Pachinko
In this New York Times bestseller, four generations of a poor Korean immigrant family fight to control their destiny in 20th-century Japan-the inspiration for the television series on Apple TV+.
In the early 1900s, teenaged Sunja, the adored daughter of a crippled fisherman, falls for a wealthy stranger. When she discovers she is pregnant-and that her lover is married-she accepts an offer of marriage from a gentle, sickly minister passing through on his way to Japan. But her decision to abandon her home, and to reject her son's powerful father, sets off a dramatic saga that will echo down through the generations.
Profoundly moving, Pachinko is a story of love, sacrifice, ambition, and loyalty.
*Includes reading group guide*
NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK OF 2017 * A USA TODAY TOP TEN OF 2017 * JULY PICK FOR THE PBS NEWSHOUR-NEW YORK TIMES BOOK CLUB NOW READ THIS * FINALIST FOR THE 2018DAYTON LITERARY PEACE PRIZE* WINNER OF THE MEDICI BOOK CLUB PRIZE
Roxane Gay's Favorite Book of 2017, Washington Post
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * #1 BOSTON GLOBE BESTSELLER * USA TODAY BESTSELLER * WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER * WASHINGTON POST BESTSELLER
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Community Reviews
thenextgoodbook.com
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
485 pages
What’s it about?
This novel follows four generations of one Korean family from the early 1900's in Korea to the late 1980's in Japan. The novel begins auspiciously with, "History has failed us, but no matter." and continues barreling forward from there. Min Jin Lee previously wrote "Free Food for Millionaires". In this, her second novel , she further distinguishes herself as a writer to watch.
What did it make me think about?
Is racism literally everywhere? I knew so little about Korean history. This book shows us, through Min Jin Lee's wonderfully drawn characters, some of the recent history of Korea. Especially the complicated relationship between Korea and Japan. Min Jin Lee writes a masterful novel about the lives of one Korean family.
Should I read it?
This was a very good multi-generational sweeping saga. I especially love a book that informs you at the same time it is entertaining you. I recommend that you find some time and curl up on the couch with this one!
Quote-
"In Seoul, people like me get called Japanese bastard, and in Japan, I'm just another dirty Korean no matter how much money I make, or how nice I am."
If you liked this try-
The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton
A God in Ruins by Kate Atkinson
Ruby by Cynthia Bond
The Marriage of Opposites by Alice Hoffman
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
485 pages
What’s it about?
This novel follows four generations of one Korean family from the early 1900's in Korea to the late 1980's in Japan. The novel begins auspiciously with, "History has failed us, but no matter." and continues barreling forward from there. Min Jin Lee previously wrote "Free Food for Millionaires". In this, her second novel , she further distinguishes herself as a writer to watch.
What did it make me think about?
Is racism literally everywhere? I knew so little about Korean history. This book shows us, through Min Jin Lee's wonderfully drawn characters, some of the recent history of Korea. Especially the complicated relationship between Korea and Japan. Min Jin Lee writes a masterful novel about the lives of one Korean family.
Should I read it?
This was a very good multi-generational sweeping saga. I especially love a book that informs you at the same time it is entertaining you. I recommend that you find some time and curl up on the couch with this one!
Quote-
"In Seoul, people like me get called Japanese bastard, and in Japan, I'm just another dirty Korean no matter how much money I make, or how nice I am."
If you liked this try-
The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton
A God in Ruins by Kate Atkinson
Ruby by Cynthia Bond
The Marriage of Opposites by Alice Hoffman
First third was fantastic! The character development was awesome and I really fell in love with the characters and felt like I understood the world they were living in.
The second third was also good, but I agree with another reviewer that “the epic length and detail for this family is becoming broader, although shallower- much like a river near its delta- it’s becoming diffused and silt laden.” I still was very interested in the story and loved the writing.
The last third began to feel tough for me. I was less enraptured by the book and started to slug a little bit and the only word I could think of to describe the last third was lingering. It just lingered - until it eventually just peters out and softly ends. And you realize that the story was not a big conclusion but in the long story of the family itself in its entirety. This is nice (maybe refreshing?) but also not super satisfying. The other thing I didn’t like about the end was that it got SO jumpy. I didn’t initially hate the jumping from different character and different times- the quick fast forwards often worked well. But in the last third they got a bit to aggressive and left a lot of holes. It also felt like the author would bring us deep on someone/thing, only to abruptly abandon it, leaving me to wonder if the inclusion was even necessary.
Overall though, I did think it was incredibly well written, sophisticated, well researched and good at depicting the reality of racism and elitism in Japanese culture. I enjoyed reading it certainly.
I enjoyed this family saga about Koreans who have settled in Japan. I agree with other reviews that say it was a bit long and the last 1/3 seemed to jump around and cover a variety of serious topics. It needed a bit more tightening. All in all a great read.
Edit: I read this a second time for my book club and I am glad I did. I got a lot more out of it the second go round. Don’t miss the interview with the author at the end.
Edit: I read this a second time for my book club and I am glad I did. I got a lot more out of it the second go round. Don’t miss the interview with the author at the end.
This book had been on my TBR list for a long time. I finally got to reading it.
I really enjoyed the book a lot more than I thought I would. It was beautifully written and I loved following the family through so many years and generations. Each character was well written and I felt like I knew all of them.
I highly recommend this book.
I really enjoyed the book a lot more than I thought I would. It was beautifully written and I loved following the family through so many years and generations. Each character was well written and I felt like I knew all of them.
I highly recommend this book.
This is a hulk of a book coming in just under 500 pages, but it was a surprisingly quick read. The story charts one Korean family through four generations, beginning in early 1900s Korea and ending in the late 1980s Japan. The narrative and the characters aren't what kept me reading until 3 am, but rather the glimpse into the ruinous history of Korea under Japanese annexation that I was woefully ignorant of until now. The novel's incipit reads, "History has failed us, but no matter" but Lee forces the reader to simultaneously acknowledge the atrocities of this war and occupation as well as the survival, dignity, and hope of the Korean people. Bonus features: the book includes a book club discussion guide and interview with the author.
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