Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See

16 reviews

corriejn's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes

4.75

I checked out this book based on a recommendation, and because I'd heard of the haenyeo before and was interested in learning more. Clearly I didn't look much into the details of the book beforehand, as I started it expecting nonfiction-- when it was apparent it was a novel, that was fine and I just adjusted that expectation. The story is still very informative about the lives and traditions of the Korean women sea-divers. What I wish I had realized beforehand, though, is that the book covers much of mid-19th-century Korean history and includes some really graphic and traumatic descriptions of atrocities committed during occupation and wartime (such content is mainly in the latter half of the book). It is still a powerful and artfully told story, but do be aware of that going in, and don't pick this one up if you're looking for a light read. 

---

Content Warnings

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

challenging dark informative inspiring 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

A slow burn of a novel, that suddenly dissolves. I loved that it was about women divers (in Jeju, an island off of South Korea's coast). The best part of the book was the society of haenyeo -- as a woman, who works, (and who just got some scuba certification), it was a joy and delight to hear of classic gender roles turned on their head.

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.

---

Content Warnings

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

bwwilhelm's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

HEED THE TRIGGER WARNINGS. This book is emotionally engaging, but I cannot in good conscience recommend it to anyone. It deals with war from the viewpoint of a young woman on a small island. Things get gruesome, and graphic in parts.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Colonisation

Moderate: Ableism, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Rape, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts

This book talks about the horrors of war, REPEATEDLY. Do with that information what you will. Specific trigger stuff in spoiler text.

About halfway into the book, Young-sook's entire village is herded into the local school by armed police. Some villagers are tortured, and Young-sook's husband, son, and sister-in-law are killed. It is GRAPHIC. Also, near the end of the book, Mi-ja goes into semi-specific detail about everything her husband did to her. Not incredibly graphic, but still made very clear. R*pe, police violence, colonization, etc, are mentioned throughout, pretty much from the beginning of the story, but it's generally very matter-of-fact with little to no details.

spinesinaline's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Infertility, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Kidnapping, and Pregnancy

Minor: Alcoholism, Animal death, and Cancer

forrestefires's review against another edition

adventurous inspiring sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Women have been labeled the weaker sex but, for centuries, the haenyo have proved otherwise. The fortitude these diving women have developed defies social and cultural norms.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Murder

Moderate: Sexual content

tripscurlies's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I love stories about women friendships and their complexities and this one was excellent. There are many tragedies in this book, and it had me weeping at the end, so be warned about that. It also takes place over several decades on Jeju, which is a part of the world that I hadn't looked into prior and found incredibly interesting. I really felt that the author put a lot of research into it and it makes me want to seek about more information. Overall, I would highly recommend this book. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Physical abuse, Violence, and Mass/school shootings

Moderate: Mental illness

Minor: Sexual assault and Sexual content