Review: The Island of Sea Women

The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An excellent read. Historical fiction at its best. This was the first time that I had read anything about Korean culture and was completely captivated from the start. The women live on the small island of Jeju where there are collectives of women divers. These women divers basically support the family and the men stay at home and look after the children and cook. These women can withstand cold temperatures and can hold their breath for long periods of time. The story revolves around two friends who come from different backgrounds, but become very close, like sisters. One was the daughter of a Japanese collaborator whose mother had died in childbirth and the other was from a good Korean family whose father stayed home and mother was a diver. The story brings us all the way to them as great grandmothers and be prepared for a bit of a cry.

An excellent read.