The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See

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🌊 The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See — ⭐️⭐️💫 (2.5/5)

Affiliate Link: Buy The Island of Sea Women on Amazon

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⚠️ Trigger Warnings

War violence, torture, mass killings, sexual assault, drowning, grief, and loss.

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💬 Initial Thoughts

I really wanted to love this one. After reading Lady Tan’s Circle of Women (which I adored!), I went into The Island of Sea Women with high expectations — and let’s be honest, it’s one of Lisa See’s most acclaimed novels. Everyone calls it her masterpiece.

But I have to admit… I struggled. 🫣

I’d heard about the haenyeo women before — the incredible female divers of Jeju Island — and that’s what drew me in. Their real-life story is fascinating. But somewhere between the history, politics, and cultural detail, I started to feel like I was drowning in information (pun intended 😅). It’s beautifully researched, yes, but at times it felt like being lectured more than being told a story.

The emotional moments should have gutted me — they just didn’t quite land.

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🚨 Spoiler Warning!

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📖 Full Plot Summary

The novel follows Young-sook and Mi-ja, two girls from Jeju Island who grow up to become haenyeo, the legendary Korean women divers who support their families by harvesting the sea.

From the start, we see how Jeju’s matriarchal society works — women dive, earn money, and make decisions, while the men stay home. Young-sook and Mi-ja become like sisters. Their bond survives childhood, marriages, and even the horrors of war.

But when World War II ends, Korea is torn apart politically — North vs. South, communism vs. democracy — and Jeju becomes a battlefield. The book doesn’t shy away from the brutality of this era. One of the most haunting scenes is the Bukchon Massacre, when soldiers accuse villagers of harboring communists and slaughter innocent families.

In the chaos, Young-sook’s husband, son, and sister-in-law are murdered before her eyes. She begs Mi-ja, whose husband has government connections, to help — but Mi-ja doesn’t. That moment severs their lifelong friendship, leaving decades of bitterness and unanswered questions.

Flash forward to 2008, when a group of tourists visits Jeju. Among them is Mi-ja’s great-granddaughter, Clara, who seeks out the now elderly Young-sook. Through her, Young-sook finally learns the truth: Mi-ja hadn’t abandoned her — she was powerless to intervene. Mi-ja left behind a recording full of sorrow and apology, which allows Young-sook to finally forgive her old friend.

In the end, the women’s descendants join Young-sook in the sea — a quiet, healing act that honors both their shared past and the generations of haenyeo before them. 🌊

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💭 Final Thoughts

This book is undeniably important, but for me, it was easier to admire than to enjoy. The research is meticulous, the history fascinating, but the emotional connection just wasn’t there. I respect what Lisa See was doing — preserving the voices of women who history often forgets — but I couldn’t fully sink into it the way I did with Lady Tan’s Circle of Women.

So while I didn’t love it, I absolutely see why others do. If you enjoy deeply historical fiction, detailed world-building, and slow, sweeping narratives — this might hit all the right notes for you.

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️💫 (2.5/5)

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📚 If You Liked This, Try…

• Pachinko by Min Jin Lee — for another multi-generational Korean story

• The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See — also about motherhood, tradition, and change

• The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo — for lush historical storytelling with mysticism and heart