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emvoor's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Mass/school shootings, and War
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Sexual violence
bookben40's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Torture and Violence
Moderate: Rape, Sexual violence, and War
kibbles15's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Violence, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Rape, Vomit, and War
Minor: Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Medical content
astonecdp's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child death and Violence
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Genocide, Torture, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, and War
Minor: Sexual violence and Suicidal thoughts
azilisssss's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Police brutality, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Colonisation, and War
Moderate: Vomit and Pregnancy
thebookienook's review against another edition
5.0
I went into The Island of Sea Women pretty blind. I knew that it was about women who worked in a diving collective and that is it. I learned more about Korean culture and the Haenyo, the women diving collective, through the lens of this story. Lisa See does a beautiful job interweaving pieces of the past with the present day. Many times when there are shifts like this in fiction, especially when reading audiobooks it can be confusing to follow. It felt seamless to me. The audiobook was really well done, but I did find myself having to stop once or twice because of the heavy subject matter.
This is not a light-hearted, uplifting story. It’s one of survival and perseverance, the will to overcome any obstacle despite how atrocious it may be.
Graphic: Child death, Torture, Violence, Death of parent, and War
Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual violence
zombiezami's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Ableism, Alcoholism, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Cancer, Drug use, Infidelity, Vomit, Kidnapping, and Fire/Fire injury
Starvationcorriejn's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Ableism, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Sexual content, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Classism
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Cancer, Chronic illness, Miscarriage, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, and Medical content
elly29's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Junbu, Young-Sook's husband, seemed like a woman's fantasy of a husband.
I also didn't know about the Bukchon Massacre, or anything about Jeju Island and the struggle between insurgent and anti-communist government forces. There is a brutal scene that involves lots of things like rape, torture, murder, and child murder. (Also makes me sick at the thought that these things are happening in Ukraine.)
In the end, this is a story about diving, survival, and forgiveness. I love that the sea is a constant, a grandmother who will never leave you even when everything else has changed. I like the phrase, "To understand everything is to forgive." Using Young-Sook and her life as an example of what we should not do: may we be patient, may we ask questions, may we never assume, may we be perceptive.
Graphic: Child death, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Gun violence, Rape, Torture, Police brutality, and War
Minor: Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Vomit
friendofhayley's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
However the historical context and events were my favorite parts of the book.
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Colonisation