Reviews tagging 'Torture'

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

68 reviews

chriswoody94's review against another edition

4.5

dark emotional inspiring reflective sad slow-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racism, Suicide, Xenophobia, Grief, War, Classism

Moderate: Bullying, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Deportation

Minor: Addiction, Cancer, Homophobia, Sexual violence, Torture, Abortion

sophiiey's review against another edition

4.0

challenging informative sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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I liked the way that this book was written in the context of a family journey. It is a hard story to read because it is related to combinations of true stories from the Japan occupation of Korea and the Second World War, but the author did a very good job of making me feel connected to the family and dealing with hard issues.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, War

Moderate: Sexual violence, Torture, Trafficking

Minor: Miscarriage, Suicide

liesthemoontells's review against another edition

4.25

adventurous challenging emotional informative reflective sad fast-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

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The best works of fiction are the ones that transcend your own reality. This multi-generational saga shines a light on a specific and untold slice of human experience during one of the most often recounted periods of recent history. 

While the beats of civilian suffering during WWII are a well-trodden artistic theme, the specific marginalisation that ethnic Koreans experienced living in colonial Japan during this period are less well explored in western literature. Min Jin Lee's story takes familiar beats from war fiction and gives them a new and distinctive perspective.

While there are moments of gorgeous prose in this book, I was impressed by what a light touch the omniscient narrator's voice has throughout the book. The writing is clear and unadorned, leaving space for the characters' specific voices to shine through.

My biggest complaint about this book is that it wasn't long enough! It covers a huge swath of time in less than 500 pages, which means that each chapter is like glimpsing a vignette from the life journeys of its characters through the flash of a moving train window. I would have liked it if we had been allowed to get off and stretch our legs at each station. Instead I felt propelled through the narrative and away from the characters at each stage of their lives before I was ready.

Having said that, this book covers a huge swathe of characters, time periods and perspectives. It does not let its ambition detract from being an engrossing and entertaining read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Deportation

Minor: Rape, Trafficking

claresmymiddle's review against another edition

4.0

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Colonisation, Classism

Moderate: Suicide, Torture, Dementia

Minor: Car accident

femmeprints's review against another edition

4.5

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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This was a slow long read but really really interesting. The intergenerational dynamic was well done but a bit confusing at points as I was doing an audiobook. I have very little background on Japanese imperialism of Korea and this was my first look into that history. It was informative, deeply heart breaking, beautifully written and did keep me engaged. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Violence, Trafficking, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

Moderate: Chronic illness, Confinement, Domestic abuse

andyourstruly's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional informative reflective

Strong character development: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

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If you liked East of Eden, you will like this book a lot.  It has great symbolism, and the way the perspective bounces around feels very classic and manages to avoid overexplaining or getting distracted from the story the author intends to tell.  There are a number of really excellent and well-developed characters living through remarkable times, and the author does a marvellous job expressing the ideas and attitudes behind historical behaviors and ideals and the shift that has occurred over time.  Really well-researched, well-paced, and well-written.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation

Moderate: Ableism, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment

Minor: Child death, Torture, Police brutality, Trafficking, Alcohol, War, Deportation

anh_read's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense slow-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Suicide, Violence, Police brutality, Colonisation, War, Classism

Moderate: Confinement, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Torture, Medical content, Medical trauma

A historical fiction about a Korean family immigrating to Japan. As the reader follows them throughout three generations, one gets a deeper insights into Korean history, as well as the life of Korean immigrants in Japan. Each generation faced their own kind of hardships and try to navigate their life in a foreign country that is hostile towards them.

magnolia_berry's review against another edition

4.75

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense 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: Complicated

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Drug use, Genocide, Gun violence, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Colonisation, War

Moderate: Homophobia

Minor: Child death, Trafficking

laurajenkins's review against another edition

DID NOT FINISH: 0%

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I kept hoping something would happen. Nothing but gratuitous sex. No plot.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Chronic illness, Cursing, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Trafficking, Grief, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment

jkunke's review against another edition

3.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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This book is beautifully written but it’s trauma porn. The author clearly did a lot of historical research but doesn’t write as if she has experience working with people who have experienced trauma. Instead many of her characters come off as two-dimensional stereotypes. And many people describe one of the main characters as a love interest but there is nothing romantic about him or about their relationship; he and their relationship are terrible, manipulative and abusive.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail