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feathers4bookmarks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Infidelity, Alcoholism, Bullying, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, Misogyny, Racism, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Addiction
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Abortion, Cultural appropriation, Chronic illness, Infertility, Hate crime, Medical trauma, and Car accident
tahsintries's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Racism, Adult/minor relationship, Suicide, Bullying, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Ableism, Grief, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Abortion, Colonisation, Genocide, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Chronic illness, Classism, Death of parent, Rape, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and War
Minor: Infertility, Drug abuse, Abandonment, and Addiction
rachelsbookishlife'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
5.0
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Child death, Death of parent, Classism, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Death, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, War, Violence, Suicide, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Car accident, and Grief
Moderate: Infertility, Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Racism, Racial slurs, Misogyny, and Police brutality
Minor: Cancer, Abortion, and Body shaming
tinytrashqueen'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Grief, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Suicide
Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Classism, Outing, Child death, Death of parent, Infertility, Infidelity, Ableism, Abortion, and Miscarriage
tinyjude's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, War, Bullying, Classism, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, Death, Hate crime, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Racism, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Infidelity, Miscarriage, Ableism, Homophobia, Infertility, and Pedophilia
Minor: Abortion, Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Trafficking, and Addiction
nikolama's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Colonisation, Racism, Sexism, War, Xenophobia, and Death
Moderate: Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Bullying, Miscarriage, and Pedophilia
Minor: Alcoholism, Lesbophobia, Abortion, Cancer, Cursing, and Infertility
cedardleland'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? No
4.0
Graphic: Addiction
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, Sexism, Racism, Miscarriage, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Police brutality, and Infertility
talonsontypewriters's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.25
Graphic: Xenophobia, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Colonisation, Racism, Bullying, Violence, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Death, Classism, Misogyny, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Pregnancy, Chronic illness, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, and War
Moderate: Religious bigotry, Ableism, Suicide, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Rape, Sexual content, Miscarriage, Fire/Fire injury, Animal death, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Incest, Police brutality, Terminal illness, Child death, Stalking, and Medical content
Minor: Infertility, Addiction, Kidnapping, Abortion, Antisemitism, Vomit, Cancer, Car accident, and Child abuse
readwithserena'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
4.75
Graphic: Grief, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Colonisation, Classism, Miscarriage, Police brutality, Bullying, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Trafficking, Xenophobia, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Abandonment, Abortion, and Alcohol
Minor: Sexual violence, Sexual content, Fire/Fire injury, Torture, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Racial slurs, Infertility, War, Infidelity, Hate crime, Death of parent, Death, and Child death
savvylit's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.0
I feel like I must admit that I really struggled to get into this book and enjoy it at first. Everything seemed so abrupt and impersonal. Each early chapter felt almost like a list of facts. This happened, that happened, so and so was born, so and so died, the end. It honestly reminded me of the Old Testament in the Bible at times. Too much information with little chance to connect or digest. However, the longer that I stuck with Pachinko, the more I realized that the impersonal quality is effective; even realistic. Real-life family histories are told the way they are in this story. Here's who came first and a few of their qualities and here's what happened next. And the impersonal nature of the novel's beginning faded as Lee introduced more and more of the new generations.
Despite its length and the initial detached characterization, Pachinko is a very well-done historical narrative. I will be thinking about all the characters in this book for some time - especially Sunja.
Spoiler warning:
I really hated Hansu and was upset by how often he reappeared. He groomed Sunja! And then she spends her whole life blaming herself and being blamed by her family for what they view as her choices. I know victim-blaming is historically accurate. However, I have seen so many reviews that are sympathetic towards him and I just don't understand it! I know he helped the family at times but all of his motivations are purely selfish and sexist.
Graphic: War, Xenophobia, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Classism, Adult/minor relationship, Racism, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Infidelity, Colonisation, Terminal illness, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Infertility, Alcoholism, and Abortion
Minor: Trafficking