Reviews tagging 'Homophobia'

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

60 reviews

nila's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

An incredible journey through most of the 20th century following one family and their journey trying to survive all aspects of war and its aftermath. The story had twist and turns, and there were many times I had to put the book down because I was so surprised by what I had just read 

from the reading journal: There's an abundance of the "innocent young good man/boy being corrupted by the sexual whore who only wants their money material things. Yes the" bad men"-characters are also present, but I feel they are more fleshed out and for some reason, their "flaws" are justified and explained away.

One the other end, the "good" woman is also never good enough. She's too boring or even, not "good enough".Every single woman is described and more or less ranked by their sexual availability and desirability. And almost all the women who are described as promiscuous are punished, either with not being allowed to marry again for love, or being beaten half to death in a car or actually dying. While the men who illicit the same kind of behavior get to grow old, and be surrounded by wealth and loved ones. I understand that this is/was the reality of the society that is described in the book, but then what should one think is the "message" behind the story? Or am I overthinking this? I want to read more Asian literature, but find that the sexualisation of women is a deterring factor.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Violence, Xenophobia, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Suicide, Antisemitism, and Death of parent

Minor: Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Police brutality, and Abortion

ntvenessa's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

A gem. This is a tale about poverty, suffering, colonialism, identity, salvation, endurance, family. Min Jin Lee's background as a historian shines through and Pachinko is exemplary of great historical fiction. It is factually consistent and you will learn much of Japan's colonisation of Korea, a topic not so in regular discourse. It is also emotional, generous, and sensitive to these historical facts. The characters are distinct and each have personalities which make sense for their context. It is intergenerational. The story is just so well crafted. This makes sense given how much time and dedication Lee spent workshopping drafts. I am normally averse to thick novels, but Pachinko has me unafraid -- it is exactly as long as the story needs to be, and moreover, it is easy to read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Chronic illness, Death, Drug use, Gore, Hate crime, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Colonisation, War, and Classism

Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Cancer, Suicide, Car accident, and Abortion

Minor: Child death and Homophobia

bookstorian's review against another edition

4.5

As a historical fiction lover it is always great to discover new stories from a variety of places around the world. 'Pachinko' has patiently waited on my shelf for ages as I was at first intimidated by this read, however I was quickly swept into the story, especially with the characters and setting.

Set across Korea and Japan, 'Pachinko' is a multi generational story which explores the Korean experience in Japan during a volatile century. Exploration of family, suffering, nature vs nuture, home, identity and belonging were also wrapped into the story making it a compelling and memorable story of survival and love. 

The intergenerational racism experienced by the characters was just one of the many things that I learnt about this period of time within both nations that ultimately chartered their future. Each of the characters had a complex stories and struggles with identity, for me Kyunghee was an especially admirable character for her loyalty, endurance, friendship and optimism. Interestingly, the book title 'Pachinko' also paints a gaming metaphor for life and the realisation that you need to play the game of life using the cards that you have been dealt. 

Unfortunately the story did seem to leap across the stories of love and joy experienced by the characters which did prevent the book hitting that final .5 of a star. 

The Vegan Korean Cookbook is a great companion to this read. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Cancer, Homophobia, Racism, and Suicide

edensbookshelf's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicide, Xenophobia, Death of parent, and Classism

koreanlinda's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I want to warn all Koreans. Do not read this book. No. Read this book, but be prepared to get your heartbroken, over and over and over again. If you are not Korean, read this book. It will give you a heartfelt understanding of the struggles that millions of Koreans have lived with on their own land and in their neighboring ones. 

Warning: People die in this book, and every death will break your heart like it broke Min Jin Lee, the author. What ached my heart more than the people who died was the people who didn’t and stayed alive because their lives were sometimes worse than being dead. 

‘Women are meant to suffer’ is a repeated line by women in this story. It tears my heart to witness the greatness in their full acceptance of their hardship and their persistence to make the most out of their dire situations. One thing that this book has thought me is that my ancestors were strong women who survived extremely cruel circumstances. 

Pachinko reminded me of Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi because both stories run through multiple generations. Pachinko is about people who moved from Korea to Japan during the Japanese occupation. Homegoing is about people who were taken from Africa to the United States in slavery. While these historical events can't be compared on an equal ground, I saw in both groups of people that trauma gets passed down and the only way it gets better is through care for each other. Sometimes it works, but sometimes it doesn’t. 

I deeply appreciate the author for writing this book. The story of Korean people who suffered in Japan is not told enough. Although my heart got raw, I am glad I was able to hear their stories through this book.

Review by Linda (she/they)
Twitter @KoreanLinda
Letter writer at DefinitelyNotOkay.com 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Gun violence, Homophobia, Sexual content, Violence, Xenophobia, and War

mxpringle's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing sad tense medium-paced

• 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Ableism, Alcoholism, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, and Cultural appropriation

Minor: War

marjoleinvanderspoel's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring 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? It's complicated

4.5

Pachinko is a gripping family epic that deals with so much so delicately, yet without hesitating to display the cruelty of war and the historic injustices Japan has dealt Korea. This book snuck up on me, carefully guiding my investment in the story and the characters so that I didn't fully realise it until it was too late and something horrible had happened - and yes, I cried. I only wish that the book would have had a stronger ending, but I suppose it does maintain the same quiet and unassuming tone, which is also a strong choice by the author considering the topics that are brought up towards the end of the book. Regardless, Pachinko is definitely a must-read for everyone, in my opinion.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Suicide, Xenophobia, and War

Moderate: Ableism, Homophobia, Sexual content, Slavery, Police brutality, Trafficking, and Death of parent

Minor: Alcoholism and Miscarriage

scarafaggy's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad tense medium-paced

• 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

History has failed us, but no matter.

This book will stick with me for a while. It is a powerful story of a family trying their hardest to overcome everything that is thrown their way. Beware, because once you start, you will find it near impossible to put down! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Hate crime, Racism, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Colonisation

Moderate: Ableism, Homophobia, Infidelity, and Misogyny

_pacifist's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

• 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? It's complicated

5.0

I appreciated the author’s dedication to historical events throughout the decades the book describes. Her writing was beautiful and descriptive and I felt as though I were in the characters homes and could sympathize with their trials. I wanted the book to never end.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Racism, Sexual content, Colonisation, and War

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Homophobia, Infertility, and Death of parent

Minor: Cancer and Trafficking

lschmidt's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful informative sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

This is a historical family saga set in Korea and Japan throughout the 20th century. It follows four generations of a Korean family through the political turmoil of Japanese colonization, the hardship of wartimes, seeking a new and better life in Japan, and witnessing the home they left become divided into two countries they hardly recognize.

As someone who knows very little about Korean history, this book ... teaches us a chapter of modern history we might not have been aware of.

Many Koreans found themselves forced to move to Japan to find jobs for their families, but they faced discrimination and disgusting living conditions when they arrived. Pachinko, we soon find out, is a kind of Japanese arcade game, and working in a pachinko parlor was considered a typical job for a Korean looking to get ahead. Many Japanese looked down upon pachinko parlor workers, viewing them as shady and dishonest, and owners of pachinko parlors were often referred to as "gangsters".

It was both interesting and deeply saddening to hear about what these people went through, how easy it was for Koreans to be imprisoned indefinitely without trial. And after years of hardship and discrimination, after pushing through and finally earning enough money to have stability, many could never go back. Korean-Japanese (third, fourth, fifth generation even) were refused citizenship in Japan but most came from North Korea, a place they could no longer safely return to.

The fictional characters the author creates come sparking off the page - from the resilient Sunja who once foolishly believed in the love of an older man, to Noa who will never quite recover from the dishonor of his lineage, to Solomon who is still trying to escape the negative stereotypes associated with Koreans many years after his grandmother arrived in Japan. It is a heartbreaking story and, sadly, much of this book was the reality for many Koreans.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and War