I listened to this entire book today, and it made for such a fun and lovely day. It was exactly what I was hoping it would be, and I wouldn't change a thing. It had all of the loving found family vibes I was looking for, with the addition of fantasy and magic that makes for such a pleasant read. Plus, the plot still managed to have stakes, a bit of mystery, and drama/tension, while feeling warm and cozy. I would recommend this book if you've been reading a lot of serious or difficult books, and you're in the mood for some light hearted fun. 💖

While I didn't enjoy this book quite as much as the first, I still find myself desperate to know what happens next. Our girl Mara is starting to learn that maybe slavery is bad, so that's exciting! I just love the story of a young woman who is constantly underestimated, and uses that to climb her way to the top. What will she do with all of this new power? Can't wait to find out.

A beautiful and heartbreaking book that explores the hardships of being a woman coming of age during extreme turmoil in Jeju. The timeline spans from 1938-2008, and reading about the history of the island during that time, as well as Young-sook's personal history, was endlessly fascinating for me. This story goes deep into how loss and grief can affect a person's relationships to those around them, and how it can impact their entire life going forward. This book also takes a lot of time to describe female friendships, and the kind of love that can exist between two young women trying to survive together.

This book made me cry. I love a book where I end up feeling so connected to the characters that their sorrows feel almost personal. Having been to Jeju, it was easy to immerse myself within the story at times. Other times, the plot was so horrific that I couldn't imagine myself living through the experiences that the characters went through. However, one of the main themes of this story is choosing to continue on for the sake of your family. Young-sook and Mi-ja did all they could for their children and for those they loved, even if it meant making almost impossibly difficult choices.

I can't wait to go back to Jeju knowing more of the island's history. It's such a beautiful place, and as this book describes, quite different to the rest of the country. I would recommend this book for a lot of reasons, but I would especially urge you to read it if you plan on going to Jeju.

Side note: I went to an incredible sushi restaurant while in Jeju, and the omakase style meal was basically a mini history lesson in itself. The chef told us all about where and how the ingredients were harvested as we looked out onto the water, and it felt almost magical that everything in the 23 course meal came from the island. Every so often I'll look back through the pictures from that meal and daydream about going back.