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gabrielcunha's review against another edition
emotional
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
4.0
I posted on my instagram about this book and i was just in the beginning of book 3 when i did so - i had given the book a 5 star review midway. I completed changed my mind on book 3 though. The way the story was being carried out was very interesting up until then but there were major plot changes that made me feel like i was reading a different book and even the perspective changes focusing on side characters rather than maintain the story on the path it was going made me change my mind. I understand now why one of the main characters gets cut off after thinking about this book for two days after finishing reading it - but still after that the book just gets weird at least for me. Although i didn't enjoy book 3 as much book 1 and 2 were absolutely amazing - i really like how the story is developed from the multi perspective point of view, specially now that i have discovered that family sagas/generational fiction is my favorite genre. anyway, i really enjoyed some major reflections i made about race and social acceptance that are main central points of this book, it definitely is not just a book to read and forget but one that will stay with you and make you reflect upon the subjects that are presented. i have noted down three parts of the book that really resonated with me:
1) Akiko's intrusion on Hansu's lunch: this is one of the big plots of the book, this girl just destroyed Noa's life for no reason and it is in this piece that Noa notices that she only saw him as a "Good Korean" and not as a human being, which was what he wanted all his life. However she carries herself as being "above prejudice" but still is driven but such social bias of Koreans in Japan.
2) Solomon tells his boss: "so then the success tax comes from envy, and the shit tax comes from exploitation." Couple of chapters after we see that Solomon is actually paying the shit tax rather than the success as his boss had implied.
3) Phoebe tells Solomon: "There was more to being something than just blood." Another big discussion of the book, how Koreans were treated all their lives - even if they were born and raised in Japan - they would never be considered Japanese people, I think this last few chapters and Solomon's plot makes up for the 3rd book. He's relationship with Phoebe (a Korean American) says a lot about himself, his identity (he sees himself as more Japanese than Korean but he is a Korean citizen even if he has never lived there) and his ambition. He thinks he has everything figured out after college but little by little he begins to lose everything he had hoped to build.
1) Akiko's intrusion on Hansu's lunch: this is one of the big plots of the book, this girl just destroyed Noa's life for no reason and it is in this piece that Noa notices that she only saw him as a "Good Korean" and not as a human being, which was what he wanted all his life. However she carries herself as being "above prejudice" but still is driven but such social bias of Koreans in Japan.
2) Solomon tells his boss: "so then the success tax comes from envy, and the shit tax comes from exploitation." Couple of chapters after we see that Solomon is actually paying the shit tax rather than the success as his boss had implied.
3) Phoebe tells Solomon: "There was more to being something than just blood." Another big discussion of the book, how Koreans were treated all their lives - even if they were born and raised in Japan - they would never be considered Japanese people, I think this last few chapters and Solomon's plot makes up for the 3rd book. He's relationship with Phoebe (a Korean American) says a lot about himself, his identity (he sees himself as more Japanese than Korean but he is a Korean citizen even if he has never lived there) and his ambition. He thinks he has everything figured out after college but little by little he begins to lose everything he had hoped to build.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape, Xenophobia, and War
adoto's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I don't think I got hooked into this book until shit hit the fan. It's medium-paced but dense.
I think it does a really good job of what the author wanted to do, which is honestly reflect the varied experiences of being a Korean in Japan. It's also a beautiful ode to migrant grit and resolve. It just didn't grab me the way I expected it to. I would recommend it to a friend but never reread it.
I think it does a really good job of what the author wanted to do, which is honestly reflect the varied experiences of being a Korean in Japan. It's also a beautiful ode to migrant grit and resolve. It just didn't grab me the way I expected it to. I would recommend it to a friend but never reread it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Colonisation, Classism, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Violence, Death, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Classism, Child death, Bullying, Adult/minor relationship, Sexism, Sexual content, Homophobia, Colonisation, and Alcohol
Minor: Police brutality, Suicide, Sexual assault, Abortion, Mental illness, Trafficking, Miscarriage, and Cancer
lazagn's review against another edition
dark
lighthearted
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? Yes
4.75
very introspective
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Xenophobia, and Sexual content
Minor: Suicide
heyheykk's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide and Xenophobia
serendipitous_mess's review against another edition
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Racism, Colonisation, and Xenophobia
bookrecsondeck's review against another edition
emotional
tense
slow-paced
Too many characters to keep track of, I liked the biblical references throughout the story but constant references to sex began to read like an erotica I got tired of skipping audio
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Xenophobia and Racism
raila_h's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, and Xenophobia
hankhank's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
I really enjoyed this book. The vividness of the story's world was built up from the tiniest personal details, into a whole society. The main cast of characters felt like real people to me, and I'll miss their company. It was especially impressive how the author moved through time so seamlessly, and how characters we met first as children aged so realistically. There are lots of terrible things that happened in the story, and many sad moments, but also many sweet, funny, beautiful things, too. I would recommend this to anyone who like stories about people.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Grief
Moderate: Xenophobia, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Infertility, Death, Death of parent, Racism, Addiction, Abortion, and War
brinxleyx's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-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? No
5.0
This is a new book in my favorites list. Pachinko addresses every issue under the sun within the cultural context it was written in. I have never been so affected by a character, and this story provides many many different stories throughout the four generations of the family it focuses on. This book was both beautiful and culturally informative. There was so much I learned, and I definitely cried.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Sexism, Xenophobia, Adult/minor relationship, and Suicide
Minor: Abortion, Ableism, Addiction, Bullying, and Alcohol
lilyeligator's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Xenophobia, War, and Violence