Welcome to Litsy!

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.

On hold

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

A remarkable story of tragedy, strength, friendship, and womanhood! Another "I'm so glad I stuck with it" situation! I wasn't sure how I was going to feel until I got to the last 3rd of the book. I had a hard time getting into it, but that may have been more my state of mind. Two weeks post knee surgery, I'm finally able to focus on my reading again...might be that I'm weaned off the "good" pain pills now ? ?. #AuthorAMonth @Soubhiville

I can be picky about historical fiction. I think traumatic and violent historical events should be used cautiously when writing fiction for entertainment, and I don‘t feel like the author was thoughtful enough here. The story of Jeju is fascinating and heartbreaking, but I‘m not okay with using real history to maximize the emotional manipulation of the reader. I would‘ve preferred a non-fiction book on these topics. #AuthorAMonth @Soubhiville

This was a re-read for me, this time over audio. I really enjoyed this unique story both times I‘ve read it. #AuthorAMonth2022

I loved this. The #audiobook is great.

#AuthorAMonth @Soubhiville

#DoubleSpin done! @TheAromaofBooks

Beautifully told Haenjo women divers' family story spanning generations. Set against backdrop WW2 and the Korean War.
Bookclub favourite.

Starting book 2 of the challenge, asking friends to recommend books!

The Island of the Sea Women was a truly unique book. It tells the story of the haenyeo of the island of Jeju. I was entirely unfamiliar with these women or this place before delving into this story. Lisa See does a tremendous job of painting the world in rich details. The story is not a happy one, spanning decades of war in which people lost so much, but the themes of enduring love, motherhood, friendship and forgiveness are deeply meaningful.

Amazing.

#BestOf2021Swap @candority Thanks for hosting this swap! @Texreader I am beyond excited to read The Exiles, and the tagged book sounds very interesting. Thank you for all my other goodies like the bookmarks, Notepad, the Jenny Lawson book, puzzle and chocolate! The card is really cute, and I love the idea of having a postcard from your area! Happy New Year!🎉

1. Sue Grafton, Tolkien, Laura Lippman
2. Zaphod Beeblebrox from H2G2
3. Tagged book for #authoramonth 2022
#wondrouswednesday

This is great! My sister recommended it to me and it cracked my 8 month long reading slump in which I rarely could open a book, and couldn't finish the ones I did open. Well developed characters, and it opened my eyes to a culture and history I previously was not aware of. Likeable main character, even if she wasn't always right.

Such a heartbreaking and beautiful novel. I knew so little about the history and the people put forth in this story. I read it while visiting Jeju and it made me experience this island in a much different way than I would have without having been introduced to the character of Young-sook. I know that this is a book that I will be thinking about for a very long time.

This was phenomenal. A historical fiction (I don‘t normally read) about women divers, Haenyeo, on Jeju Island in Korea. Told through the perspective of Young-sook throughout her entire life starting in the early 1900s stretching all the way until the early 2000s. Her life through Japanese and American occupation is devastating and inspiring to read. The haenyeo and the war crimes on Jeju are very real things and it was so interesting to read

#thoughtfulthursday Thanks @Eggs for the tag!

1) Dracula, The Historian, Rebecca—all more times than I can count

2) Absolutely

@MoonWitch94

This was such a compelling read. I visited Cheju Island when I was a teen, and I do not remember much. #bookspin @TheAromaofBooks

My June #bookspin and #doublespin @TheAromaofBooks

This was such a haunting read. The brutalities of war made me sick in my gut but this is also a book about the incredible strength of women, and friendship, and forgiveness. I haven‘t read an Asian lit I loved as much as this in a long time. This book is a masterclass.

What an epic novel! This is the story of women who live on Korea‘s Jujju Island. They dive into the sea for all sorts of sea creatures to sell or eat. The water can be frigid and can be dangerous due to currents. Young Suk and Mi-ja are close friends from early childhood. The years are 1938-2004. They suffer during the Japanese occupation . Very deeply emotional and uplifting.

This beautiful, thoughtful novel illuminates a unique and unforgettable culture, one where the women are in charge, engaging in dangerous physical work, and the men take care of the children.
#matriarch #maycharacters @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Eggs

This story was about the friendship of Mi-ja and young-sook they were haenyeo divers on the South Korean Island of JeJu. So interesting to learn about the culture of these woman how they lived and made a living , how strong they were and the terrible atrocities that they lived through.
#awesomeapril

Reading fiction about the women divers of Jeju Island is leading me down a rabbit hole...who knew Jeju was the Hawaii of Korea?

#thoughtfulthursday Thanks @Eggs for the tag!

1) tagged
2) outdoors if my allergies let me
3) yep: The Source for #readingasia2021 #foodandlit #Israel #chunksterchallenge2021 @Librarybelle @BarbaraBB @Butterfinger @Catsandbooks @Amiable AND #authoramonth @Soubhiville AND #litsyatoz @BookishMarginalia

Want to play @freeatlast1137 @robinb @Lynnsoprano @Kshakal @mdm139 @TheBookHippie @MySharonaK ?

Sneaky sneaky, @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 😂 I totally wasn‘t expecting this, so what a lovely surprise! Have been wanting to read this forever and LOVE the magnet of course 🐾 🐾🐾♥️♥️ Thank you, Misty!

My 2nd Lisa See this year. Like her blend of history and narrative. This takes place in 20th century on jeju, an island of south Korea, occupied by the Japanese when story opens. Cold water adventure/hardship is bracing. #atlasreads #vicariousadventure #sealife #wetfields #matriarchy #lisaseefangirl

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. Brutal, absolutely brutal—so beware. I learned so much history in a compelling & heartbreaking ⬇️

Finished! I‘ll write a review when I‘m over the side effects of the 1st COVID vaccine shot today (headache, nausea, very sore arm). But in the meantime I just want to say what an amazing book this is. 5 stars and easily the best book I‘ve read this year. So many things to love about this book. This story about a real-life culture where women are the heads of family & men stay at home to take care of the kids is FASCINATING! #Korea #readingasia2021

“Parents exist in children. Your mother will always exist in you. She will give you strength wherever you go.”