Reviews

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

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maisashi's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

midnightnoon's review against another edition

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4.0

- stories about generational struggle
- not being able to separate from your identity and background and who you came from
- reminds me of the joy luck club because characters each have their own spotlight, are fleshed out and intriguing
- at times shocking, interesting to see which details matter in the end
- ending felt rushed

floackle's review against another edition

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5.0

I am vastly unfamiliar with Eastern literature, and the handful of titles I am familiar with continue to blow me away. The writing style is certainly not what I'm used to from Western authors, but the characters, themes, ideas, and emotions are both universal and memorable. I love these small, close knit stories of simple families that prefer heart over spectacle. Pachinko is a beautiful story of a family that will stay with you for years, and is one of those incredible tales that leaves you an emotional wreck by its end.

dellaposta's review against another edition

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5.0

Not a perfect book, but still more addictive and affecting than any novel I’ve read in years. Lee writes in a style that one seldom sees now, reminiscent of 19th century novels with its simultaneous sense of scope and attention to the inner lives of the individual characters caught in the history she describes. The characters in this book are so well drawn; I cheered so much for their wellbeing and felt devastated by their struggles and downfalls. You will want to just keep reading chapter after chapter to see how things turn out for them. Beyond just being a great story, it’s also a beautiful depiction of the immigrant experience and a fascinating document for anyone interested in twentieth century Japan and Korea. I would confidently recommend this book to anyone.

torturedpoetsdept's review against another edition

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3.5

an interesting and important portrayal of post-colonial korea and zainichi koreans through a beautiful story woven across generations, but the writing style didn’t really resonate with me. still a read i would recommend to others

kmaffett's review against another edition

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challenging emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

Content Warnings

neogaymyback's review against another edition

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2.0

Hansu ve Sungja’nın pedo ilişkisi sebebiyle kitaptan aşırı iğrendim. Tamam, o dönemde inanılmaz dramlar yaşandığını anlıyorum ama 4 nesil boyunca ailenin başı 1 kere beladan kurtulmaz mı ya? Yemin ederim okurken kahır küpü oldum. Bunun üstüne bir tur romantik bir şeyler okuyacağım

lauraazz's review against another edition

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4.0

I just love books that cover a family's history! And it wasn't just the family that made this book great. The historical side was really insightful on the japanese invasions of Korea...

The more you read, the less you want to know.

The first two books were much more heartfelt and engaging than the last part, but it was an intense and touching story nevertheless!

cagigglez's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I think the book was very enlightening and contemplative. It really required the ability to step back with an open mind and for myself, who is not Korean, embrace myself into a different culture to be able to understand the tug of the characters. It was interesting that it followed 4 generations of people and there were sad themes throughout. Probably the most frustrating part was the development of characters and sub plots that never really developed past the initial story- so you’re left wondering what Happened to them and a little bit of wasted energy in getting emotionally attached to their story. Overall, a great read with some really powerful and thoughtful themes throughout.

Content Warnings

marinakalfopoulos's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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