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szirbel's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars
This story was hopeful and heartbreaking. I didn’t know much about Korea’s history and had never heard of the Haenyeo women of Jeju island. It was beautiful and gut wrenchingly sad to learn what they were made to live through. The fact that they were “sisters of the heart” in the end was truly remarkable.
This story was hopeful and heartbreaking. I didn’t know much about Korea’s history and had never heard of the Haenyeo women of Jeju island. It was beautiful and gut wrenchingly sad to learn what they were made to live through. The fact that they were “sisters of the heart” in the end was truly remarkable.
cloudpine's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Death of parent and Child death
Moderate: Colonisation, Death, Domestic abuse, War, Pregnancy, and Sexual assault
hannahboice's review against another edition
5.0
What a beautiful book about family connection and a world where it seems impossible to imagine a reality where women aren’t the head of the family. There’s subtle humor in the comments that hint at the role reversal.
birdiesreads's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 ⭐️’s- a good reminder that I might need to start reading trigger warnings for books. As integral as it was to the story I could have done without reading, in such vivid detail, of some of the horrors that took place during the 4.3 incident. I’m glad I read this book, I learned a lot and the story was powerful but it was also very depressing at times. I didn’t expect so much tragedy and I wish there was a little bit more joy to balance it out but I liked the lessons taught about forgiveness and how’s it’s harder for some than others.
literarykerry's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.0
egalindo's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
spikedscrubs's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
I am left nearly speechless as I finish this book. It is so well written, powerfully told, and the characters are incredibly real. You forget youare reading. You are present in the world Lisa See is weaving. It tells a poignant story of strong women, the power of female friendships, the pain and passion of motherhood, and the often times brutal reality of being female at any point in time.
I would have given it five stars if not for the brutality of how the traumatic events are described. I understand they are true history and that the events actually happened but they were so graphic it pulled me out of the mastery of the story. I had to step aside for a moment, catch my breath, recalibrate that the world was still spinning outside of the story. It isn’t the type of book you can recommend to just anyone as they need to have a certain amount of fortitude to withstand falling in love with these characters and deeply wanting good things for them, while palpably experiencing that trauma follows trauma follows trauma in their life. Historical fiction in the truest sense, this book will sit with me for a very long time.
I am left nearly speechless as I finish this book. It is so well written, powerfully told, and the characters are incredibly real. You forget youare reading. You are present in the world Lisa See is weaving. It tells a poignant story of strong women, the power of female friendships, the pain and passion of motherhood, and the often times brutal reality of being female at any point in time.
I would have given it five stars if not for the brutality of how the traumatic events are described. I understand they are true history and that the events actually happened but they were so graphic it pulled me out of the mastery of the story. I had to step aside for a moment, catch my breath, recalibrate that the world was still spinning outside of the story. It isn’t the type of book you can recommend to just anyone as they need to have a certain amount of fortitude to withstand falling in love with these characters and deeply wanting good things for them, while palpably experiencing that trauma follows trauma follows trauma in their life. Historical fiction in the truest sense, this book will sit with me for a very long time.
arianne777's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
sad
medium-paced
- 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? It's complicated
4.5
catg's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0