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4.36 AVERAGE
4.36 AVERAGE
Maybe I'm extremely biased towards books that tackle the Modern East Asian experience, but this has found its place as one of my favorite reads as of late. It's a fictional tale following one Korean family and their experience abroad, but it's a fictional tale heavily rooted in the reality. The story is well researched, documenting the lives the Korean-Japanese families might have experienced in the 20th century, before and after World War II.
The book is written straightforwardly, lacking any fancy prose, but extremely competent at conveying the characters and their voices. All these characters felt real to me, like people that could've existed. They struggle, they make mistakes, they don't always win -- and that's extremely refreshing. A lot of things also came down to luck (like the game pachinko!)
I finished the book in a day because I couldn't put it down. I wanted to know what happened to each character, wanted to read the end to their stories. I highly recommend this for anyone, to be honest, not just fans of East Asian culture and history.
The book is written straightforwardly, lacking any fancy prose, but extremely competent at conveying the characters and their voices. All these characters felt real to me, like people that could've existed. They struggle, they make mistakes, they don't always win -- and that's extremely refreshing. A lot of things also came down to luck (like the game pachinko!)
I finished the book in a day because I couldn't put it down. I wanted to know what happened to each character, wanted to read the end to their stories. I highly recommend this for anyone, to be honest, not just fans of East Asian culture and history.
An impressive, multigenerational saga. I learned so much about Korean culture and those living in Japan. Ultimately, though it is a book about personal sacrifices and what happens to lives in the moments of self-centeredness.
challenging
emotional
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
slow-paced
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:
Complicated
emotional
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was an absolutely beautiful and heart-wrenching story, and the author's ability to weave such emotion into the lives of the characters that feel so incredibly real and both culturally/historically informative is incredible. It's absolutely beautiful. A look into Korean culture and what it means to be a survivor in an ever-changing world.