THE ISLAND OF SEA WOMEN

Narrator Jennifer Lim underscores the multiple layers of this audiobook about two friends who grew up in Jeju Island, Korea, where women have a unique cultural status. Lim's expressive delivery highlights protagonist Young-sook's personality and complex feelings as she recounts her lifelong relationship with the orphan Mi-ja and how they were differently shaped by social traditions, wars, bloody uprisings, the American occupation, and encroaching modernization. Lim's clear and sensitive portrayals, complete with believable accents, make it easy for listeners to keep track of the characters. This well-researched, affecting story introduces listeners to the cultural institution of women ocean divers and how they provided for their families. It also offers a tough look at little-known incidents in Korean history from the 1930s into the 21st century. C.B.L. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2019]