea is forever.” ‘

I didn’t know anything about Japanese colonization/American occupation/aftermath of ww2 in korea prior to reading this book so it’s safe to say that I learned quite a lot. what a heartbreaking and inspiring tale. makes me want to visit jeju. someday maybe I will

blazieken's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Great read! I wasn't expecting this book to tug on my heartstrings as much as it did. I think the only gripe I had was that it started a bit too slowly for my tastes, but maybe it's because I tend to read horror and thriller novels over drama/historical fiction. 

Young-sook is a complex character, and I really enjoyed her point of view. The author did a great amount of research and I learned a lot about haenyeo and their lifestyle.

scuba888's review against another edition

5.0

Really liked this one. I thought because of the diving women, it would be a fun light summer read, but wasn’t prepared for it to be devastatingly sad, with hard to read scenes of genocide and other horrors. Overall, a good story, and I loved the ocean themes, diving scenes, family history threads, and thought provoking gender roles & spiritual practices from the culture portrayed.

valiendo_barriga's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

kimberlynpeterson50's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

An amazingly detailed glimpse into a culture, country, and era I knew almost nothing about. See’s physical descriptions made me feel like I were walking through the villages myself, and I felt her characters’ depth of emotion viscerally. Friendship, family, and tradition are wrapped up in an immensely readable package.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Police brutality, Rape, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Colonisation, Death, Domestic abuse, and Genocide

abeth380's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful informative medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

bdaigneault's review against another edition

emotional inspiring sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Physical abuse

jennyluwho's review against another edition

3.0

‘This had been happening for years now. Imagine that for a moment. Day after day. Month after month. Seeing and smelling death, while mothers still tried to feed, clothe, and comfort their children.’