Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

136 reviews

greatexpectations77's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

I definitely understand why this was a National Book Award finalist; it's a totally sweeping experience of generations and history. I learned much more about the experience of Korean people in Japan than I had ever learned in school. It's important to know how severe and also where my knowledge gaps are. I did see some criticism online about anachronistic like foods and things and confusion about the style of Japanese bits that are were included in dialogue, and I look forward to reading more about that. This is one of those books where a family tree would be really helpful, but it would also be a spoiler, so I definitely understand not including it. But whew, there were a lot of characters in here. The book felt really long, but it was, and the ending seemed a bit abrupt. But I'm not sure that there's a good way to end such a saga that has moved through decades.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Racism, Rape, Xenophobia, Colonisation, and Classism

Moderate: Bullying, Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Police brutality, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and War

Minor: Confinement, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infertility, Infidelity, Sexual content, Suicide, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

farahgeo's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Bullying, Suicide, Abortion, and War

hilariescudero's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Cancer, Death, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Hate crime, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual content, Suicide, Torture, Xenophobia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Alcohol, War, and Classism

domivatangelo's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Hate crime, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Suicide attempt, Colonisation, and War

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Abortion, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

flamesocks's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Hate crime, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, and Deportation

bites_of_books's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Yes, I truly love well-crafted historical fiction that spans generations and this one did not disappoint. 

The characters are complex and multidimensional, the prose is beautiful and careful in how it describes each event and each decision made by the characters. The historical context is given without it being overwhelming or dry and it makes it all feel urgent. 

I breezed through this book and I'll definitely pick up other works by Min Jin Lee. Highly recommend! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Deportation

cagigglez's review against another edition

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. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Miscarriage, Racism, Sexual content, Suicide, Violence, Colonisation, War, and Classism

page_karla's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

a_lf05's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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 don't have much to say about this book but it was definitely really good !! going into this I was worried it would be a bit slow going through four (?) generations but it was very engaging and generally the characters were very well written and felt like real people !!

Some of the storylines that didn't revolve around sunja's immediate family felt a little forgotten at times but I can forgive that 🙏🙏

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Racism, and War

Minor: Bullying and Abortion

matcha_cat's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Sexual content, Xenophobia, and Classism

Moderate: Bullying, Death, Misogyny, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Ableism, Alcoholism, Cancer, Child death, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Suicide, Violence, and Alcohol