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A review by booksbythewindow
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
You can read my full review here: https://booksbythewindow.wordpress.com/2023/05/10/pachinko/
Summary: Beginning in a small island in Korea during Japanese rule, Pachinko follows the generations of one Korean family as they move to Osaka in Japan. When Sunja finds herself in a situation that threatens her reputation on the island of Yeongdo, Isak, staying in the family lodging house, offers to marry her and take her to Japan where he will be taking a job as an assistant minister in a church. As they raise their two sons in Osaka, they find life is much harder than they ever could have expected and they are going to have to live differently to keep their family safe in the face of prejudice and poverty.
Overall Thoughts: Pachinko was one of my favourite reads of the year so far and one that I was not able to put down. Spanning four generations of one family, it is a tribute to the Lee’s character work that Pachinko has such an impact from beginning to end. Each character is distinct and engaging from the others, full of complex motivations and responses to the struggles in their lives. In addition to the strong character work, Lee also is able to evoke the different eras and changing sights of Korea and Japan very effectively. As someone who only had a little knowledge about early 20th Century Japan, Lee’s descriptions of this time in Pachinko helped to bring alive the world and difficulty that the characters are facing. I can see why Pachinko was so highly recommended to me and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys either historical fiction or generational narratives. I am very glad I finally picked this novel up and am looking forward to reading more of Min Jin Lee’s writing.
Summary: Beginning in a small island in Korea during Japanese rule, Pachinko follows the generations of one Korean family as they move to Osaka in Japan. When Sunja finds herself in a situation that threatens her reputation on the island of Yeongdo, Isak, staying in the family lodging house, offers to marry her and take her to Japan where he will be taking a job as an assistant minister in a church. As they raise their two sons in Osaka, they find life is much harder than they ever could have expected and they are going to have to live differently to keep their family safe in the face of prejudice and poverty.
Overall Thoughts: Pachinko was one of my favourite reads of the year so far and one that I was not able to put down. Spanning four generations of one family, it is a tribute to the Lee’s character work that Pachinko has such an impact from beginning to end. Each character is distinct and engaging from the others, full of complex motivations and responses to the struggles in their lives. In addition to the strong character work, Lee also is able to evoke the different eras and changing sights of Korea and Japan very effectively. As someone who only had a little knowledge about early 20th Century Japan, Lee’s descriptions of this time in Pachinko helped to bring alive the world and difficulty that the characters are facing. I can see why Pachinko was so highly recommended to me and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys either historical fiction or generational narratives. I am very glad I finally picked this novel up and am looking forward to reading more of Min Jin Lee’s writing.