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figsofpeach's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, War, Terminal illness, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Fire/Fire injury, Classism, Violence, Suicide, Racial slurs, Death, Racism, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Miscarriage, Addiction, Pregnancy, Infertility, Alcohol, Infidelity, Abortion, and Cancer
bites_of_books's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
The characters are complex and multidimensional, the prose is beautiful and careful in how it describes each event and each decision made by the characters. The historical context is given without it being overwhelming or dry and it makes it all feel urgent.
I breezed through this book and I'll definitely pick up other works by Min Jin Lee. Highly recommend!
Graphic: Ableism, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Animal cruelty, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Racism, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cancer, Death, Death of parent, Deportation, Homophobia, Infidelity, Suicide, War, Xenophobia, Abortion, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Blood, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Chronic illness, Gore, Terminal illness, Violence, Body shaming, Car accident, Addiction, Child death, Racial slurs, Classism, Infertility, Religious bigotry, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts
siomhaw's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Sexual content, Racial slurs, Classism, Colonisation, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: Abortion, Alcoholism, Homophobia, Vomit, Alcohol, Death, Grief, Death of parent, Rape, Terminal illness, Car accident, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, Ableism, Addiction, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Police brutality, and Cancer
cagigglez's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Minor: Infertility, Suicide, Miscarriage, Colonisation, War, Classism, Bullying, Violence, Sexual content, Racism, Death, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, and Domestic abuse
page_karla'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
5.0
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Abortion, Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Infertility, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Racism, Abandonment, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and Sexism
hankhank's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Sexual content and Grief
Moderate: Xenophobia, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Infertility, Death, Death of parent, Racism, Addiction, Abortion, and War
moonmemoirs's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I think the main objective of the book as a historical fiction novel gets across well - you learn deeply about the discrimination the Korean diaspora in Japan faces regardless of their choices, actions, faith, loyalties, and bloodline. It was introspective and informative in this sense, and I thoroughly enjoyed learning this. It was done with a level of skill as well that makes the reader sympathise out of incredulity at the treatment of Koreans in Japan, even five generations in, being treated as lesser just because of their bloodline. Even lesser than the lowest caste of Japan. It’s heartbreaking that whether you decide to pass as Korean or Japanese, you must suffer the consequences of betrayal and poverty and oppression in the aftermath of the occupation.
In terms of characters, the main characters of the earlier generations are really well developed, and I found myself really connected to those characters. I didn’t find that same connection with Solomon’s storyline, including his stepmother, Hana, Pheobe and Kazu. I also found some characters strange, such as Haruki’s wife’s narrative - it felt empty and unfinished. I felt some ennui because I think the characters in the new generations become less dimensional? Like you don’t empathise with them as much and the author is trying to force two dimensions on them like “oh a woman can only be a whore out of desperation but it’s justified because she has trauma from this superficial thing” and it’s a stark contrast from the earlier generations where they build that character development in many many many layers. One layer characters too were done better in the earlier chapters - I loved Isak deeply, and I found it interesting how a book that convinces you of perceptions around every character being troubled, desperate, war-torn, mistake-making, etc stood in stark contrast to this brief character who is perfect in every way, self sacrificing to a lengthy degree, morally benevolent and wise beyond his years.
Writing wise, I actually really enjoyed how the “Pachinko” element of the book which characterises the struggle of the Korean diaspora in Japan, in the third chapter really comes into focus. I enjoyed the storytelling of Yangjin and Sunja and Kyunghee better than Noa, Haruki, Solomon etc but I like how the objective of the book related to the title with the shadow of being in the Pachinko business looming over them. No matter how clean Mozasu’s money is, the Pachinko business, people are regarded as Yakuza and dirty anyways, adding another dimension to the discrimination the characters already face by being Korean.
Graphic: War and Hate crime
Minor: Death, Lesbophobia, Sexism, Violence, Grief, Adult/minor relationship, Infertility, Suicide, Alcoholism, Colonisation, Genocide, and Racism
thenoboshow's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Colonisation, Hate crime, Pregnancy, Death, Bullying, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Abortion, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Blood, Cancer, Car accident, Child death, Classism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Grief, Infertility, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, War, and Xenophobia
sha's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Racism, Terminal illness, Abandonment, Cancer, Car accident, Child death, Chronic illness, Classism, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Religious bigotry, Pedophilia, Toxic relationship, War, Grief, Infertility, and Pregnancy
drkng31's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Moderate: Alcoholism, Classism, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Drug use, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Death, War, Cancer, Terminal illness, Abortion, Addiction, Colonisation, Infertility, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Bullying, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, and Xenophobia