The Island of Sea Women
A Novel
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The Island of Sea Women
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Narrated by:
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Jennifer Lim
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Written by:
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Lisa See
About this listen
A new novel from Lisa See, the New York Times best-selling author of The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, about female friendship and family secrets on a small Korean island.
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.
Despite their love for each other, Mi-ja and Young-sook’s differences are impossible to ignore. The Island of Sea Women is an epoch set over many decades, beginning during a period of Japanese colonialism in the 1930s and 1940s, followed by World War II, the Korean War, and its aftermath, through the era of cell phones and wet suits for the women divers. Throughout this time, the residents of Jeju find themselves caught between warring empires. Mi-ja is the daughter of a Japanese collaborator, and she will forever be marked by this association. Young-sook was born into a long line of haenyeo and will inherit her mother’s position leading the divers in their village. Little do the two friends know that after surviving hundreds of dives and developing the closest of bonds, forces outside their control will push their friendship to the breaking point.
This beautiful, thoughtful novel illuminates a world turned upside down, one where the women are in charge, engaging in dangerous, physical work, and the men take care of the children. A classic Lisa See story - one of women’s friendships and the larger forces that shape them - The Island of Sea Women introduces listeners to the fierce and unforgettable female divers of Jeju Island and the dramatic history that shaped their lives.
©2019 Lisa See (P)2019 Simon & SchusterYou may also enjoy...
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 891
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What the critics say
"Narrator Jennifer Lim underscores the multiple layers of this audiobook about two friends who grew up in Jeju Island, Korea... Lim's expressive delivery highlights protagonist Young-sook's personality and complex feelings... Lim's clear and sensitive portrayals, complete with believable accents, make it easy for listeners to keep track of the characters." (AudioFile)
What listeners say about The Island of Sea Women
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Faye J.
- 2021-07-27
Fascinating!
I really enjoyed this book, particularly because these women truly existed. This was such a matriarchal group, whose husbands stayed home & kept house while their wives went off diving for the day. The women worked, had babies, dove during the day to put food on the table and nursed their infants when they were done for the day. Inspiring!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kathleen Silvey
- 2020-08-29
Excellent
I truly enjoyed getting a glimpse into a time in history and a place I knew very little about. The story and the characters drew me in. An excellent read.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- M.S.
- 2024-12-26
Great book!
The book is very interesting and the performance is very good. Through the story of several Haenyeo (female divers) families the reader get some understanding of the unique history of the Jeju island and the life of their citizens before, during, and after the Korean war in 20th century.
I would really recommend this book to other readers/listeners.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sara
- 2019-09-12
Wise words
This story has given me a want to learn more about their culture and an appreciation for the wisdom that comes with years of life and hardship. Ours elderly deserve more respect.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Wendy S.
- 2020-11-02
Narration and Story
Wow - how she articulated being a woman in an Korean island society. Masterful.
The narration was excellent in conveying every mood - outstanding.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Trillium25
- 2020-02-01
Bring the Tissues!
This was a gorgeous story. I was trying to drive while sobbing at the end! If you love generational stories, woman doing it themselves, and historical fiction then this is for you! This is actually based on real woman too, so that's a cool plus.
The only tricky part for me was that it was a bit hard to keep some of the names straight when I just listening.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sandra
- 2019-08-13
Beautiful account of friendship and history.
Lisa See always manages to bring history and distant lands to life through the stories of women. This book set on Jeju island had me fascinated by the lives of the Haenyeo women. I love a book that can teach me a piece of history - the little known (to me) struggles between wwII and the Korean war for the people of Jeju. By telling the story through the eyes of a strong, fierce woman, through her family, friendships, traditions and her heart, the historical facts become real and not just dates in books. My heart wrenched by her losses and lifted by her joy... Young Sook felt like a kindred soul. I highly recommend this and ant book by Lisa See.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Alexa Haugan
- 2023-03-20
Loved this one
Narrator does a wonderful job. I knew very little about this book going in, and was surprised at how much I quickly became invested in it. Beware, parts are definitely hard to listen to.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 2023-09-28
A tragic but beautiful novel
This book had been recommended to me for over 2 years. I didn't think I would be interested as it wasn't my normal go-to. After finishing another, I decided to finally give this one a chance. I was not prepared for how this would make me feel and how much it would impact me. The novel is beautifully and wonderfully written. It felt like I was there, watching through the glass, and though there were some parts that tore my heart out, they were important to read. It made me self reflect on my own life and relationships with those I love and have loved.
This book is not for the faint of heart, but I do highly recommend.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Charly
- 2023-09-02
Caution with the subjects of this book
It was overall a good book, but the subject of war is very present. I didn't expect it going in, at first it was only a backdrop for the story but then the mc witnesses atempted rape and successful genocides. It's hearbreaking and with the narator being as good as she is I had to stop and pace. I ended up dropping the book because it was making me so emotional, but I don't regret listening to it.
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