Reviews tagging 'Racism'

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

359 reviews

rae29's review against another edition

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? It's complicated

5.0

This is the first time I’ve ever written a review for a book, so it’s most likely my own ramblings rather than a comprehensive review but oh well.

Wow. When I first picked up this book, I didn’t know what to expect. I certainly wasn’t expecting the interplay between sadness, despondency, and hope. And I wasn’t expecting the myriad of characters, particularly the ones that were fleeting in the other arching narrative. But this book is both culture, history, and character driven, and I think the characters are what appealed to me the most.

 Things that stood out to me the most: Sunja’s characterization, and the depiction of female characters throughout. This book takes on quite a lot in this regard, works through cultural nuances, prejudices, and power dynamics quite well. It does get a bit dark in its depictions.
 

The middle was difficult for me, as I gradually came to the realization of what this book is, more of a quiet narrative, where everything does not always get better, and there is no heroic twist that saves this family from their circumstances. They just exist, same as the characters, and the narrative depicts these fleeting moments in time. It does get slow, but it’s worth it. 

Honestly at the heart of this book is the interplay between suffering and hope, but there is a lot of suffering. And that is never fully resolved. The book itself, even, does not quite resolve. 

Overall, this book has a quiet strength to it that keeps the story in your mind far beyond the last page. Absolutely worth reading.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Racism, and Rape

Moderate: Death and Suicide

moonmoonsun's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Police brutality, Trafficking, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Deportation

ainadei's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense fast-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

5.0

Wow. It's hard to sum up what to say. There were times I felt sadness, but couldn't even cry because that was just life. This is truly a story about the world and family, and it has been a while since something has shook me like this.

"Go-saeng, a woman's lot is to suffer."

Oddly enough, though this is repeated in the book, there isn't much said about the determination and sheer willpower Sunja had carried within her, her entire life. I truly felt everything; the times I allowed myself to be vulnerable to this book, I found myself shedding a few tears.

A beautiful but harrowing experience.

If you want non-complex characters, a happy ending describing more than survival, or a lighthearted read, stay 50 yards from this one.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child death, Racism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Fire/Fire injury, and War

Moderate: Death, Violence, Abortion, and Death of parent

Minor: Homophobia

andyourstruly's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective

• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

If you liked East of Eden, you will like this book a lot.  It has great symbolism, and the way the perspective bounces around feels very classic and manages to avoid overexplaining or getting distracted from the story the author intends to tell.  There are a number of really excellent and well-developed characters living through remarkable times, and the author does a marvellous job expressing the ideas and attitudes behind historical behaviors and ideals and the shift that has occurred over time.  Really well-researched, well-paced, and well-written.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation

Moderate: Ableism, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Abandonment

Minor: Child death, Torture, Police brutality, Trafficking, Alcohol, War, and Deportation

anh_read's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense slow-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Suicide, Violence, Police brutality, Colonisation, War, and Classism

Moderate: Confinement, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Torture, Medical content, and Medical trauma

A historical fiction about a Korean family immigrating to Japan. As the reader follows them throughout three generations, one gets a deeper insights into Korean history, as well as the life of Korean immigrants in Japan. Each generation faced their own kind of hardships and try to navigate their life in a foreign country that is hostile towards them.

delaneybarry's review against another edition

emotional informative 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racism, Suicide, Police brutality, Grief, Colonisation, War, and Classism

Moderate: Child death and Death of parent

thatsssorachael's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism

Moderate: Rape and Death of parent

Minor: Child death and Miscarriage

magnolia_berry's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring 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? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Drug use, Genocide, Gun violence, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Colonisation, and War

Moderate: Homophobia

Minor: Child death and Trafficking

jessiiiru's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child death, Death, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Police brutality, Abortion, War, and Classism

ems_rxlibrary's review against another edition

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Racism, and Suicide

Moderate: Sexual content