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A review by purplegrape
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
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
Started: Aug 03, 2024. Ended: Aug 12, 2024.
Pachinko follows a Korean family across four generations as they struggle to survive hopeless times. Life treats each family member differently, and we come to learn the changing definition of what it means to be Korean in a Japanese world. A heart-warming and heartbreaking portrait of family and faith.
Never has a book so often had me in tears. Every time I thought I was safe from waterworks I was soon proven wrong. This novel shines so bright from the very first page that I knew I had to rework my entire ranking system because this is truly a five star read among five star reads.
You cannot help but empathize with characters you would hate if written by someone else in another novel. No one is perfect, everyone is human, and sometimes being human means being selfish and cruel. There is no limit to the variety of people and relationships portrayed, and no one is not wholly manifested.
I have read my fair share of WW1 and WW2 novels, but none have told this story. A voice was given to a side of history often drowned out by louder, Western words. I will forever be jealous of the part of me who got to read Pachinko for the first time, she who went in with no expectations and found something too precious to be put into words.
When I read it again (and I will), I would like to track faith, love, and duty.
Pachinko follows a Korean family across four generations as they struggle to survive hopeless times. Life treats each family member differently, and we come to learn the changing definition of what it means to be Korean in a Japanese world. A heart-warming and heartbreaking portrait of family and faith.
Never has a book so often had me in tears. Every time I thought I was safe from waterworks I was soon proven wrong. This novel shines so bright from the very first page that I knew I had to rework my entire ranking system because this is truly a five star read among five star reads.
You cannot help but empathize with characters you would hate if written by someone else in another novel. No one is perfect, everyone is human, and sometimes being human means being selfish and cruel. There is no limit to the variety of people and relationships portrayed, and no one is not wholly manifested.
I have read my fair share of WW1 and WW2 novels, but none have told this story. A voice was given to a side of history often drowned out by louder, Western words. I will forever be jealous of the part of me who got to read Pachinko for the first time, she who went in with no expectations and found something too precious to be put into words.
When I read it again (and I will), I would like to track faith, love, and duty.