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claudiatralenuvole's review against another edition
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Una storia familiare che si dipana per tre generazioni, bellissima e intensa. La scrittura, sorprendentemente scorrevole, racconta un trauma generazionale, quello dei coreani emigrati nel Giappone colonizzatore degli anni '30, passato dai genitori ai figli ai nipoti e mai risolto.
Ho apprezzato la maggior parte dei personaggi, soprattutto le donne: Sunja e sua cognata hanno uno splendido rapporto e mi è piaciuto vederle così unite e propositive anche nei momenti più bui.
Amatissimo il personaggio di Isak, meno suo fratello e Hansu, ma interessante la caratterizzazione di entrambi: uomini coreani desiderosi di affermarsi tra i giapponesi. Uno ci riesce, l'altro viene schiacciato. Un parallelismo che segue anche i figli Noa e Mozaru.
La scrittura ha un ritmo molto veloce e parecchi salti temporali anche bruschi (e dunque non sempre apprezzati), ma credo rendano bene il pensiero dei protagonisti nei confronti delle disgrazie vissute: "Non c'è tempo per piangere, dobbiamo continuare a vivere". Ciononostante, in alcuni momenti mi sono sinceramente commossa e ho pianto.
Ho apprezzato tantissimo anche la messa in scena delle due facce della stessa medaglia: il razzismo violento e denigratorio verso lo straniero, e il "razzismo al contrario", la feticizzazione di una etnia come oggetto esotico da collezione.
Unica vera pecca del romanzo secondo me è che talvolta l'autrice si sofferma a raccontare storie di personaggi che poi non vengono portate a termine o riprese. Anche Sunja e Hansu a un certo punto scompaiono dalle scene e se ne sente la mancanza visto che, seppure in senso lato, sono loro i protagonisti principali, da cui la vicenda realmente parte.
Capisco che col progredire della storia va dato spazio alle nuove generazioni, ma si poteva eseguire meglio questo passaggio di testimone.
In generale, un buon romanzo, che forse ha voluto raccontare troppe cose in pochissimo tempo. Mi chiedo come sarebbe stato se l'autrice l'avesse diviso in più volumi. Un ritmo più disteso, e storie più approfondite forse avrebbero giovato alla narrazione, che comunque per me resta buona.
Ho apprezzato la maggior parte dei personaggi, soprattutto le donne: Sunja e sua cognata hanno uno splendido rapporto e mi è piaciuto vederle così unite e propositive anche nei momenti più bui.
Amatissimo il personaggio di Isak, meno suo fratello e Hansu, ma interessante la caratterizzazione di entrambi: uomini coreani desiderosi di affermarsi tra i giapponesi. Uno ci riesce, l'altro viene schiacciato. Un parallelismo che segue anche i figli Noa e Mozaru.
La scrittura ha un ritmo molto veloce e parecchi salti temporali anche bruschi (e dunque non sempre apprezzati), ma credo rendano bene il pensiero dei protagonisti nei confronti delle disgrazie vissute: "Non c'è tempo per piangere, dobbiamo continuare a vivere". Ciononostante, in alcuni momenti mi sono sinceramente commossa e ho pianto.
Ho apprezzato tantissimo anche la messa in scena delle due facce della stessa medaglia: il razzismo violento e denigratorio verso lo straniero, e il "razzismo al contrario", la feticizzazione di una etnia come oggetto esotico da collezione.
Unica vera pecca del romanzo secondo me è che talvolta l'autrice si sofferma a raccontare storie di personaggi che poi non vengono portate a termine o riprese. Anche Sunja e Hansu a un certo punto scompaiono dalle scene e se ne sente la mancanza visto che, seppure in senso lato, sono loro i protagonisti principali, da cui la vicenda realmente parte.
Capisco che col progredire della storia va dato spazio alle nuove generazioni, ma si poteva eseguire meglio questo passaggio di testimone.
In generale, un buon romanzo, che forse ha voluto raccontare troppe cose in pochissimo tempo. Mi chiedo come sarebbe stato se l'autrice l'avesse diviso in più volumi. Un ritmo più disteso, e storie più approfondite forse avrebbero giovato alla narrazione, che comunque per me resta buona.
Content Warnings
Minor: War, Suicide, Xenophobia, Suicidal thoughts, and Racism
sunflowerwork's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Abandonment, War, Alcohol, Suicide, Child death, Colonisation, Racism, Abortion, Death of parent, Sexual content, Sexism, Hate crime, Grief, Miscarriage, Car accident, Pregnancy, Xenophobia, Classism, Death, Police brutality, Suicidal thoughts, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, and Addiction
nostalgicbaby's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia
Moderate: Suicide, Death of parent, and Physical abuse
Minor: Addiction and Miscarriage
mstall_'s review against another edition
emotional
reflective
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
5.0
If I could give this book 100000/10 stars, I would.
By page five I knew this was going to be my favorite five star read of the year. Pachinko is a sweeping story of a Korean family in Japan that spans four generations -- from 1900 to 1989. Sunja, the main character of the book is a young girl when she finds herself pregnant and unmarried. What follows is an incredible story of love, resilience, family, and heartbreak. I think this story was also really connective for me because of my time spent in Japan. It was easy for me to draw up my own memories there. I can still hear the pachiko parlors as I walked up the side street to the train station in Yokosuka.
Min Jin Lee did a phenomenal job writing a story that was painful and sad at times without making you feel complete obliteration (I'm looking at you A Little Life). While parts of the book are gut wrenching (August 1945) the theme of resiliency rings true. Despite colonization, political strife, racism,suicide and more, this family clings to one another and fosters a closeness that cannot be pierced.
This book made me cry, twice actually. Five stars.
By page five I knew this was going to be my favorite five star read of the year. Pachinko is a sweeping story of a Korean family in Japan that spans four generations -- from 1900 to 1989. Sunja, the main character of the book is a young girl when she finds herself pregnant and unmarried. What follows is an incredible story of love, resilience, family, and heartbreak. I think this story was also really connective for me because of my time spent in Japan. It was easy for me to draw up my own memories there. I can still hear the pachiko parlors as I walked up the side street to the train station in Yokosuka.
Min Jin Lee did a phenomenal job writing a story that was painful and sad at times without making you feel complete obliteration (I'm looking at you A Little Life). While parts of the book are gut wrenching (August 1945) the theme of resiliency rings true. Despite colonization, political strife, racism,
This book made me cry, twice actually. Five stars.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Xenophobia
Moderate: Homophobia, Pregnancy, Sexism, Death, Miscarriage, Racism, Suicide, and War
Minor: Ableism, Car accident, Infertility, and Cancer
jartone93's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: War
Moderate: Colonisation, Sexual assault, and Xenophobia
Minor: Abortion, Suicide, Cancer, Car accident, and Miscarriage
clipshultz's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book was an incredible read. Each character had so much life, and I felt pulled into each of their worlds. I cried multiple times while reading this, and many of the passages left me reflecting on how certain historical dynamics continue to play out today. This has been one of my favorite reads in recent years, as it pulls you deeply into storyline and keeps you invested in the fate of each character. I wish I could give this a higher rating, but it deserves every star.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Police brutality, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, War, Xenophobia, Racism, Misogyny, Suicide, Sexism, and Child death
Minor: Miscarriage
amasprout's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Sexual content, Miscarriage, Suicide, Colonisation, and Xenophobia
Minor: Abortion, War, and Misogyny
jamisrenee's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide, War, Xenophobia, Sexual assault, and Violence
madelynh's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
What a way to start the year. This is a gorgeous story of a family with all of the complexities of life handled so well. It covers a portion of history that I’m only vaguely familiar with so it’s interesting to see it from these character’s various but very personal perspectives, as well as seeing the times change subtly in the background along with the characters’ circumstances changing in parallel. All of the characters, even those whose perspectives are only shown for a paragraph or two, are so human - flawed and relatable and with the potential for a whole complicated story for themselves. That’s what I’ll keep thinking about from this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation and Xenophobia
Moderate: Grief and War
Minor: Miscarriage, Drug abuse, Sexual harassment, and Suicide
nlyssy99's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
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? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny, Death, Sexism, Miscarriage, Child death, and Xenophobia