Mi-Ja and Young-sook grew up together on Jeju Island
in Korea. When they came of age, they were both selected to become “baby divers” in the island’s all
female diving collective, an esteemed and often dangerous role that some women
of the matriarchal society use to support themselves and their families. The
girls’ relationship and the diving collective changes over the decades, as they get married, succumb to their expected roles as women, and begin
families of their own, and as Korea is shaken by Japanese colonization, WWII,
and the Korean War. The world around them changes quickly, sometimes violently,
and the strain of this threatens their livelihood, loved ones, and even their culture.
There is a lot to unpack in this book, and it’s quite a ride
to do so. The impacts of such large, world altering events as seen through the
experience of the people of a small Korean island is truly eye opening and at times
heartbreaking. There’s also a lot in the book to warm the heart as, in true
Lisa See style, the reader grows to feel connected to the characters and care
about the relationships they’ve formed with one another. Fans of sprawling,
character driven, historical fiction will find this book stays with them, even
after they finish reading.
RC
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