readingsponsoredbybts's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Hate crime, Adult/minor relationship, War, Sexual content, Xenophobia, Violence, Classism, Alcohol, and Colonisation
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Religious bigotry, Alcoholism, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Terminal illness, Medical content, Deportation, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Police brutality, and Rape
Minor: Drug use, Cancer, and Homophobia
zarlynsnook's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
this books reminds me of the frist time i read the kite runner and another korean historical novel, year of a thousand goodbyes.
at some point,reading these books makes me feel guilty of being oblivious to the parts of our history these books have told.
Pachinko.
i've been meaning to read this book since 2019.i even posted about it being the book i'm currently reading but just like some other books on my then tbr, it was one of those books where i have to find the perfect time and mood to read.
writing this review, my thoughtswhile always circles back to the time i first learned about the division of the Korean Peninsula. it wasn't from my history class in highschool but from a 20-peso book i found from booksale, year of a thousand goodbyes by sook-nyul choi. that book was an eye-opener for me. my knowledge about Korea back then was limited to Korean dramas and k-pop groups that started to become popular here in the 🇵🇭. for some reason, i got a bit sense of maturity having to read that book and knowing about what the 38º parallel meant.(again, i remembered that book when i saw the k-drama, Crash Landing on You).
Having to read Pachinko now was somehow, a continuation of the history class i've had from that book many years ago.
while YoTG tells the story of a family left in Korea during its tumultous years of oppression, Pachinko told the story of many who was left with no choice but to leave and brave the challenges of finding safety in the country of their oppressors.
Sunja is like Korea itself. she was divided, at first by her past and her present – Hansu and Isak. Then again with her two sons, Noa and Mozasu whom in my opinion,suffered the same but different fate.
History has failed us,but no matter.
it indeed, failed Sunja and her family in a lot of ways. the decisions Sunja was forced to make throughout her life has affected the rest of her family and somehow, would also dictate the decisions of the generations to come.
this book left me half in awe and half in tears. i did not expect the book to end that way,and i also did not expect to be this hurt with that ending. i thought it would be a bittersweet ending but that is so naive of me to think because the opening line has already said it 'history failed us'. the 'no matter' part i guess,simply implies that despite everything, as human beings, we are initially inclined to keep going in life even if it fucked us over many times.
to sum up my review, this book broke me.
5⭐
Graphic: Sexism, War, Sexual content, Religious bigotry, Adult/minor relationship, Racism, Violence, Suicide, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Deportation
squidknees's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Minor: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cursing, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Violence, Stalking, Sexual violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Racism, Body shaming, Child death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Miscarriage, Police brutality, Misogyny, Xenophobia, War, Terminal illness, Antisemitism, Blood, Bullying, Classism, Colonisation, Confinement, Death of parent, Suicide, Slavery, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Abortion, Ableism, Cancer, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Deportation, Trafficking, Medical content, Toxic friendship, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infertility, and Racial slurs
oatmilkie's review
- 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? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Hate crime, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Pregnancy, Alcoholism, Child death, Grief, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Racism, Rape, Stalking, Xenophobia, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Deportation, Abandonment, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
chaoticnostalgia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Racism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Infertility, Death, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Classism, Xenophobia, War, Suicide, Terminal illness, Miscarriage, Police brutality, Colonisation, Violence, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Alcohol, Cancer, Alcoholism, Homophobia, Bullying, and Car accident
Minor: Abortion, Ableism, Deportation, and Abandonment
lotstannard's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Minor: Sexism, Sexual harassment, Trafficking, Violence, Bullying, Classism, Colonisation, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Cancer, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Racism, Terminal illness, Torture, Abortion, Addiction, Xenophobia, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Deportation, Drug use, Grief, Infertility, Infidelity, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Suicide, and War
scifi_rat's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Death, Colonisation, Death of parent, Racism, Sexism, and Misogyny
Moderate: Child death, Classism, Violence, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Suicide, War, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Grief, Alcoholism, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Bullying, Abortion, Cancer, Alcohol, Body shaming, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Xenophobia
Minor: Deportation, Religious bigotry, Addiction, Infertility, Murder, Rape, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Torture, Toxic relationship, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, Hate crime, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Car accident, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Trafficking
kalmia31's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Sexism, Bullying, Ableism, Classism, Colonisation, Racial slurs, and Racism
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Hate crime, Sexual harassment, Mental illness, Misogyny, Police brutality, War, Addiction, Death, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Forced institutionalization, Deportation, Grief, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Xenophobia
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Alcoholism, Cancer, Infertility, and Infidelity
jessiereads98's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Xenophobia, Racism, Sexism, Adult/minor relationship, Classism, Death, and Misogyny
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Infertility, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Bullying, Confinement, Violence, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, War, Death of parent, Grief, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Sexual violence
Minor: Cancer, Forced institutionalization, Alcohol, Homophobia, Abortion, Addiction, Alcoholism, Genocide, Rape, Child death, Deportation, Cursing, Drug abuse, Miscarriage, Drug use, Gore, Medical content, Murder, Terminal illness, and Torture
daphnewoods's review
- 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
5.0
Moderate: Car accident, Colonisation, Trafficking, Domestic abuse, Murder, Terminal illness, Suicide attempt, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Infidelity, Homophobia, Drug abuse, Cancer, Adult/minor relationship, Abortion, Racial slurs, Sexual harassment, War, Miscarriage, Grief, Police brutality, Racism, Self harm, Bullying, Physical abuse, Classism, Violence, Death, Death of parent, Body shaming, Suicide, Misogyny, Hate crime, Child death, Outing, Infertility, and Deportation