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kalmia31'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? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Sexism, Bullying, Ableism, Classism, Colonisation, Racial slurs, and Racism
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Hate crime, Sexual harassment, Mental illness, Misogyny, Police brutality, War, Addiction, Death, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Forced institutionalization, Deportation, Grief, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Xenophobia
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Alcoholism, Cancer, Infertility, and Infidelity
theliteraryagenda'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
3.5
Graphic: Death of parent, Cursing, and Sexual content
Moderate: Car accident, Toxic relationship, Classism, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual harassment, Racism, and Pregnancy
Minor: Cultural appropriation, Torture, Suicide, Terminal illness, Grief, and Infertility
Near the end of the book, there are several scenes of graphic sexual content, which seemed unnecessary to the story.jessiereads98's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Xenophobia, Racism, Sexism, Adult/minor relationship, Classism, Death, and Misogyny
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Infertility, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Bullying, Confinement, Violence, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, War, Death of parent, Grief, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Sexual violence
Minor: Cancer, Forced institutionalization, Alcohol, Homophobia, Abortion, Addiction, Alcoholism, Genocide, Rape, Child death, Deportation, Cursing, Drug abuse, Miscarriage, Drug use, Gore, Medical content, Murder, Terminal illness, and Torture
jelenwalker'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
4.25
Graphic: Death, Grief, Sexual content, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Racism, Xenophobia, and Colonisation
Moderate: Hate crime, Cancer, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Abandonment, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Homophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Bullying, War, Terminal illness, and Alcoholism
Minor: Alcohol, Torture, Miscarriage, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Bullying
ritugp01's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
The book began with powerful, to the point writing. Sentences were simple. In a way, it reminded me of the succinct nature of Hemingway, minus the required reaches for symbolism. Rather, the simplicity in Pachinko offered no hidden messages beyond the story it sought to share. It's simplicity offered a quiet, forthright sense of power and confidence within the long, windy, melancholic story. In this, Min Jin Lee was remarkable.
It's characters, whether that be in the quiet and strong Sunja, who spends most of her life fighting both inside and outside due to something that was done to her, or even in Phoebe, whose appearance was short, impactful, yet fully realized, became not just characters, but people I knew. For a story spanning four generations, a multitude of characters was to be expected, yet every single one of them seemed fully realized. Some other readers may feel that the side stories took away from the main family, but I disagreed. In a sense, it reminded me that Sunja and her family are not alone in this long fight we call living. Everyone else, every character that the family might have touched, were helpful in reminding me that Sunja's family was one of many. Sunja, Yangjin, Hoonie, Isak, Kyunghee, Noa, Mozasu, Solomon, and Yumi were some of my favorite characters and I know they will stay with me for some time.
Truly a modern classic.
Moderate: Bullying, Classism, Suicide, Sexual assault, Violence, Toxic relationship, Sexism, Suicide attempt, Stalking, Religious bigotry, Colonisation, Alcohol, Abortion, Sexual harassment, Alcoholism, War, Xenophobia, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Terminal illness, Misogyny, Addiction, Racism, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Mental illness, Death of parent, Death, and Car accident
Minor: Cancer, Police brutality, Abortion, and Miscarriage
daphnewoods'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? It's complicated
5.0
Moderate: Car accident, Colonisation, Trafficking, Domestic abuse, Murder, Terminal illness, Suicide attempt, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Infidelity, Homophobia, Drug abuse, Cancer, Adult/minor relationship, Abortion, Racial slurs, Sexual harassment, War, Miscarriage, Grief, Police brutality, Racism, Self harm, Bullying, Physical abuse, Classism, Violence, Death, Death of parent, Body shaming, Suicide, Misogyny, Hate crime, Child death, Outing, Infertility, and Deportation
maevebm'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
Graphic: Medical content, Grief, Adult/minor relationship, Xenophobia, Classism, Sexual content, Colonisation, and Racism
Moderate: War, Suicide, Bullying, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, and Abortion
novelisa'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? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Colonisation, Death of parent, Racism, Suicide, Violence, Death, Miscarriage, Grief, and Pregnancy
Minor: Alcoholism, War, Addiction, Torture, Terminal illness, Medical content, and Abortion
blanketenjoyer'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
Graphic: Chronic illness, Colonisation, Death, Grief, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Terminal illness, and War
Moderate: Alcohol, Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Racism, Sexual content, Miscarriage, and Trafficking
amandas_bookshelf'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
5.0
Graphic: Terminal illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Bullying, Sexism, Confinement, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Classism, Colonisation, Pregnancy, Blood, Religious bigotry, War, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Xenophobia, and Death of parent