The Island of Sea Women written by Lisa See
BOOK CLUB CHOICE, February 2022
Reviewed by: Kathyrn Raymond
Set on the Korean island of Jeju, The Island of Sea Women follows Mi-ja and Young-sook, two girls from very different backgrounds, as they begin working in the sea with their village’s all-female diving collective. Over many decades—through the Japanese colonialism of the 1930s and 1940s, World War II, the Korean War, and the era of cellphones and wet suits for the women divers—the two girls developed the closest of bonds. Nevertheless, their differences are impossible to ignore: Mi-ja is the daughter of a Japanese collaborator, forever marking her, and Young-sook was born into a long line of female divers (haenyeo) and will inherit her mother’s position leading the divers. After hundreds of dives and years of friendship, forces outside their control will push their relationship to the breaking point.
This beautiful, thoughtful novel illuminates a unique and unforgettable culture, one where the women are in charge, engaging in dangerous physical work, and the men take care of the children. A story of women’s friendships and the larger forces that shape them, The Island of Sea Women introduces readers to the fierce female divers of Jeju Island and the dramatic history that shaped their lives.
Below is a link to Lisa See’s website that discusses many of her books but in particular, the history of the sea women from 1938 to 2008. Lisa has done much research about these sea women or “Haenyao” including taking a trip to their island of Jeju. There is a lot of information available both on the women as well as Lisa’s writing of this historical fiction book. To visit Lisa’s site:
Probus Club of Kingsway-Islington 