Helpful Score: 5
Pachinko is an utterly absorbing book from its onset. It encompasses the years 1910 to 1989, and is the saga of a Korean family that begins with Hoonie, a kind, caring man with a cleft palate and a twisted foot that marked him as different in his poor community. His arranged marriage to Yangjin was happy, and eventually produced one daughter, Sunja, after the heartbreak of numerous miscarriages. This book follows the life of Sunja after she is seduced and becomes pregnant by a married older man, and then goes on to marry a minister who treats her and her son with compassion and caring. They have a son, Mozasu, before the minister's cruel death for his beliefs at the hands of the Japanese. Sunja's descendants are followed for four generations as they navigate the difficulties of being ostracized by the Japanese and their attempts at assimilation. The history of the conflict between Korea and Japan is very compelling when viewed from the perspective of the ongoing effects on the family and their relationships. Min Jin Lee writes with a depth of understanding and respect for the characters in this novel that makes them memorable.
Helpful Score: 2
An excellent story which details a piece of history I knew little about-the difficulties of Koreans living in Japan even if they were born there. It's a sweeping family saga of several generations. The characters are well fleshed out and fascinating. It's not a fast read as there is so much detail and many different characters but very well worth the read.
Helpful Score: 1
I thought this book painted a good picture on how customs and culture of a country and different time periods influence people of every generation. Although the book covers 4 generations of a family, I found it easy to follow the characters throughout the book and enjoyed it.
