The Island of Sea Women

Zusatztext Vivid ... thoughtful and empathetic ... necessary." New York Times Book Review Lisa See's mesmerizing new historical novelcelebrates women's strengthsand the strength of their friendships. O, The Oprah Magazine "Lisa See is a New York Times bestselling author, a thorough researcher and a wonderful storyteller. In this novel, she seamlessly weaves history, tradition and culture into a heartfelt story about love and forgiveness. It's an unforgettable read." Toronto Star "I fell in love with the writing of bestselling and award-winning author Lisa See more than 10 years ago ... This novel introduces readers to the unforgettable female divers of Jeju Island and the dramatic history that shaped their lives." Winston-Salem Journal "The most intriguing parts of the book are those that describe the lives of the haenyeo ... See reveals how perilous the work can be: One diver is almost killed by an octopus, and another drowns because of an abalone. Yet the women love the sense of freedom, competence and strength they find in the water." Tampa Bay Times "Fascinating ... Readers will witness the fortitude of these women to transcend tragedy and find forgiveness." Christian Science Monitor, The Best Fiction Books of 2019 "In this bittersweet novel that spans more than 50 years, Lisa See tells the story of Mi-ja and Young-sook, two best friends who live in a kind of feminist utopia on a Korean island." Marie Claire "For centuries on the Korean island of Jeju, Haenyeo women were trained to expand their lungs and go diving on the ocean floor to harvest seafood ... Mi-ja and Young-sook are best friends and Haenyeo divers, set to follow in their mothers' footsteps. But as they come of age during a tumultuous period in Korea's history, certain deep-rooted differences may tear them apart." Refinery29, Best Books of March 2019 "This beautiful story follows Mi-ja and Young-sook, friends from very different backgrounds who are members of an all-female diving group in Korea. Really, though, the book is about the endurance of friendship when it's pushed to its limits, and you (+ your BFF, when you lend it to her) will love it." Cosmopolitan, 15 Best Books of March 2019 Compelling[a] story of two best friends who come from very different families, and whose bond will be tested time and time again over the years. LitHub.com, Most Anticipated Books of 2019 A stupendous multigenerational family saga, See's latest also provides an enthralling cultural anthropology highlighting the soon-to-be-lost, matriarchal haenyeo phenomenon and an engrossing history of violently tumultuous twentieth-century Korea. A mesmerizing achievement. See's accomplishment, acclaim, and readership continue to rise with each book, and interest in this stellar novel will be well stoked. Booklist , starred review See perceptively depicts challenges faced by Koreans over the course of the 20th century, particularly homing in on the ways the haenyeo have struggled to maintain their way of life. Exposing the depths of human cruelty and resilience, See's lush tale is a wonderful ode to a truly singular group of women. Publishers Weekly On an island off the South Korean coast, an ancient guild of women divers reckons with the depredations of modernity from 1938 to 2008 in See's ( The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane , 2017, etc.) latest novel. See did extensive research with primary sources to detail not only the haenyeo traditions, but the mass murders on Jeju beginning in 1948, which were covered up for decades by the South Korean go...

“Vivid ... thoughtful and empathetic ... necessary."
***—*New York Times Book Review

“Lisa See’s mesmerizing new historical novel…celebrates women’s strengths—and the strength of their friendships.”
***—*O, The Oprah Magazine

"Lisa See is a *New York Times *bestselling author, a thorough researcher and a wonderful storyteller. In this novel, she seamlessly weaves history, tradition and culture into a heartfelt story about love and forgiveness. It’s an unforgettable read."
—Toronto Star

"I fell in love with the writing of bestselling and award-winning author Lisa See more than 10 years ago ... This novel introduces readers to the unforgettable female divers of Jeju Island and the dramatic history that shaped their lives."
***—*Winston-Salem Journal

"The most intriguing parts of the book are those that describe the lives of the *haenyeo ... *See reveals how perilous the work can be: One diver is almost killed by an octopus, and another drowns because of an abalone. Yet the women love the sense of freedom, competence and strength they find in the water."
—Tampa Bay Times

"Fascinating ... Readers will witness the fortitude of these women to transcend tragedy and find forgiveness."
***—Christian Science Monitor, ***The Best Fiction Books of 2019

"In this bittersweet novel that spans more than 50 years, Lisa See tells the story of Mi-ja and Young-sook, two best friends who live in a kind of feminist utopia on a Korean island."
—Marie Claire

"For centuries on the Korean island of Jeju, Haenyeo women were trained to expand their lungs and go diving on the ocean floor to harvest seafood ...  Mi-ja and Young-sook are best friends and Haenyeo divers, set to follow in their mothers' footsteps. But as they come of age during a tumultuous period in Korea's history, certain deep-rooted differences may tear them apart."
***—***Refinery29, Best Books of March 2019

"This beautiful story follows Mi-ja and Young-sook, friends from very different backgrounds who are members of an all-female diving group in Korea. Really, though, the book is about the endurance of friendship when it's pushed to its limits, and you (+ your BFF, when you lend it to her) will love it."
***—******Cosmopolitan, ***15 Best Books of March 2019

“Compelling…[a] story of two best friends who come from very different families, and whose bond will be tested time and time again over the years.”
***—***LitHub.com, Most Anticipated Books of 2019

“A stupendous multigenerational family saga, See’s latest also provides an enthralling cultural anthropology highlighting the soon-to-be-lost, matriarchal haenyeo phenomenon and an engrossing history of violently tumultuous twentieth-century Korea. A mesmerizing achievement. See's accomplishment, acclaim, and readership continue to rise with each book, and interest in this stellar novel will be well stoked.”
—Booklist, starred review

“See perceptively depicts challenges faced by Koreans over the course of the 20th century, particularly homing in on the ways the haenyeo have struggled to maintain their way of life. Exposing the depths of human cruelty and resilience, See’s lush tale is a wonderful ode to a truly singular group of women.”
—Publishers Weekly 

“On an island off the South Korean coast, an ancient guild of women divers reckons with the depredations of modernity from 1938 to 2008 in See's (The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, 2017, etc.) latest novel…. See did extensive research with primary sources to detail not only the haenyeo traditions, but the mass murders on Jeju beginning in 1948, which were covered up for decades by the South Korean government… It is a necessary book.” 
—Kirkus Reviews

“Lisa See excels at mining the intersection of family, friendship and history, and in her newest novel, she reaches new depths exploring the matrifocal *haenyeo *society in Korea, caught between tradition and modernization.  This novel spans wars a…