Welcome to Litsy!

We follow the ups and downs of the relationship of two haenyeo (sea women) played out against a backdrop of Korean history from 1938 to the present (2008).

As someone with only vague knowledge of the barest outline of Korean history (Japanese occupation, Korean War, brutal dictatorship, democracy), I found that aspect of the book very interesting. I don't think I'd ever heard of the April 3rd Incident, which plays a pivotal role in the book. ⬇

#whereareyoumonday

Jeju island, S. Korea

https://www.instagram.com/p/DJZqT1ZPcsk/?igsh=YjJ0MmE1eDdlcHAy

“As for children, every woman knows the fears and sorrows. Joy is a delicious luxury that we experience most cautiously, for tragedy conceals itself around every corner.”

#CoverStories #Sea

@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Historic tale which I was naive about, therefore very interesting whilst retaining a personal element and so rich with female friendship and family bonds.
I loved the ways the divers supported each other. The female friendship reminded me of My Brilliant Friend, oddly.
Some of the content was incredibly harrowing and harsh reminder of war atrocities that continue today.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A story of the Haenyeo, the all-female diving collective of Jeju Island, South Korea. These badass women immerse themselves in dangerous work harvesting seafood. This is the kind of historical fiction I‘m down for as I was not previously familiar with this fascinating culture. This follows the two friends through decades of tumult. A very difficult read at times. Prepare to cry. #bookclub

This isn‘t a book I would‘ve picked up on my own, but it‘s fascinating. This is why I love my book club!

#audiopuzzling #bookclub 🎧🧩

The tagged, a reread this last March, remains a favorite!!

#12booksof2024 @Andrew65

#firstlinefridays @ShyBookOwl
“An old woman sits on the beach, a cushion strapped to her bottom, sorting algae that‘s washed ashore.”

This one taught me a lot of Korean history, which is not covered by what we learn in school. It has some very strong scenes after which I had to stop the audio book to get my feelings in order. But since the book is mostly focused on the history part, I sometimes struggled to put the audio book back on. Only at the end the characters got a little more depth. Still a pick of course, since I really did learn a lot.

Although this is a tragic story, it was wonderful to be immersed in the world of the Haenyeo.

This was my first Lisa See. It was chosen for my book club this month.
It took me a while to get into this Korean story of female friendship, tragedy and the amazing haenyeo, diving women. I was reminded a little of Pachinko (although Pachinko was better IMO).
From about halfway I started to engage with the book and characters, particularly the protagonist Young-Sook.
Looking forward to discussing it at boob club on Monday.

The book club I used to belong to are reading this book next. I try to keep up with what they are reading.
. It's fiction based on fact. I love the idea of their culture but just can't seem to get into the book. Will be interested to see what you think @MrsMalaprop and the discussion.

#summersouls #sea @Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

This is my favorite Lisa See book!

Lisa See returns again and again to brutal stories of female friendships destroyed by misunderstanding. Every bit as difficult to read as Snow Flower, and as meticulously researched. I learned a lot about haenyeo and the fate of Korea before and after WWII. A pick for my irl book club, and number 11 for #24in2024.

I thought it‘d be neat to post my first review of this book back in 2021 to compare it with my new review:

The Korean “sea women” endure frigid waters to collect sea animals to sell & survive, for they are the breadwinners & heads of family on the island of Jeju, Korea. Men care for the children. I loved this matrifocal book about fiercely strong women thru the terrorizing Japanese & American occupations (read it & you‘ll understand) to today. ⬇️

Two friends grow up on Japanese-occupied Jeju island, through WWII, marry, and suffer through the transition to the island becoming part of #SouthKorea. On Jeju, many women including the friends are haenyeo, who can tolerate extremely cold temperatures and hold their breath for inordinate amounts of time to dive for seafood. This is their astounding story, as well as the heinous acts and murder of Jeju residents by South Korean soldiers under ⬇️

Audiocrafting tonight. #SouthKorea #foodandlit @Catsandbooks

Help my fellow Litten cooks. I fried up cabbage and onions thanks to the tagged book describing the family‘s garden, and it looks amazing and smells amazing and was bland as heck. Any suggestions?

#SouthKorea #foodandlit @Catsandbooks

Reread!! I loved it the first time. So I‘m doing an audiobook this time. #SouthKorea #foodandlit @Catsandbooks

In honor of Women‘s Day, I want to share one of my favorite books by a woman: The Island of Sea Women.

The story is about two haenyeo women (the female divers of Jeju Island) who risk their lives to provide for their families—and they do it with bravery. These women are some of the most amazing I‘ve ever read about.

Challenge yourself to read a book by a female author! Some excellent titles:

https://blog.getbookly.com/books-by-female-authors/

There is a lot to this book I learned so much about this small island off Korea. I had never heard of the woman divers. I had also never heard of the 4/3 massacre. The characters are so strong, both physically and emotionally. This story will definitely stay with me. I highly recommend this book. I read it based on a recommendation, and am so glad that I did.

#doublespin

Mi-ja and Young-sook, two girls living on the Korean island of Jeju, are best friends who come from very different backgrounds. When they are old enough, they begin working in the sea with their village‘s all-female diving collective, led by Young-sook‘s mother. As the girls take up their positions as baby divers, they know they are beginning a life of excitement and responsibility—but also danger.

#bookspin
#doublebookspin

I read snow flower and secret fan years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it so I‘m not sure why it‘s taken me so long to come back to this wondeful storyteller. The very first book Iv read set in Korea and knowing nothing of the haenyeo divers and culture , combined with the story of friendship , love and betrayal it‘s a fantastic read.

Had to Google where this fascinating 🤨 book is set the beginning reminds me a little of memoirs of a geisha but with diving synop rather than geishas 😆the tiny print is making it a slower read

Oof this was a tough book to get through.
While it was fascinating reading about life on the Korean island of Jeju and about the incredible women drivers known haenyeo, my heart was constantly in pieces for Young-sook and her best friend, Mi-ja. Their lives were long strings of tragedy, loss, and heartbreak as they lived through Japanese occupation, WWII, and the fallout of the Korean War.

#Generational #MayMontage

I recommend both of these!

@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Wow, this blew me away! I know very little about Korea, and this has me wanting to learn more. There is a particularly brutal scene that I was no at all prepared for, but I absolutely loved this book. The audio narration was fantastic as well.

March seems to have been a month of memories for me. I didn‘t have any new 5 star reads, but I did re-read these favorites: The Island of the Sea Women and Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See and The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver. #12booksof2022

This is a story of women divers who live on the island of Jeju, a strategically located island between China, Japan and South Korea, during World War I. The storyline follows two women who are young friends, and then traces their lives as they grow apart. I felt like it was about 100 pages too long, although I found the story interesting. I even looked up Jeju on a map to see if it really existed, and it did!

"Joy is a delicious luxury that we experience most cautiously for tragedy conceals itself around every corner. How different it is with friendship. No one picks a friend for us; we come together by choice. We are not tied together through ceremony or the responsibility to create a son; we tie ourselves together through moments. The spark when we first meet. Laughter and tears shared. Secrets packed away to be treasured, hoarded and protected..."

Wowza this was a hefty book. Absolutely heartbreaking novel set on a small island, Jeju, off of South Korea. Between present day and the years of WWII and the Korean War, a story of friendship and hardship, life and death, love and sorrow.

I really liked this book. I learned a lot about the matrifocal societies and the atrocities of war- even if I did have to stop reading and google some info to help me better understand their story. 👍🏻👍🏻

#Alphabetgame #LetterI

Another fav book is I know why the caged bird sings.

Good story, though it didn‘t move quickly. I learned a lot about Jeju island and the historical happenings there and in Korea. Also learned about the women divers, which was definitely interesting. It was a bit frustrating, though, with the women being so prominent in that society, yet boys were still more highly prized. The women worked not only to feed their family and make money, but that money was to be spent on educating the boys.

☕️📚☕️

#thinkpositivebepositive #funny #TBR #readingitanyway

Lisa See is brilliant! This is a terribly wonderful book. It is about two women whose love for each other is all-encompassing, then the tragedies of their lives in Korea and just in life separate them. You just have to read the book to understand. It‘s so good. #44 #BookSpin #9 #BFC22 #BOOKED2022 eco-feminist #2022AUTHORAMONTH March #Pantone2022Colour FragileSprout #Hikeathon

A beautiful historical fiction set in Jeju Island. The concept of Haenyo ( sea women ) who harvest sea animals just by diving into the sea is new to me. Interesting concept & learnt a lot about colonial rule in Korea & freedom struggles. It‘s d story of struggle, loss, hardship, hope friendship, with both past & present prospectives. strong female characters, well researched & gives vivid details about different culture & customs. A solid 5⭐️

This also ticks a couple more boxes on the #Pantone2022 challenge list.
#FragileSprout
#SuperSonic
@Clwojick

Catching up with March #AuthorAMonth. This was totally different from the only other Lisa See book I've read-Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. The women portrayed were incredibly strong & resilient. This was a VERY brutal story of colonization & war set against the story that centers on these women trying to preserve their culture. The fiction is heartbreaking but I found the history to be fascinating.
#AuthorAMonth
@Soubhiville

The ending was surprisingly rushed, but overall this was an interesting book. I won‘t say pleasant, because there were some truly hair raising and cringe worthy moments, but I enjoyed getting to know this group of resilient and persistent women doing the thing and caring for their families. Side by side with the sweeping history is a personal drama about friendship and betrayal. #authoramonth

Have to admit that there WERE places in this book that made me sigh in delight. I love sweeping, multi-generational family epics. This one just didn't grab me like, say, Pachinko did. I continue to love that #Authoramonth2022 is introducing me to unknown-to-me authors. @Soubhiville

⭐⭐✨/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I‘m reading so much historical fiction this year! I enjoyed this, altho I do feel the end was a bit rushed. Tells the story of two women who were once close and grew apart over the course of 80ish years on Jeju Island in South Korea. The women were Haenyo - or female divers who were often the main income providers for their families.

#AuthorAMonth

Set in Jeju. Haenyeo divers and a matriarchal society where women are the breadwinners. Devastating scenes as Japanese colonisation came to an end for American troops. Two friends.

I have enjoyed every one of Lisa See's books I have read. She takes an unknown culture and makes it alive in my imagination. I just love her writing. I understood Young-sook's anguish and anger. The moment of Mi-ja's betrayal is heartbreaking. I couldn't sleep without revisiting the images evoked. And now I know a little bit about the haenyeo life. Just wow! I look forward to more, but my heart can't take it right now. #AuthorAMonth @Soubhiville

This book has so many layers to it—the captivating tradition of these resilient women divers, the atrocities of the Korean War, the heavy themes of friendship & forgiveness. The vast amount of research Lisa does (all herself!) for these books is mind-boggling! This one is haunting and heart wrenching, yet masterfully curated and beautifully written. Not my typical read, but certainly a powerful one I won‘t soon forget.
#AuthorAMonth
@Soubhiville