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A review by rakshureads
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
My head is spinning. I’ll write a review later
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Fucking hell. Where do i begin?
Every single character in this book was so lovable that everything that they went through made me miserable. Let’s not even talk about Sunja.
“There was consolation: The people you loved, they were always there with you, she had learned. Sometimes, she could be in front of a train kiosk or the window of a bookstore, and she could feel Noa's small hand when he was a boy, and she would close her eyes and think of his sweet grassy smell and remember that he had always tried his best. At those moments, it was good to be alone to hold on to him.” My life. My Sunja. You did not deserve any of that pain. But throughout your life i am so happy you were always surrounded by people who loved you.
I have so much to say but at the same time i just can’t get the words out, so i’ll just quote some of my favorite quotes from this novel.
“God that did everything we thought was right and good wouldn’t be the creator of the universe. He would be our puppet.”
“Sunja-ya, a woman’s life is endless work and suffering. There is suffering and then more suffering. It’s better to expect it, you know. You’re becoming a woman now, so you should be told this. For a woman, the man you marry will determine the quality of your life completely. A good man is a decent life, and a bad man is a cursed life—but no matter what, always expect suffering, and just keep working hard. No one will take care of a poor woman—just ourselves.“
“You want to see a very bad man? Make an ordinary man successful beyond his imagination. Let’s see how good he is when he can do whatever he wants.”
Easily my favorite book of 2025. I’ll be thinking about it for a long, long time.
-
Fucking hell. Where do i begin?
Every single character in this book was so lovable that everything that they went through made me miserable. Let’s not even talk about Sunja.
“There was consolation: The people you loved, they were always there with you, she had learned. Sometimes, she could be in front of a train kiosk or the window of a bookstore, and she could feel Noa's small hand when he was a boy, and she would close her eyes and think of his sweet grassy smell and remember that he had always tried his best. At those moments, it was good to be alone to hold on to him.” My life. My Sunja. You did not deserve any of that pain. But throughout your life i am so happy you were always surrounded by people who loved you.
I have so much to say but at the same time i just can’t get the words out, so i’ll just quote some of my favorite quotes from this novel.
“God that did everything we thought was right and good wouldn’t be the creator of the universe. He would be our puppet.”
“Sunja-ya, a woman’s life is endless work and suffering. There is suffering and then more suffering. It’s better to expect it, you know. You’re becoming a woman now, so you should be told this. For a woman, the man you marry will determine the quality of your life completely. A good man is a decent life, and a bad man is a cursed life—but no matter what, always expect suffering, and just keep working hard. No one will take care of a poor woman—just ourselves.“
“You want to see a very bad man? Make an ordinary man successful beyond his imagination. Let’s see how good he is when he can do whatever he wants.”
Easily my favorite book of 2025. I’ll be thinking about it for a long, long time.