Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

83 reviews

mengzhenreads's review against another edition

challenging 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? Yes

4.0

Oh my god this book was so much it fully took me a month to read it and it was just absolutely thought-provoking and just beautiful. I learned so much and honestly I feel like this book has seriously enriched my life I don't feel the same as how I felt when I first started this book. This was definitely a challenging read, but it was worth it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Adult/minor relationship, and Racism

Moderate: Sexual content, Suicide, and Death of parent

Minor: Sexual assault, Miscarriage, and Abortion

maryryan's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide, Rape, and Sexual assault

talonsontypewriters's review against another edition

challenging reflective sad 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? It's complicated

2.25

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Content Warnings

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

emotional informative 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? Yes

4.75

A moving story following generations of A Korean family during and after Japanese annexation of Korea. The exploration and varied perspectives on national identity is well done.

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Content Warnings

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

dark emotional reflective sad 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? Yes

4.0

Pachinko is a fascinating examination of the consequences of Japanese prejudice and xenophobia against Korean immigrants. For instance, prior to reading this, I had no idea that many Koreans born in Japan had to maintain Korean passports despite often never having seen their ancestors' homeland. Another enlightening aspect of this novel that I appreciated was the non-western perspective of World War II. There aren't enough popular English-language books that explore that perspective.

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.

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Content Warnings

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

frogonaskateboard's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Grief, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Death, Death of parent, Child death, Colonisation, and Emotional abuse

erica_palmisano's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

For a familial saga with war and other intense themes, this book was not as heavy and sad as I expected. There were undoubtedly elements of struggle, emotional trauma, and familial pain, but there were also fascinating moments of joy and delight and triumph, or at least reprieves regularly. The author did pacing quite well, and the narrator's style in the audiobook complemented the writing well. Listening really only got tricky when multiple characters were be conversing. Otherwise, it was a great listening experience and I'm glad I chose the format. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Ableism, Addiction, Body shaming, Xenophobia, and Grief

Moderate: War, Torture, Suicide, Sexual assault, and Cancer

Minor: Sexism, Racism, Drug use, and Genocide

lovememore_'s review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual assault, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Ableism and Suicide

Minor: Homophobia

allisonshewfelt's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Pachinko follows four generations of a poor Korean immigrant family as they live life in Korea and Japan. A terrible choice is made by one of our main characters that affects the generations till the end of the book.

I adored the rich detail and characterization as well as the multiple povs. I appreciate that Lee didn't just focus on the stories of the main characters but also included the side characters. A lot of side characters even got their own chapters. The writing was of course gorgeous and addicting to read.

As someone who doesn't pay attention in history class, this book taught me more than any textbook would and kept my attention. Unlike textbooks where they just relay the facts, books like these focus on the characters and really help you understand and emphasize the historical situation. Many things shocked me. For example inflation and the high value of money as well as how Koreans were treated by the Japanese. Koreans could get imprisoned so easily for the smallest reasons and that really bothered me.

I did not expect to cry but what was I thinking? Of course I would if the story spans 4 generations someone ought to die.

I loved most of the characters so much and it was crazy how fast they grew up. I felt like I was a part of their family. The character deaths were so hard to go through because of this.

The opening line "History has failed us, but no matter" really showcases what this book will contain: the struggle of characters to keep going despite the prejudice. The covers for the paperback and hardcover both are great representations of the book too. I appreciate how the title also ties in with the book. Pachinko is a Japanese pinball game that relies on luck. There will be some winners and a lot of losers but you'll keep playing because you have hope that you'll be the lucky one.

This book deserves nothing less than 5 stars considering how much time and research was put into it. Like Lee took 30 years to write this! I'm so happy it got adapted. I already know the show is gonna be a masterpiece and I will be reading anything Lee writes.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Adult/minor relationship, Racism, Violence, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Torture, War, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Colonisation, Rape, Suicide, Alcoholism, Bullying, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Child death, Death of parent, Cancer, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Infertility, Miscarriage, and Sexual harassment

marsbabs's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring reflective sad slow-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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault

Moderate: Xenophobia

Minor: Suicide