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3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
Min Jin Lee is great at crafting believable, complicated characters. Not sure why I thought this was newer than Pachinko: it is actually her debut! Impressive.
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Another family story, however in this novel, Min Jin Lee writes of the successes and failures (at life, careers, love) of Casey Han, an immigrant to the U.S. from Korea. Like in Pachinko, the author focuses on the feelings of otherness, examining class and culture; I really enjoyed this book, and you can see how this paved the way for Pachinko, but Pachinko is definitely the better of the two books. Would definitely recommend to fans of Min Jin Lee, or anyone who likes reading immigrant experience stories, or books that feature #ownvoices
This book ended without a warning, I was not ready and I hate when there's a reading guide in the last 30 pages that makes you think you have so much more left than you do.
Besides that, a pretty enjoyable read! Written with this very matter of fact voice that sometimes threw me off, but explored issues of class and race with so much care and without feeling like it was just repeating cliche sentiments over and over.
Besides that, a pretty enjoyable read! Written with this very matter of fact voice that sometimes threw me off, but explored issues of class and race with so much care and without feeling like it was just repeating cliche sentiments over and over.
I enjoyed the the development of a number if different characters. Like Pachenko it is long and enthralling and draws you along and then it just ends a little bit abruptly. But still a lovely novel.
While I can’t say I was as moved by this book as by Pachinko, I did find it to be astoundingly and scarily relatable. A working class child of immigrants having no idea what to do with the opportunities before you, feeling immense pressure and extreme loneliness, making stupid decisions almost like you’re trying to make your life harder, and constantly settling for work that does not make sense for you. I saw myself a lot in Casey, in a way that scared me and forced me to think more seriously about my future and where it’s going.
emotional
hopeful
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
emotional
reflective
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:
Yes