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Quick answer: If you liked The Island of Sea Women, try Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, Shanghai Girls, Pachinko, Memoirs of a Geisha, The Joy Luck Club and Wild Swans. They share Lisa See's focus on women's friendships, family and history in Asia.
Lisa See's 2019 novel follows Mi-ja and Young-sook, two women who dive for a living on Jeju Island in Korea, from the 1930s through decades of occupation, war and change. It brings an almost unknown culture to life. These 15 books offer more stories of women and family across Asia and beyond, with historical sweep and emotional depth.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snow Flower and the Secret Fan | Lisa See | Adult | more Lisa See |
| Shanghai Girls | Lisa See | Adult | readers who like sisters |
| The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane | Lisa See | Adult | readers who like cultural stories |
| Lady Tan's Circle of Women | Lisa See | Adult | readers who like women's history |
| Peony in Love | Lisa See | Adult | readers who like historical fantasy |
| Pachinko | Min Jin Lee | Adult | readers who like family sagas |
| Memoirs of a Geisha | Arthur Golden | Adult | readers who like detailed settings |
| Wild Swans | Jung Chang | Adult | readers who want nonfiction |
| The Joy Luck Club | Amy Tan | Adult | readers who like mother-daughter stories |
| The Island of Missing Trees | Elif Shafak | Adult | readers who like lyrical fiction |
| Please Look After Mom | Kyung-sook Shin | Adult | readers who want a Korean novel |
| The Vegetarian | Han Kang | Adult | readers who want a challenging read |
| A Thousand Splendid Suns | Khaled Hosseini | Adult | readers who like women's friendships |
| The Red Tent | Anita Diamant | Adult | readers who like women's communities |
| Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell | Adult | readers who like historical fiction |
1. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
Two girls in 19th-century China form a lifelong bond and write to each other on a fan. A story of friendship and foot-binding.
Best for: more Lisa See.
2. Shanghai Girls by Lisa See
Two sisters flee Shanghai in 1937 and arrive in Los Angeles. A story of family, loyalty and sacrifice.
Best for: readers who like sisters.
3. The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See
Li-yan, a girl from a tea-growing village in China, gives up a daughter and searches for her later. A story about tea, family and tradition.
Best for: readers who like cultural stories.
4. Lady Tan's Circle of Women by Lisa See
A woman physician in Ming-dynasty China treats other women and faces the limits of her time. Informative and engaging.
Best for: readers who like women's history.
5. Peony in Love by Lisa See
A 17th-century girl dies of lovesickness and continues her story as a ghost. Odd, romantic and sad.
Best for: readers who like historical fantasy.
6. Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
Four generations of a Korean family in Japan across the 20th century. Epic and emotional.
Best for: readers who like family sagas.
7. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
Sayuri tells her life as a geisha in Kyoto. Lush and famous, though it is a novel by a Western author.
Best for: readers who like detailed settings.
8. Wild Swans by Jung Chang
Three generations of women in China, from foot-binding to the Cultural Revolution. A landmark nonfiction memoir.
Best for: readers who want nonfiction.
9. The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
Four mothers and four daughters tell their stories in interlocking tales. A modern classic.
Best for: readers who like mother-daughter stories.
10. The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak
A love story on Cyprus told partly by a fig tree. Poetic and moving.
Best for: readers who like lyrical fiction.
11. Please Look After Mom by Kyung-sook Shin
A Korean mother disappears in a Seoul subway station, and her family confronts what they never knew. Quiet and heartbreaking.
Best for: readers who want a Korean novel.
12. The Vegetarian by Han Kang
A woman stops eating meat and her family reacts with violence. Short, strange and unforgettable.
Best for: readers who want a challenging read.
13. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
Two women in Afghanistan form a friendship across decades of war. Heart-wrenching and powerful.
Best for: readers who like women's friendships.
14. The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
The biblical story of Dinah told from the women's perspective. Rich in detail about women's lives.
Best for: readers who like women's communities.
15. Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell
Agnes, wife of a playwright in Stratford, grieves for her son. Beautiful, quiet and moving.
Best for: readers who like historical fiction.
How to Choose
For more Lisa See, begin with Snow Flower and the Secret Fan or Shanghai Girls. For epic family stories, read Pachinko or Wild Swans. For Korean fiction, try Please Look After Mom. For friendship, pick A Thousand Splendid Suns. Several books contain war, abuse and loss, so check the details. If you enjoyed the diving community, look for nonfiction about the haenyeo of Jeju, which has been the subject of documentaries.
Related: 15 Books Like The House in the Cerulean Sea You’ll Love: Cozy Fantasy and Found Family · 15 Books Like Little Women You’ll Love: Sisters, Families and Classic Stories
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a haenyeo?
A haenyeo is one of the women divers of Jeju Island who harvest seafood without oxygen tanks. Their tradition is recognized by UNESCO.
Is The Island of Sea Women a true story?
The characters are fictional, but the culture and events are based on real history.
What other Lisa See book should I read?
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is the most popular.
Is it appropriate for book clubs?
Yes. It has themes of friendship, betrayal and history that make for good discussions.