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4.36 AVERAGE
4.36 AVERAGE
The game Pachinko plays a very convenient, sympathetic background to this tragic saga. Pachinko is a game of chance, with twists and risk, and the story of the three generations of Korean/Japanese mimics the same fate - sometimes you win and sometimes you lose and sometimes when you win, you win big and sometimes when you lose, you can lose fast and hard. Pachinko is also a fast moving, fast paced game and the story is very much attuned to the same tempo.
I feel like I have had a real education on the history of the two countries - I had no idea about the Korean migration to Japan. It’s heartbreaking and it’s heartbreaking that it still continues today (Syria), I can’t even begin to fathom the heartbreak, loss and trauma the refugees of this world are going through. I finished the book and I cried. I put myself into the shoes of Sunja (one of the main characters of the book and also, its staring point) and I had an overwhelming sense of loss and grief.
It took the author, Min Jin Lee, nearly 30 years to publish this story. She had the idea in 1989 and it took years of research to perfect the story. A real labour of love, and I absolutely admire her for it. It’s a masterpiece! This is my first book review on Good Reads and felt compelled to write one for this book. Stunning novel!
I feel like I have had a real education on the history of the two countries - I had no idea about the Korean migration to Japan. It’s heartbreaking and it’s heartbreaking that it still continues today (Syria), I can’t even begin to fathom the heartbreak, loss and trauma the refugees of this world are going through. I finished the book and I cried. I put myself into the shoes of Sunja (one of the main characters of the book and also, its staring point) and I had an overwhelming sense of loss and grief.
It took the author, Min Jin Lee, nearly 30 years to publish this story. She had the idea in 1989 and it took years of research to perfect the story. A real labour of love, and I absolutely admire her for it. It’s a masterpiece! This is my first book review on Good Reads and felt compelled to write one for this book. Stunning novel!
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
informative
inspiring
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
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:
No
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-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:
Complicated
At once elegant and earthy, this story held me captivated. This would pair perfectly with The Orphan Master’s Son (another of my favorites) for a rich and in-depth look at Korean identity.
emotional
informative
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
inspiring
sad
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:
No
challenging
emotional
informative
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:
Yes