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annikjakober's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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? Yes
3.75
I understand why the reviews for this one are polarizing. Personally, I loved the writing style and that the reader got insight in so many different characters. Lee intertwines many plottlines of multiple families throughout New York, and thereby writes so graphic which makes this novel so addictive. The plot is very different from Patchinko, so it's hard to compare them. I disliked the portrayal of women in this book, as most of them were making terrible decisions (all the time) and acting unreasonable. Meanwhile, every male character in this book seems to be focused on sex only. Besides unrealistic portrayals of luxury and university degrees (who has a magna cum laude in economics and cannot handle money and acquires dept as a hobby?!), I really enjoyed the diverse character descriptions and the brilliant writing style. This book reads like a fun and witty soap opera.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexism, and Infidelity
Moderate: Addiction and Child abuse
Minor: Abortion and Miscarriage
semeyers's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- 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? Yes
4.0
This was a nearly 600 page book that I found myself not wanting to end! This novel definitely reads like a soap opera. It is dramatic, full of twists, lots of sex, but very dark. Near humorless. It is a slice of life novel for sure, by the end almost nothing is resolved.
I loved the main character, contrasting to most of the reviews that I read! Casey's struggles with her background and family, debt, religion, and relationships were relatable to me. Even her coming to terms with her own selfishness and need to ask others for help, despite wanting to be as independent as possible, spoke to me. Casey spends most of the novel striving to be independent, but constantly ends up falling back on others - receiving money from family, living rent free with friends, bosses, and boyfriends, and calling in favors to get jobs or more commission. It was an interesting juxtaposition and I think an accurate world view for someone so young (we follow Casey from ages 22-26ish).
Lee also does an amazing job with the background characters. Each person has a clear place in the novel and each becomes a fully fleshed out character with a layered personality and development by the end. Several of them (Leah and Ella, mostly) nearly become co-main characters in their own right.
What I did not love about the novel is echoed in many other reviews - the sex becomes tiresome. It seems every relationship hinges on sex. Every marriage that is unhappy is due to the lack of sex. Every relationship ends because someone cheats. A number of relationships *start* because someone cheats. Even in the only happy relationship that makes it through the entirety of the book, one of the spouses cheats and the other accepts it as part of the deal. The only truly happy/healthy relationships either take place off the page (George's) or one spouse has passed before the novel even begins (Joseph's). This had me begging for just one happy relationship by the end. Writing wise, there were also some blips. The perspective would sometimes shift from one paragraph to the next and the structure of some descriptions were confusing, but overall it didn't affect my read much.
Overall, though, I do highly recommend this book! I didn't love it as much as I loved Pachinko, but I still really liked it.
I loved the main character, contrasting to most of the reviews that I read! Casey's struggles with her background and family, debt, religion, and relationships were relatable to me. Even her coming to terms with her own selfishness and need to ask others for help, despite wanting to be as independent as possible, spoke to me. Casey spends most of the novel striving to be independent, but constantly ends up falling back on others - receiving money from family, living rent free with friends, bosses, and boyfriends, and calling in favors to get jobs or more commission. It was an interesting juxtaposition and I think an accurate world view for someone so young (we follow Casey from ages 22-26ish).
Lee also does an amazing job with the background characters. Each person has a clear place in the novel and each becomes a fully fleshed out character with a layered personality and development by the end. Several of them (Leah and Ella, mostly) nearly become co-main characters in their own right.
What I did not love about the novel is echoed in many other reviews - the sex becomes tiresome. It seems every relationship hinges on sex. Every marriage that is unhappy is due to the lack of sex. Every relationship ends because someone cheats. A number of relationships *start* because someone cheats. Even in the only happy relationship that makes it through the entirety of the book, one of the spouses cheats and the other accepts it as part of the deal. The only truly happy/healthy relationships either take place off the page (George's) or one spouse has passed before the novel even begins (Joseph's). This had me begging for just one happy relationship by the end. Writing wise, there were also some blips. The perspective would sometimes shift from one paragraph to the next and the structure of some descriptions were confusing, but overall it didn't affect my read much.
Overall, though, I do highly recommend this book! I didn't love it as much as I loved Pachinko, but I still really liked it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Infidelity
Moderate: Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, and Death of parent
Minor: Infertility, Abortion, Fatphobia, and Death
aliciamcclintic's review against another edition
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- 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
3.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Abortion, Domestic abuse, Medical trauma, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Toxic relationship
leannecs's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- 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
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault and Physical abuse
Minor: Miscarriage and Abortion
celia_hf's review against another edition
emotional
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
I have been meaning to Rea's #Pachinko by #minjinlee for a while. @bookbaruk selection of her second novel gave me the excuse to pick up one of her books and the extra determination to buy Pachinko( although MTV existing tbr pile is giving me a dirty look😰). free Food for millionaire is a coming age of story of 20smth american Korean Casey Han trying to decide her life on the city that never sleeps. In the few years covered in this opus, Min Jin Lee reminded me of the life before cellphones (90s) and opened up Casey world through her family, her friends and her community. The diverse cast of characters showed the broad range of human character and experience. Casey is a lovrable and flawed heroine. It was great experience to see 90s New York through her eyes.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape
Minor: Sexual assault and Abortion
annreadsabook's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
Minor: Abortion
internationalreads's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- 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? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Blood, Infidelity, Infertility, Medical content, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Abortion
theknitpick's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- 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
4.0
I really enjoyed reading this book, not so much because I love the characters (I feel okay to meh about most of them) but because the writing is so good. Lee has a way with words. I was transported and this book made me think a lot. For a generally slow to moderate pace, I read this book quickly (for me). I wanted to know where it would lead, and though not a lot happens, I feel satisfied by the ending.
The character development is very strong, and the omnipotent narrator really gives you an idea of what nearly every character encountered is thinking, which I find incredibly interesting. Many different walks of life are covered within this book, and that makes it interesting, too. It's not just about the Korean family that sits at the center of this story, but about their friends and acquaintances, too. Nearly every character in this book that shapes the main characters in one way or another is considered. The character study within this book is masterful and makes it a worthwhile read regardless of anything else.
Now, while I normally don't enjoy books with such morally gray characters, I think Lee wrote them in such a way that I still found connected to them, was curious about what would happen to them, and still enjoyed seeing where they would end up. Despite the book not really pulling you along with the plot, I found myself easily turning pages.
I would definitely recommend this book, especially if you're a fan of character-driven stories, contemporary fiction, and fiction about a diverse group of people (living in New York).
The character development is very strong, and the omnipotent narrator really gives you an idea of what nearly every character encountered is thinking, which I find incredibly interesting. Many different walks of life are covered within this book, and that makes it interesting, too. It's not just about the Korean family that sits at the center of this story, but about their friends and acquaintances, too. Nearly every character in this book that shapes the main characters in one way or another is considered. The character study within this book is masterful and makes it a worthwhile read regardless of anything else.
Now, while I normally don't enjoy books with such morally gray characters, I think Lee wrote them in such a way that I still found connected to them, was curious about what would happen to them, and still enjoyed seeing where they would end up. Despite the book not really pulling you along with the plot, I found myself easily turning pages.
I would definitely recommend this book, especially if you're a fan of character-driven stories, contemporary fiction, and fiction about a diverse group of people (living in New York).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity
Moderate: Sexual content, Rape, Miscarriage, and Cursing
Minor: Abortion, Addiction, Suicide attempt, and Violence
wenwanzhao's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault, Drug use, Blood, and Infidelity
Minor: Abortion, Death, Infertility, and Miscarriage
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