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ak_munoz's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Racism
lia_booknest's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Pachinko is a captivating saga that explores how war and history shape identity across generations within a family. The characters' struggles are deeply moving, and the story introduces remarkable complexity and depth. While the pacing might feel slow for readers unfamiliar with historical fiction; trust me, this is the kind of book you want to savor in chunks, with plenty of time to marinate on its layers.
Fair warning, though: the last 100 pages of this book might throw you onto an unexpected emotional and heartwrenching roller-coaster ride. Still, i felt it was beautifully wrapped up. Happy reading everyone!
Fair warning, though: the last 100 pages of this book might throw you onto an unexpected emotional and heartwrenching roller-coaster ride. Still, i felt it was beautifully wrapped up. Happy reading everyone!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Child death, Miscarriage, Racism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Abandonment, and War
eja1400's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
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
4.5
Wow. These characters are going to stick with me for a long while. I really loved watching them grow and change and expand their lives. Pachinko is set over multiple decades following the same family from Korea to Japan in the 1900s, which clearly makes for a heartbreaking, but wholesome story about what love Nd family truly means. The one thing that really bugged me was the speed of part three which didn't take the same time to develop characters or stories in the way that parts one and two did so beautifully. The ending felt very abrupt and there are multiple characters whose endings I wish I could have seen. Overall, a really lovely book and a great recommendation/gift from the ever lovely Payton Wylie. It's a long one, but honestly I wish it was even longer - I'd definitely recommend to a friend.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Sexual assault and Suicide
sadieadie's review against another edition
emotional
informative
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Suicide, and Death of parent
Minor: Addiction, Bullying, Cancer, Child death, Infertility, Infidelity, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, Classism, and Deportation
pgmoon's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
My first book of the year! I recently revisited Pachinko by Min Jin Lee after having to set it aside previously, and I’m so glad I gave it another chance.
This sprawling generational drama hooked me from start to finish, with a pace that, in my opinion, never slows down. It’s fascinating to watch the environment evolve as the decades pass, offering a vivid window into the history and struggles of Korean immigrants in Japan.
One of the book’s greatest strengths is its complex characters. They’re deeply flawed, selfish, petty, and morally questionable at times, yet they feel incredibly real. Each character’s choices and circumstances often reflect the harsh realities of the world around them, and even the ones I didn’t particularly like or agree with were compelling to read about. For me, Sunja is the heart of the story. Her journey is full of unexpected twists, and I found myself rooting for her resilience and determination throughout.
Thematically, Pachinko delves deeply into issues of parental expectations, neglect, and the ever-present weight of systemic racism. The discrimination faced by Korean characters is portrayed so palpably that it was eye-opening for me, especially as someone unfamiliar with that history. The story can be incredibly heavy and, at times, heartbreaking. Just when you think a character might find happiness or escape their struggles, the narrative often pulls them back into sorrow, underscoring the challenges of their lives.
If I had any qualms, it would be that some character perspectives and events were uncomfortable to read about, but this rawness is also part of what makes the book so powerful. Another minor gripe is that the third-person narrative could occasionally be confusing to follow, especially when jumping between characters and timelines. However, these issues are small compared to the richness of the story overall.
Pachinko is a remarkable book that I’d recommend to anyone who enjoys generational sagas. It’s already beloved by many, and for good reason.
This sprawling generational drama hooked me from start to finish, with a pace that, in my opinion, never slows down. It’s fascinating to watch the environment evolve as the decades pass, offering a vivid window into the history and struggles of Korean immigrants in Japan.
One of the book’s greatest strengths is its complex characters. They’re deeply flawed, selfish, petty, and morally questionable at times, yet they feel incredibly real. Each character’s choices and circumstances often reflect the harsh realities of the world around them, and even the ones I didn’t particularly like or agree with were compelling to read about. For me, Sunja is the heart of the story. Her journey is full of unexpected twists, and I found myself rooting for her resilience and determination throughout.
Thematically, Pachinko delves deeply into issues of parental expectations, neglect, and the ever-present weight of systemic racism. The discrimination faced by Korean characters is portrayed so palpably that it was eye-opening for me, especially as someone unfamiliar with that history. The story can be incredibly heavy and, at times, heartbreaking. Just when you think a character might find happiness or escape their struggles, the narrative often pulls them back into sorrow, underscoring the challenges of their lives.
If I had any qualms, it would be that some character perspectives and events were uncomfortable to read about, but this rawness is also part of what makes the book so powerful. Another minor gripe is that the third-person narrative could occasionally be confusing to follow, especially when jumping between characters and timelines. However, these issues are small compared to the richness of the story overall.
Pachinko is a remarkable book that I’d recommend to anyone who enjoys generational sagas. It’s already beloved by many, and for good reason.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment
Minor: War
gatocario's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Ableism, Sexual content, and Suicide
etsang647's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
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? Yes
3.5
I enjoyed the first half of the book the most, but later on as the main heroine’s story slowly got pushed to the side in favor of smaller characters, I found my interest waning. I also didn’t like how sudden the developments were in the second half of the book, as it gave me no time to process.
Regardless, I learned so much about the kinds of struggles Koreans faced during and after Japan’s occupation that I have no doubt recommending this to anyone interested in the history.
Regardless, I learned so much about the kinds of struggles Koreans faced during and after Japan’s occupation that I have no doubt recommending this to anyone interested in the history.
Content Warnings
Minor: Cursing, Death, and Sexual content
meryemlm's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I really enjoyed reading this book in the beginning, as it focused on the war and it’s consequences, and how people had to deal with it and survive it. But then something changed, the style, the story, the events were described superficially and very quickly - It was like reading a soap opera instead of a deep and meaningful book. I kept going because I was curious to read how the story would end. But overall, I’m still confused about what happened to the author by the middle of the book. I’m definitely not going to read any other book written by MJL.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
kmetzing's review against another edition
emotional
informative
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Sexual content, and Colonisation
Minor: Alcoholism, Cancer, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Suicide, Trafficking, Car accident, Abortion, and War
cinmn_apple's review against another edition
emotional
informative
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? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Sexual content and Xenophobia
Minor: Suicide