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A review by bybookandbone
The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See
5.0
I write a review as soon as I stop sobbing.
EDIT
Ok, I've calmed down enough to be coherent. I adore this novel, even though it made me well up and eventually cry. The Island of Sea Women is equal parts a fascinating look at a culture throughout the 20th centaury and an intimate character study of two women. Lisa See does a fantastic job of portraying Jeju and the haenyeo, as well a shining a light on the oppression and atrocities committed upon them.
It's difficult to fully put into words how well Young-sook and Mi-ja's relationship was intertwined with the history of Jeju and how events rent them apart. You can really see how each woman was shaped by the treatment she received from childhood.
By the end, I wouldn't have been surprised if both women had been real. They feel completely believable and full human beings, something I struggle with in historic fictions. I can honestly say that there wasn't a sentence I could fault.
EDIT
Ok, I've calmed down enough to be coherent. I adore this novel, even though it made me well up and eventually cry. The Island of Sea Women is equal parts a fascinating look at a culture throughout the 20th centaury and an intimate character study of two women. Lisa See does a fantastic job of portraying Jeju and the haenyeo, as well a shining a light on the oppression and atrocities committed upon them.
It's difficult to fully put into words how well Young-sook and Mi-ja's relationship was intertwined with the history of Jeju and how events rent them apart. You can really see how each woman was shaped by the treatment she received from childhood.
By the end, I wouldn't have been surprised if both women had been real. They feel completely believable and full human beings, something I struggle with in historic fictions. I can honestly say that there wasn't a sentence I could fault.