About the Author

Lisa See is the New York Times bestselling author of Lady Tan’s Circle of Women, The Island of Sea Women, The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, Peony in Love, Shanghai Girls, China Dolls, and Dreams of Joy, which debuted at #1. She is also the author of On Gold Mountain, which tells the story of her Chinese American family’s settlement in Los Angeles. See was the recipient of the Golden Spike Award from the Chinese Historical Association of Southern California and the Historymaker’s Award from the Chinese American Museum. She was also named National Woman of the Year by the Organization of Chinese American Women.

Reviews

‘Lisa See excels at mining the intersection of family, friendship and history . . . This novel spans wars and generations, but at its heart is a beautifully rendered story of two women whose individual choices become inextricably tangled’
*Jodi Picoult, author of A Spark of Light*

‘I was spellbound the moment I entered the vivid and little-known world of the diving women of Jeju . . . No one writes about female friendship, the dark and the light of it, with more insight and depth than Lisa See’
*Sue Monk Kidd, author of The Secret Life of Bees*

'See is most deft when she plays with this line — of betrayal and the impossibility of forgiveness — which she does on a national level as well as a deeply personal one . . . a powerful and essential story of humanity'
*Los Angeles Review of Books*

'See’s vivid prose and thorough research together bring to life the seafaring existence of these women . . . See’s thoughtful and empathetic book sheds necessary attention on this largely ignored event'
*New York Times*

‘For centuries, women on Korea’s Jeju island have been free-diving into the sea, a practice explored through this fictionalized story of two friends who struggle to stay close amid war, family rivalries, and a shifting cultural landscape. It’s riveting, historical, and heartbreaking all at once’ 
*Marie Claire*

‘Jumping between the WWII era and 2008, See perceptively depicts challenges faced by Koreans over the course of the 20th century, particularly homing in on the ways the haenyeo have struggled to maintain their way of life. Exposing the depths of human cruelty and resilience, See’s lush tale is a wonderful ode to a truly singular group of women’
*Publishers Weekly*

'Two women and their friendship are at the heart of a tale in which war and disruption, including American occupation, destroy some lives and alter others . . . a beautifully written, sublime piece of fiction’ 
*The Christian Science Monitor*