The Island of Sea Women

Set on the Korean island of Jeju, The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See 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—Mi-ja and Young-sook develop 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 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 historical fiction 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 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 female divers of Jeju Island and the dramatic history that shaped their lives.

My Verdict

Cast yourselves backward 75 years ago into an almost unknown South Korean island, Jeju, invaded by brutal Japanese troops, liberated by US forces, and turned over to the then un-unified regime in Korea whose soldiers raped and tortured protestors right under American eyes. Then you have the setting for this unusual and unsettling story written by Lisa See, who is American Chinese, about female divers who earn their living by diving deep, holding their breaths for up to five minutes, while they fish. The prized catches are abalone and giant octopuses. The young girls, their mothers, and grandmothers keep the family finances in the black while their husbands find low-paying work on shore.

The novel movingly contains the stories of happy achievement at sea and the regular sorrow on shore. The contrast is vividly told. So is the horror of war and the Japanese occupation. All of this is told through the relationship of Mi-ja and Young-sook.

Despite their love for each other, Mi-ja and Young-sook’s differences are impossible to ignore. The Island of Sea Women is 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 is a phenomenal piece of historical fiction and it transported me completely to another time and place. It is a gripping story of a place and time that I didn't learn about in school. It is about an amazing sisterhood of women in a matrifocal society and the impact of war and trauma on family and the best of friends. It is also about questions of forgiveness and redemption. There are so many layers to this book. Much of history is ugly and violent and the most difficult scenes were absolutely integral to the time, place, and setting. None of those scenes are gratuitous and they are not particularly graphic, but they are necessary if we are to understand the world as it is and as it has been.

I highly recommend The Island of Sea Women, both for fans of historical fiction as well as anyone who enjoys poignant, emotionally rich stories about remarkable people. I give this novel a strong 5 stars. And if you’re not familiar with the haenyeo of Jeju, or want to learn more about them, check out this video for starters: