A review by eeviee
The Pachinko Parlour by Elisa Shua Dusapin

emotional informative lighthearted reflective relaxing slow-paced

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

4.0

This book is a somber telling of a grandaughter's task to travel with her grandparents to their motherland after living in Japan for 50 years due to Korea's civil war. There is something about how this book discusses age and culture that strongly resonates with me as an Asian of heavily mixed descent. Although it may be short, I think the author did well in fleshing out each character's dilemma: the gap between the granddaughter's understanding and the grandparent's experience, the language barrier that hinders their communication, and the cultural differences that render their intent lost in translation. I would recommend this to anyone who wants a light, eye-opening, and informative read.