A review by nicoleisalwaysreading
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

challenging emotional reflective relaxing sad slow-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

3.5

Min Jin Lee constructed this story so purposely and its themes of luck and loss in life, inherited or not, were so strong. Certain lines or sections were so beautifully written I had to pause. There were moments that to me felt distant from the main vein of the story (or its heartbeat), and although they all contributed to the tone of this book, the wavering focus made for a sometimes odd reading experience. The ending was open, which I am notorious for being perfectly okay with, but in this case, with an epic sweep of time and characters, it fell a bit flat.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings