Scan barcode
elisamurillo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Child death, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, and War
caedycon'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? N/A
4.5
Graphic: Violence, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
Moderate: War and Domestic abuse
alisonw'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? It's complicated
4.5
Firstly a TW: It deals with extremely heavy subjects of loss, war, corruption, all kinds of abuse, murder including all ages, all very graphically so please be warned if you think you can’t handle that.
But if you’re unsure, don’t let that put you off. This book tells the true story of the people of Jeju and all they have gone through in the last century through a fictional narrative and the graphic elements are there because they happened, reading them feels similar to the sobering feeling of going to a concentration camp has, it’s horribly sad but feels like a necessity to be able to respect and remember - in my case as a European who was taught nothing about Korea’s history, it felt so important to acknowledge and learn about these events for the first time.
The author is masterful at weaving history and fiction together, none of the fictitious story line feels forced to bring in a historical event, while at the same time the story does not steal from the history, I would actually say it helps give it more blood and feel more tangible rather than cold facts on a page about somewhere far away.
Highly highly recommend.
Graphic: Genocide, Colonisation, Grief, Pregnancy, Torture, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Violence, War, Child death, Death, Murder, Sexual violence, Mass/school shootings, and Rape
Moderate: Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Confinement, Racism, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Police brutality, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Sexual violence, and Slavery
entre_fanon_y_weil's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Sexual assault, Torture, Alcoholism, Colonisation, Genocide, and Violence
forza0930's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, and War
Moderate: Domestic abuse
Minor: Sexual assault
msjacquip'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
4.0
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.
Graphic: Child death and Death
Minor: Suicide and Sexual assault
naomi_k's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Death of parent, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Violence, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Blood, Child death, Death, Grief, and Torture
Moderate: Pregnancy, War, Classism, Colonisation, Medical content, Xenophobia, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Vomit, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Child abuse, and Sexism
annaclaire18's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
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.
Graphic: Colonisation, Death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Torture, Toxic friendship, Violence, War, Genocide, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Rape
gnat_moon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Police brutality, and Genocide
rhijane's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Child abuse, Police brutality, Sexual assault, Child death, Colonisation, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Grief, Physical abuse, Violence, Death, Sexism, War, Murder, and Rape