The Island of Sea Women

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The baby-divers aren’t ready for that,” one of the grandmother-divers said. “They aren’t strong enough, and they haven’t earned the right either.”

These traditional words were often repeated on Jeju, but we all nodded somberly as though hearing them for the first time. Good,” Mother said in response to the ritual bantering. “Then let us discuss where we will dive today.” At home, her voice always seemed so loud. Here, hers was just one of many loud voices, since the ears of all haenyeo are damaged over time by water pressure. One day I too would have a loud voice. 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 and generations, but at its heart is a beautifully rendered story of two women whose individual choices become inextricably tangled.” This changed rapidly for the rest of the book. The tumultuous years of the Japanese colonialism of the 30, and 40' provided a historical and brutal context. The brutality is just terrible, the inaction of the American troops who just stood by, the massacres that were covered up for decades. So much was happening politically that in the hands of a less gifted writer, this book could have been much longer. The friendship between the girls change due to circumstances that were so horrible. Each, though the other didn't know the full extent, go through some brutal challenges. It won't be until books end that we hear the full story. Are you Kim Young-sook?” the woman, pale and pretty, asks. When Young-sook gives a barely perceptible nod, the woman continues. “My name is Ji-young, but everyone calls me Janet.”The threads of time, commitment, connection, and honor run deeply through this latest offering by the highly talented Lisa See. We follow her to the Korean volcanic island of Jeju in the Korean Strait. Jeju is filled with jutting cliffs, white sandy beaches, and the deafening roar of the sea. But the beauty of these surroundings is far outmatched by the resilience of its people.....and in particular, its women.

None of us yet know what the goddesses have planned for Yu-ri,” Mother said. “She may wake up tomorrow her usual chatterbox self.” These women divers are living legends. How novelist Lisa See captured their story". LA times. January 8, 2021. I was completely drawn into the setting here to the remote Jeju Island in South Korea that is home to haenyeo “sea woman” who all are female free drivers. I was fascinated by these strong, proud women who took risks and made sacrifices to feed their families and their passion for the sea Perhaps only I could see how deeply affected Mother was by what had happened. I was both awed and humbled. I hoped one day I could prove to her that I loved her as much as she loved me. In many ways, the novel is about blame, guilt, and forgiveness. In the first full chapter, Yu-ri has her encounter with the octopus. What effect does this incident have on various characters moving forward: Mother, Young-sook, Mi-ja, Do-seang, Gu-ja, Gu-sun, and Jun-bu? Young-sook is also involved in the tragic death of her mother. To what extent is she responsible for these sad events? Is her sense of guilt justified?

The Island of Sea Women spans from the 1930's to the 1950's and reflects the historical happenings of the time. The Korean people have a strong sense of identity, but it has been mottled by Japanese occupation. The Japanese presence leaned heavily on both the culture and the language. Some Korean men traveled to Japan for work and were away from their families. Suspicion roamed the streets and caution took a palatable place in the market square. We'll also see the effects of the Korean War and the great fear of communism after the U.S. occupation. I found this comforting, but I also became aware of Mi-ja staring at me expectantly. Yesterday we’d agreed to tell my mother of our worries. Mi-ja had volunteered hers, but I was hesitant about revealing mine. There were many ways to die in the sea, and I was scared. My mother may have said that Mi-ja was like a daughter—and I loved her for loving my friend—but I was an actual daughter, and I didn’t want her to see me as less than Mi-ja.

But—” Do-saeng didn’t finish her thought. Instead, she smoothed strings of wet hair away from her daughter’s face. Lisa See creates a panorama showcasing these young women as they perfect their newly found occupation. But just as these women test the uncertainties of these waters, Lisa See goes into the dark depths encasing the relationship between Mi-ja and Young-sook. There will come the day when both women will face an unspeakable horror. A snap decision, a gut-wrenching choice, and the suffocating aftermath will haunt each of them for many, many years.

I can never thank you enough.” Mi-ja’s voice was as delicate as flower petals. “You have been a mother to me, and I will always be grateful.” Haenyeo is the Korean name for the sea women who, through careful husbandry, harvest the sea through various seasons of production and restoration. On Jeju Island, south of mainland Korea, they called themselves jamsu, jamnyeo, or jomnyeo, which are all Jeju words. The haenyeo culture is characterized as matrifocal; that is, focused on females. They did all the difficult and dangerous work in their families and had to be in top physical form to do so, beginning their training when young: to hold their breath, develop strong, supple muscles, and expand their instincts for danger and for spotting their underwater harvests.