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allisonshewfelt's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I adored the rich detail and characterization as well as the multiple povs. I appreciate that Lee didn't just focus on the stories of the main characters but also included the side characters. A lot of side characters even got their own chapters. The writing was of course gorgeous and addicting to read.
As someone who doesn't pay attention in history class, this book taught me more than any textbook would and kept my attention. Unlike textbooks where they just relay the facts, books like these focus on the characters and really help you understand and emphasize the historical situation. Many things shocked me. For example inflation and the high value of money as well as how Koreans were treated by the Japanese. Koreans could get imprisoned so easily for the smallest reasons and that really bothered me.
I did not expect to cry but what was I thinking? Of course I would if the story spans 4 generations someone ought to die.
I loved most of the characters so much and it was crazy how fast they grew up. I felt like I was a part of their family. The character deaths were so hard to go through because of this.
The opening line "History has failed us, but no matter" really showcases what this book will contain: the struggle of characters to keep going despite the prejudice. The covers for the paperback and hardcover both are great representations of the book too. I appreciate how the title also ties in with the book. Pachinko is a Japanese pinball game that relies on luck. There will be some winners and a lot of losers but you'll keep playing because you have hope that you'll be the lucky one.
This book deserves nothing less than 5 stars considering how much time and research was put into it. Like Lee took 30 years to write this! I'm so happy it got adapted. I already know the show is gonna be a masterpiece and I will be reading anything Lee writes.
Graphic: Grief, Adult/minor relationship, Racism, Violence, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Torture, War, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Colonisation, Rape, Suicide, Alcoholism, Bullying, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Child death, Death of parent, Cancer, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Infertility, Miscarriage, and Sexual harassment
talking_heads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Torture, Pedophilia, Suicide, Adult/minor relationship, Xenophobia, War, Violence, Colonisation, Rape, and Racial slurs
graybat's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Xenophobia, Death, Adult/minor relationship, and Colonisation
Moderate: Sexual content, War, Alcoholism, Death of parent, and Suicide
Minor: Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Abortion, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Religious bigotry, and Domestic abuse
marisacarpico's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
There's obviously a specificity to the immigrant experience here, but it also feels like it represents so many stories. All of these characters felt so real and everything they experience feels so momentous even though they're just regular people living normal lives. Quite a choice on Lee's part to have these huge historical moments happening around these characters but to never really focus on them. WWII is mostly just texture here, it's just one of the many elements that add to the characters' overall experience. It's a novel of accumulated experience that also reflects the immigrant experience throughout the 20th century.
I will admit the way the narrative accelerates in the last 100 pages or so maybe dampens the novel's initial power, but most of the book is so compelling. I probably have a lot more to say, but I don't know, I think the book speaks for itself.
Graphic: Colonisation, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Pedophilia, Racism, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Death, Dementia, Suicide, Addiction, Alcoholism, Car accident, Cancer, Chronic illness, Classism, Confinement, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and War
Minor: Infidelity, Miscarriage, and Torture
thebookishbedouin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Colonisation, Violence, Xenophobia, Terminal illness, Sexual content, Sexism, Pregnancy, Police brutality, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, Grief, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Death, Cursing, Classism, Chronic illness, and Bullying
Moderate: War, Suicide, Physical abuse, and Cancer
Minor: Abortion, Torture, Miscarriage, Infidelity, and Alcoholism
chloeam3103's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: War
Moderate: Genocide, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Death, Suicide, Torture, and Xenophobia
hana23_go's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Moderate: Death, Racism, and Colonisation
Minor: Medical content and Torture
k_elkes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Suicide, Violence, and Torture
justreaditem's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I loved the fact you follow generations of the same family. The trauma they all suffer broke my heart.
It's a hell of a book. It made me smile and made me cry.
There isn't more I can say about it without spoiling more. It's worth the read.
Graphic: Racism, Suicide, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Misogyny, and Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Addiction, Torture, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual content, Grief, Physical abuse, Drug use, Death, Child death, and Cancer
emmagreenwood's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Death, Abandonment, Sexism, Suicide, Infertility, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Death of parent, Grief, Violence, Abortion, Racism, Bullying, Chronic illness, Torture, Hate crime, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, and Xenophobia
Minor: Medical trauma, Homophobia, Infidelity, Confinement, Alcoholism, Colonisation, and Alcohol