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cassornelas's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
4.0
Goddamn can min jin lee write a generational story. A bit slow paced at moments but kept solid pace otherwise. I was invested in each characters journey and even though theres no solid ending for everyone we do get to see the seeds of what will be next for them.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
Moderate: Suicide attempt
joymargot's review against another edition
slow-paced
4.0
While the slow pace coupled with the huge page count might ordinarily have put me off, I read this during the throes of covid and it was oddly comforting to spend so much time with the flawed and frustrating - but ultimately still likeable - Casey.
The story covers a relatively short time period in its 650 pages and feels more like a snapshot of Casey’s life than a structured story with a beginning, middle and satisfying end. It feels a little under-edited but the characters are well-developed and I found myself genuinely caring about (most of) them.
The story covers a relatively short time period in its 650 pages and feels more like a snapshot of Casey’s life than a structured story with a beginning, middle and satisfying end. It feels a little under-edited but the characters are well-developed and I found myself genuinely caring about (most of) them.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Abortion, Addiction, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, and Sexual assault
karmapen's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
tense
medium-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: Domestic abuse
Moderate: Suicide attempt and Rape
Minor: Classism, Cursing, Toxic relationship, and Abortion
justovereherereading's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This book took some time to read, not because of its length but because of the depth of each character and the need to absorb each one.
There was so much prose in this book that could have been left out and the story would still have been told, but it wouldn’t have made the book what is it, a deep dive into the complexities of growing up and living cross culturally.
Overall it was a good read and I’m glad I stuck with it.
There was so much prose in this book that could have been left out and the story would still have been told, but it wouldn’t have made the book what is it, a deep dive into the complexities of growing up and living cross culturally.
Overall it was a good read and I’m glad I stuck with it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Abortion, Infidelity, Miscarriage, and Alcohol
Moderate: Addiction and Suicide attempt
Minor: Blood, Vomit, Toxic relationship, and Terminal illness
semeyers's review against another edition
dark
emotional
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? Yes
4.0
This was a nearly 600 page book that I found myself not wanting to end! This novel definitely reads like a soap opera. It is dramatic, full of twists, lots of sex, but very dark. Near humorless. It is a slice of life novel for sure, by the end almost nothing is resolved.
I loved the main character, contrasting to most of the reviews that I read! Casey's struggles with her background and family, debt, religion, and relationships were relatable to me. Even her coming to terms with her own selfishness and need to ask others for help, despite wanting to be as independent as possible, spoke to me. Casey spends most of the novel striving to be independent, but constantly ends up falling back on others - receiving money from family, living rent free with friends, bosses, and boyfriends, and calling in favors to get jobs or more commission. It was an interesting juxtaposition and I think an accurate world view for someone so young (we follow Casey from ages 22-26ish).
Lee also does an amazing job with the background characters. Each person has a clear place in the novel and each becomes a fully fleshed out character with a layered personality and development by the end. Several of them (Leah and Ella, mostly) nearly become co-main characters in their own right.
What I did not love about the novel is echoed in many other reviews - the sex becomes tiresome. It seems every relationship hinges on sex. Every marriage that is unhappy is due to the lack of sex. Every relationship ends because someone cheats. A number of relationships *start* because someone cheats. Even in the only happy relationship that makes it through the entirety of the book, one of the spouses cheats and the other accepts it as part of the deal. The only truly happy/healthy relationships either take place off the page (George's) or one spouse has passed before the novel even begins (Joseph's). This had me begging for just one happy relationship by the end. Writing wise, there were also some blips. The perspective would sometimes shift from one paragraph to the next and the structure of some descriptions were confusing, but overall it didn't affect my read much.
Overall, though, I do highly recommend this book! I didn't love it as much as I loved Pachinko, but I still really liked it.
I loved the main character, contrasting to most of the reviews that I read! Casey's struggles with her background and family, debt, religion, and relationships were relatable to me. Even her coming to terms with her own selfishness and need to ask others for help, despite wanting to be as independent as possible, spoke to me. Casey spends most of the novel striving to be independent, but constantly ends up falling back on others - receiving money from family, living rent free with friends, bosses, and boyfriends, and calling in favors to get jobs or more commission. It was an interesting juxtaposition and I think an accurate world view for someone so young (we follow Casey from ages 22-26ish).
Lee also does an amazing job with the background characters. Each person has a clear place in the novel and each becomes a fully fleshed out character with a layered personality and development by the end. Several of them (Leah and Ella, mostly) nearly become co-main characters in their own right.
What I did not love about the novel is echoed in many other reviews - the sex becomes tiresome. It seems every relationship hinges on sex. Every marriage that is unhappy is due to the lack of sex. Every relationship ends because someone cheats. A number of relationships *start* because someone cheats. Even in the only happy relationship that makes it through the entirety of the book, one of the spouses cheats and the other accepts it as part of the deal. The only truly happy/healthy relationships either take place off the page (George's) or one spouse has passed before the novel even begins (Joseph's). This had me begging for just one happy relationship by the end. Writing wise, there were also some blips. The perspective would sometimes shift from one paragraph to the next and the structure of some descriptions were confusing, but overall it didn't affect my read much.
Overall, though, I do highly recommend this book! I didn't love it as much as I loved Pachinko, but I still really liked it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Infidelity
Moderate: Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, and Death of parent
Minor: Infertility, Abortion, Fatphobia, and Death
laurelj's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
tense
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Addiction, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, and Suicide attempt
theknitpick's review against another edition
emotional
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
4.0
I really enjoyed reading this book, not so much because I love the characters (I feel okay to meh about most of them) but because the writing is so good. Lee has a way with words. I was transported and this book made me think a lot. For a generally slow to moderate pace, I read this book quickly (for me). I wanted to know where it would lead, and though not a lot happens, I feel satisfied by the ending.
The character development is very strong, and the omnipotent narrator really gives you an idea of what nearly every character encountered is thinking, which I find incredibly interesting. Many different walks of life are covered within this book, and that makes it interesting, too. It's not just about the Korean family that sits at the center of this story, but about their friends and acquaintances, too. Nearly every character in this book that shapes the main characters in one way or another is considered. The character study within this book is masterful and makes it a worthwhile read regardless of anything else.
Now, while I normally don't enjoy books with such morally gray characters, I think Lee wrote them in such a way that I still found connected to them, was curious about what would happen to them, and still enjoyed seeing where they would end up. Despite the book not really pulling you along with the plot, I found myself easily turning pages.
I would definitely recommend this book, especially if you're a fan of character-driven stories, contemporary fiction, and fiction about a diverse group of people (living in New York).
The character development is very strong, and the omnipotent narrator really gives you an idea of what nearly every character encountered is thinking, which I find incredibly interesting. Many different walks of life are covered within this book, and that makes it interesting, too. It's not just about the Korean family that sits at the center of this story, but about their friends and acquaintances, too. Nearly every character in this book that shapes the main characters in one way or another is considered. The character study within this book is masterful and makes it a worthwhile read regardless of anything else.
Now, while I normally don't enjoy books with such morally gray characters, I think Lee wrote them in such a way that I still found connected to them, was curious about what would happen to them, and still enjoyed seeing where they would end up. Despite the book not really pulling you along with the plot, I found myself easily turning pages.
I would definitely recommend this book, especially if you're a fan of character-driven stories, contemporary fiction, and fiction about a diverse group of people (living in New York).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity
Moderate: Sexual content, Rape, Miscarriage, and Cursing
Minor: Abortion, Addiction, Suicide attempt, and Violence
mimi_means_secret's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage, Rape, Suicide attempt, Infidelity, and Addiction
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