Reviews - Pachinko | The StoryGraph

25.3k reviews for:

Pachinko

Min Jin Lee

4.36 AVERAGE

stephmradio's review against another edition

4.0

emotional informative reflective sad slow-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

mama_chicharra's review against another edition

4.25

Omg. Sometimes I wish we could respond to other reviews. I just saw someone say Pachinko is what One Hundred Years of Solitude wishes it could be. No. They are both multi-generational novels but similarities stop there. Pachinko is solid and captivating but it’s not that layered of a literary work. I loved it for what it is though. For westerners who might not be as knowledgeable about Japan’s and Korea’s history through the 20th century, or the cultural context in which this story takes place, Pachinko is an excellent window into that time and place. Remove the element of war, I think there are many people who can relate to the feeling of never quite belonging to one culture or another, sacrificing to give your children a better chance, life going amiss despite your best efforts. I think story will be particularly interesting to those who have felt the push and pull of reconciling inherited culture/identify with the dominant society one lives in.

valeriabookworm's review against another edition

4.0

An amazing saga, covering many generations and countries, starting in Korea at the beginning of the 20th century during the Japanese occupation, and ending in Japan at the dawn of the 21st century.
This book has an impressive breadth: part family history, part historical fiction, it does not shy away from discussion the 2nd class society Japan created for the people it conquered.