The Island of Sea Women
This Book is Currently in the Wild!
1 journaler for this copy...
Arrived from Better World Books yesterday. Used, library copy (Deschutes Public Library)
A remarkable book. Lisa See is Chinese-American, does not have a connection to Korea specifically, and certainly not to the unique sea-diving women, the haenyeo, yet she brought me there and made me believe. The protagonist is Young-sook, daughter of a haenyeo dive leader, and therefore expected to carry on the line of divers. Her best friend is Mi-ja, daughter of a collaborator (WWII), who is forever stained by her heritage. Mi-ja is raised by her aunt and uncle on the island of Jeju, where Young-sook also lives, and becomes almost another member of Young-sook's family. She too learns to dive and becomes an excellent diver.
Tragedy marks Young-sook's young life and follows her into her young adulthood, when she has a husband and small children, during the Korean Conflict. An incident happens during the conflict that shatters the friendship between the two women. Young-sook can never see Mi-ja as a friend again.
Times change but Young-sook's anger does not. She continues to provide for her family, even taking part in a study of heanyeo with other divers. These divers are a symbol of female strength in a society unique to this island, where men stay home to take care of children and cook meals. Their ability to dive deep and hold their breath for long times, in sometimes frigid waters, is legendary. Interestingly, during a period of time later in Young-sook's life, scientists remark on how the traditional method of teaching how to deep-dive and hold breath is actually far from the best way to achieve these abilities. The art is dying out for several reasons, including the destruction of the sea life, so very few haenyo remain now.
The story is about friendship primarily, although the setting and the work are characters in themselves that help us understand the women. I appreciated the work See did to learn about the subject so that she could portray it honestly and believably.
-----Spoiler alert: what follows may reveal too much--------
I am embarrassed to admit that, although I have known of the Conflict my whole life, and my children's father served in the Navy in that war, I never knew anything about it. Nor was I particularly curious. It seemed like a blip on the history line, sandwiched between WWII and the Vietnam War, which affected me more directly. Through this novel I learned of atrocities and horrors that I simply wanted to accept no part of. I could hardly wait to get past the passages about what happened in South Korea at that time. I do want to know more now that my stomach has settled.
During the Conflict, an incident takes place that separates Mi-ja and Young-sook for years, while Young-sook carries the burden of anger like a cross, proudly. From time to time her daughter tries to help her see the incident differently but for Young-sook there is no reason to reflect.
Tragedy marks Young-sook's young life and follows her into her young adulthood, when she has a husband and small children, during the Korean Conflict. An incident happens during the conflict that shatters the friendship between the two women. Young-sook can never see Mi-ja as a friend again.
Times change but Young-sook's anger does not. She continues to provide for her family, even taking part in a study of heanyeo with other divers. These divers are a symbol of female strength in a society unique to this island, where men stay home to take care of children and cook meals. Their ability to dive deep and hold their breath for long times, in sometimes frigid waters, is legendary. Interestingly, during a period of time later in Young-sook's life, scientists remark on how the traditional method of teaching how to deep-dive and hold breath is actually far from the best way to achieve these abilities. The art is dying out for several reasons, including the destruction of the sea life, so very few haenyo remain now.
The story is about friendship primarily, although the setting and the work are characters in themselves that help us understand the women. I appreciated the work See did to learn about the subject so that she could portray it honestly and believably.
-----Spoiler alert: what follows may reveal too much--------
I am embarrassed to admit that, although I have known of the Conflict my whole life, and my children's father served in the Navy in that war, I never knew anything about it. Nor was I particularly curious. It seemed like a blip on the history line, sandwiched between WWII and the Vietnam War, which affected me more directly. Through this novel I learned of atrocities and horrors that I simply wanted to accept no part of. I could hardly wait to get past the passages about what happened in South Korea at that time. I do want to know more now that my stomach has settled.
During the Conflict, an incident takes place that separates Mi-ja and Young-sook for years, while Young-sook carries the burden of anger like a cross, proudly. From time to time her daughter tries to help her see the incident differently but for Young-sook there is no reason to reflect.
Journal Entry 3 by jlautner at Peacock Suites in Anaheim, California USA on Sunday, September 18, 2022
In a bookshelf in the downstairs lounge area.
