A 5-star book rating is rare, especially from me. I am an extremely fussy reader: the Kindle sample function is my best friend, ensuring that I never purchase a book that I will inevitably put down. Finding a new favourite book is – I thought – impossible, yet in 2024 I have already found three contenders. The first is The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See.
The prose is mature but readable: it holds up among other modern feminist classics, like The Handmaid’s Tale or The Colour Purple. From the brutality of the Japanese colonisers to the gradual fading away of the haenyeo tradition, Lisa See recounts the events of the second half of the twentieth century from an untold perspective: Jeju women. What really elevates her novel, however, is how See develops her story beyond this historical context. See writes brutal depictions of female companionship, outlining the complex ways that a relationship between two inseparable girls can change. Young-sook and Mi-ja’s friendship is at the heart of the story, shifting irreparably when Mi-ja gut-wrenchingly betrays her friend. Young-sook is an expertly crafted protagonist, whose voice fades into the background just enough to make her opinions align with that of the reader’s. Sometimes I even forgot her name for how little it is mentioned! I found myself in agreement with her throughout the novel, a fact that made the resolution all the more impactful. From a blind insistence that Mi-ja is unforgiveable, the reader – alongside Young-sook – comes to a deep understanding of the hurt and tragedy that catalysed her betrayal. Following Young-sook from girlhood to old age, See seamlessly adapts her tone to suit each stage of her protagonist’s life, creating one of the most immersive books I have ever read.
There was no doubt in my mind that I would read all of See’s books: once I find an author I like, I will not stop until their entire bibliography is marked “read” on my kindle. My next read was The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane. Another tale which heavily championed female companionship, Tea Girl focusses on a severed, but lasting, connection between mother and daughter. Again, See introduced me to culture and perspectives I knew very little of: the Akha minorities of China, the production of Pu’er, and the impact of the one-child policy in adoption. The ending was beautifully done – underneath Li-yan’s ancestral tree, fate brings her face-to-face with her daughter. Without words, mother and daughter need only glance at one another to know who they are (I cried, of course). And yet, See does not write their meeting. She leaves us pondering over the tears and hugs and outpourings of emotions that were sure to have been present.
Next, I read her most recent novel, Lady Tan’s Circle of Women. This novel follows the life of a Chinese medical practitioner from childhood to ‘sitting quietly’, exploring the fascinating details of old Chinese medicine. This book sparked a morbid curiosity in foot binding, and how the practice affected both the physical and social mobility of women. The lengthy descriptions of rotting flesh, broken bones, and worn calf muscles were surprisingly fascinating, and, despite what it may seem, elegantly written.
I simply cannot choose which of these three is my favourite. I can, however, confirm that Lisa See is my new favourite author, narrowly surpassing Ottessa Moshfegh. My future reading goals for the year is looking bright: I still have a few of See’s novels to lose myself in. There is no better feeling than that!
The badges on my bag that I bought for £1 each, promising to aid in various conservation acts for different animals.
How ZSL helps in vital education that saves the lives of tigers in Indonesia. 
Hana's Journey 