The Island of Sea Women

February 25, 2019
See (The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane) once again explores how culture survives and morphs in this story of a real-life Korean female diving collective. Young-Sook and Mi-Ja meet as young girls in 1939 in Hado, a village on the island of Jeju, where traditionally the women earn a living while their husbands care for the children and home. The two girls begin training as haenyeo, divers who harvest oysters, sea slugs, and octopi from the sea. But after WWII when American occupation of southern Korea begins, the two grow apart. While Young-Sook struggles to make ends meet for her family, Mi-Ja’s husband’s role in the government spares her the economic suffering endured by most of the country. But after Mi-Ja’s family betrays Young-Sook, Young-Sook struggles for decades to reconcile her anger with fond memories of her friend, even after their families cross paths again. Jumping between the WWII era and 2008, See perceptively depicts challenges faced by Koreans over the course of the 20th century, particularly homing in on the ways the haenyeo have struggled to maintain their way of life. Exposing the depths of human cruelty and resilience, See’s lush tale is a wonderful ode to a truly singular group of women.

Narrator Jennifer Lim underscores the multiple layers of this audiobook about two friends who grew up in Jeju Island, Korea, where women have a unique cultural status. Lim's expressive delivery highlights protagonist Young-sook's personality and complex feelings as she recounts her lifelong relationship with the orphan Mi-ja and how they were differently shaped by social traditions, wars, bloody uprisings, the American occupation, and encroaching modernization. Lim's clear and sensitive portrayals, complete with believable accents, make it easy for listeners to keep track of the characters. This well-researched, affecting story introduces listeners to the cultural institution of women ocean divers and how they provided for their families. It also offers a tough look at little-known incidents in Korean history from the 1930s into the 21st century. C.B.L. � AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine