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blueberry31's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed this book but am not crazy about it. It was an interesting journey into the lives of Korean immigrants: their views and traditions, the way they see success for their children. Casey's character is a bit of a brat but somehow I liked her because she was strong and dared to step out of her parents' very traditional plans for her, unlike her sister or friend Ella, who really just annoyed me for being so naive. Sometimes things got a little too cliché for me and the plot lacked action but I would still recommend this book for its general themes (relationships, religion, tradition, success, wealth...), which are written about in quite a truthful way.
tinyviolet's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
coalreads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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
4.25
bryanvo's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
itsasonnieday's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.0
katbrittain's review against another edition
3.0
Had high hopes b/c of Pachinko but Casey Han irritated me
fakisha's review against another edition
4.0
Lee is so talented in her relentless exposure of her characters. I appreciate her writing style and thoroughness. While this dulls in comparison to Pachinko, as plenty of other reviewers have stated, I think this was a deeply unsatisfying story in an incredibly important way. Lee left me craving more after 650+ pages. I could have easily read another 400 pages of this story and I probably still wouldn’t be satisfied.
mckmillican's review against another edition
Picked up this earlier book by Min Jin Lee and liked it but didn’t love it. Well-written but generally unlikeable characters. And it's very, very long! But she is still enormously talented, and that kept me sucked in.
laurenisallbooked's review against another edition
5.0
This is a book about people trying to fill the holes in their hearts.
It's about money, love, friendship, family, and sex. It's about careers and priorities. It's about hobbies and passions. It's about using things and using people. It's about immigration and culture. Fitting in and standing out. Fear. Anger. Hope.
More than anything, it's about being human.
Lee is a master novelist and this giant chunck of a book will not disappoint. It has a satiric tone that feels like a Victorian novel at the same time. It shifts perspectives to peek into the minds of every person in ever room. It feels very 1990s NYC, but that keeps it fun.
Highly recommend for a summer reading list or a book club.
It's about money, love, friendship, family, and sex. It's about careers and priorities. It's about hobbies and passions. It's about using things and using people. It's about immigration and culture. Fitting in and standing out. Fear. Anger. Hope.
More than anything, it's about being human.
Lee is a master novelist and this giant chunck of a book will not disappoint. It has a satiric tone that feels like a Victorian novel at the same time. It shifts perspectives to peek into the minds of every person in ever room. It feels very 1990s NYC, but that keeps it fun.
Highly recommend for a summer reading list or a book club.