Title: THE ISLAND OF SEA WOMEN
Expected publication: out now
My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟
Book Description:
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.
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.
My musings:
I was first introduced to Lisa See’s writing through THE TEA
GIRL OF HUMMINGBIRD LANE, which was one of my favourite books read in 2017. So
imagine my delight and anticipation when I was granted an ARC of her latest
book THE ISLAND OF SEA WOMEN from Edelweiss!
I admit that I knew very little (i.e. nothing) of Jeju’s
history, the little Korean island that is home to our two main characters. In
the 1930s, when Mi-ja and Young-sook were little girls, the island was quite
unique for its matriarchic society. It fell to the women to provide an income
through diving, whilst the men raised the children, did the housework and tended
to the gardens. Young-sook’s mother was one of the head “haenyeo” on the island,
teaching the younger women to dive - how to hold their breaths, how to read the
ocean and how to stay alive in this dangerous occupation. “A woman is not meant
for the household!” she said to her daughter. It’s a fascinating culture and
much too complex to explain here, but See does a great job in making her
haenyeo characters come to life. We meet Mi-ja and Young-sook when they are
mere “baby divers” starting out on their journey, and accompany them through
their whole lives into old age. And what tragic, heartbreaking lives they
lived! I had no idea of the terrible history of the island when I started
reading this book.
I loved See’s descriptions of island life and the culture of
the haenyeo, and the story drew me in very quickly. In my review of THE TEA
GIRL OF HUMMINGBIRD LANE I reflected: “See seamlessly blends facts and fiction,
educating the armchair traveller as the story progresses and adding depth to
her characters.” At the start of the story, this was also the case here, and I
was transported very quickly into Mi-ja and Young-sook’s world. However, maybe
because of the long time-span covered in this book (a whole lifetime), I felt
that after the girls had been married off to their respective husbands and had
children of their own, I lost connection with the two main characters. Perhaps
it was also due to the fact that the story moved along very quickly at that
point, and focused very strongly on political events, but I had the impression
that See was keeping her characters at arms’ length and that the personal
stories got lost along the way.
Saying that, THE ISLAND OF SEA WOMEN is a meticulously
researched book, and See’s knowledge of Korea’s history and the haenyeo culture
shines through from beginning to end. See is not afraid to include some graphic
scenes from horrendous massacres on the island, as seen through the eyes of her
characters, which I had been totally ignorant of. Interwoven with these
historical events is the friendship bond between the two women, which will be
put to the test when they are confronted with an impossible choice in a
life-or-death situation. Personally, I would have preferred if the story had
focused on Mi-ja and Young-sook when they were unmarried girls working as
haenyeo, and I never tired of the descriptions of haenyeo culture and
lifestyle, which were fascinating. I interrupted my reading several times to
look up photos and facts about the haenyeo, which gave me a vivid picture of
the island women. I felt the timeline in the present a lot less immersive, and
caught myself skipping some parts to get back to the past.
Summary:
All in all, THE ISLAND OF SEA WOMEN read like a strange hybrid between fiction and non-fiction for me. At times, it was like receiving a history lesson, making it more of an educational experience for me than an emotional one, which was ok, but I had hoped to have more of my heart involved than my brain. Lovers of historical fiction will appreciate See’s extensive knowledge not only of the history of the island, but also of haenyeo culture, which was fascinating. I strongly recommend visiting the author’s website where she shares some links to photos and footage of haenyeo women.
Thank
you to Edelweiss and Scribner for the free electronic copy of this novel and
for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.
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