An educational and insightful read about the women of Jeju. I walked into this book thinking it was going to be a fantasy— about fairy tale mermaids from the small Korean island—but I was pleasantly surprised that this unexpected route of war, love, and female power was a true page turner. Hanh wrote a powerful piece that shares Jeju's historical roots in a poetic and beautiful way. Even if there are several violences and deaths, Hanh cradled these scenes with care. I loved that the romance in the novel pushed the plot forward and at times was a cute, wholesome break from the more heavy scenes. All couples were ones I rooted for and through their love, themes like grief, class, patriarchy, and even culinary cultures were uplifted. Overall, this was an enjoyable, easy read and I recommend it to those who want to deepen their knowledge about Jeju and enjoy a fast-paced story written almost like a song.