Reviews tagging 'Death'

The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See

148 reviews

forza0930's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad slow-paced

5.0

Slow begining, horifying middle, great ending

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, and War

Moderate: Domestic abuse

Minor: Sexual assault

msjacquip's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted tense medium-paced

• 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

4.0

TW: death; domestic violence; child death; suspected suicide; sexual assault

Young-sook & Mi-ja are two young women, living on the Korean Island of Jeju, who work as part of the island’s diving crew throughout the 1930s and 1940s. They come from very different backgrounds but they forge a fast friendship that appears to be inseparable. Unfortunately, throughout WWII and beyond, their differences (and forces beyond their control) push their relationship to breaking point…

Full disclosure, I would never have read this book but for it being the May book for bookclub. However, I am so glad that I did. It’s a dual timeline, part throughout the 1930s and 1940s and part over a 4 day period in 2008. 

I loved learning about the haenyeo and the traditions that keep this all women collective alive. Young-sook is a formidable woman and the reader is treated to her innermost thoughts and experiences her highs and lows alongside her throughout the book.

There is a lot of tragedy throughout but the book ends with an air of hope. I really loved this book.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death and Death

Minor: Sexual assault and Suicide

galexy_brain's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Sheesh. I've never read a book that's made me cry this much before. This book was an eye-opening look into a world that I'd heard very little about before and left me floored and humbled.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Body horror, Domestic abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Torture, Colonisation, and War

Minor: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Infertility, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Classism

naomi_k's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Medical content, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, War, and Classism

Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit

alexisgarcia's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• 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

wow this book is heavy. i did not expect this book to make me so devastated and upset. please check the content warnings!!!! my only issue with this book is the ending. i felt the ending was a bit rushed and anti-climactic. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Infertility, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

annaclaire18's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

This book… is so dark… There are not enough trigger warnings in the world to cover this novel, but it is such an important story. I learned so much from this book about Korea, the Korean War, and a hidden genocide I knew nothing about.

The characters are convincing and complex, and the plot drags you under and doesn’t let you up for air.

I was less fond of the modern timeline that wove in and out of the story, but it did serve to help break up the heavy topic of the novel.

Warning: this is not a light read. Prepare for graphic descriptions of violence.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail

knenigans's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad medium-paced

• 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? Yes

5.0

Incredible. Made me cry a lot.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Genocide, and War

Moderate: Rape and Pregnancy

abrdoodle's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad 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? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Racism, Sexism, Torture, Blood, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Cancer, Infidelity, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Alcohol

ilana_pop's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

THIS is why i love books. One of the best book I have ever read, no exaggeration. Lisa See is incredible.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, and War

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Rape, and Pregnancy

rhijane's review against another edition

adventurous emotional informative inspiring sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, and War