Will I love Pachinko?

A very different type of read. ‘Sweeping’ is in this case a most apt description, covering nearly a century of the history of Koreans in Japan as seen through the eyes of one family. This was a topic I knew nothing about, as also I had no idea what pachinko was. I was totally engrossed following Sunja and her family as they navigate their way through the most dreadful of times to reach success, of sorts. It’s not a ‘can’t put down’ but the characters are very real and the tale beautifully told. Highly recommend.

The definition of late to this but worth it!

Reading this sweeping and sensitive novel, I was amazed that Min Jin Lee could use such simple language to reveal compelling, complex characters. Full of surprises, no character is black and white. My feelings and judgments about them kept shifting in ways that tested my biases.

Following generations of a family, Lee covers the painful history of colonized and war-torn Korea, and the discrimination Koreans face in Japan. The plight of women, especially, but also of men, who live in a culture of shame. But she tells the lessons of history through the intimate, personal struggles of the family, and… show more.

Pachinko is a compelling novel that deals with many issues faced by a Korean family living in Japan over four generations of the 20th Century. What stood out the most for me while reading was how much I learned about Korean history in this work of historical fiction. For instance, I had no idea that Koreans were treated so badly by the Japanese and I was completely ignorant of Korean’s troubling history over the years the author covered.

First Korea was occupied and controlled by Japan for many years and later the country was divided into two: North and South… show more.

Pachinko is one of my top book picks because it weaves together the struggles and resilience of multiple generations in a way that feels deeply human. The story of Sunja and her family’s fight for dignity and survival, despite the odds, is both heartbreaking and inspiring. I’m drawn to books that explore identity and belonging, and Pachinko does this with such honesty and depth, making it a powerful and unforgettable read.

This book is a classic which I read for the second time. It's an epic tale of four generations of Koreans making their way in Japan, where they are regarded as inferior. Their family love and ambitions push them onward. Min Jin Lee illuminates a difficult history in this beautifully written book, #22 on the NY Times Best 100 list.

This heartwarming, multigenerational drama about the Korean community in Japan swept me into another time and place. Born and raised in a poor fishing village in Japanese-occupied Korea, Sunja makes an impulsive decision in the pursuit of love that transforms the trajectory of her life.

Thoughtful, resilient, and fiercely independent, Sunja was a relatable character whom I desperately wanted to see thrive. I felt her heartache when she left her beloved Korea and shared her indignation at the discrimination she and her family experienced in Japan. Expertly crafted and keenly observed, Pachinko shows us how history and politics shape the… show more.

Well, apart from the fact that she lives in Harlem, where I spent many years, I am obsessively enthralled with South Korean History…always marveling at its meteoric rise from being one of the poorest countries in 1953 to today being a super economy. I believe they have some of the best writers I have ever read.

I loved the book because it introduced me to Korean culture and the historically less-than-fair treatment of Koreans living in Japan. It’s a family saga that spans five generations, has multiple protagonists, and has an omniscient narrative. I loved how the writer made me see into the characters’ heads and how their thoughts and actions didn’t always align.

I loved this book because it shows generations of family sacrifice and how the decisions we make in our lifetime can live on for decades after we pass.

I rushed to read this book every evening and had to pull myself away. It was so amazing to me that this author could weave through years and years of family history in a clear, coherent, and powerful way.