Pachinko

by Min Jin Lee
Pachinko cover
Good Books rating 3.77
Technical:
  • ID: 736
  • Added: 2025-09-19
  • Updated: 2025-09-20
  • Formats: 24
  • Reviews: 4
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Waterstones
Paperback • £9.99
Reviews
goodreads.com · Unknown · 2025-09-23
mixed 3.50

Pachinko is praised for its rich character development and vivid portrayal of life in Korea under Japanese rule. However, some readers find the pacing uneven and the later sections less engaging than the beginning.

Pachinko is often lauded for its deep character development and the authentic depiction of life in Korea during Japanese occupation. The first third of the book is particularly strong, with well-drawn characters and a vivid sense of place. The political and cultural tensions are palpable, and the personal struggles of the characters are compelling. However, some readers feel that the pacing becomes uneven as the story progresses, and the later sections do not maintain the same level of engagement as the beginning. The novel's exploration of themes like sacrifice, loyalty, and ambition is appreciated, but the shift in narrative style can be jarring for some.

Quick quotes

    The first third of this book is nearly a 5 star perfection for character development, place reality, era feel, and boding wars of surround.

    Isak is a saint.

    His landlady and Sunja- they are sublime and so real

booksaremyfavouriteandbest.com · Unknown · 2025-09-23
engrossing 3.50

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee is an engrossing family saga that explores themes of shame at personal, cultural, and historical levels. The story, set around a Korean family in Japan, is compelling but the writing style is straightforward and unremarkable.

Pachinko tells the story of a Korean family navigating life in Japan, and it delves deeply into the concept of shame. The narrative is rich with historical context and personal struggles, making it a memorable read. However, the writing style is quite straightforward, lacking the literary flair that might elevate it further. The exploration of shame is nuanced, touching on personal and cultural aspects without being overt. It's a long read at 496 pages, but if you enjoy historical family sagas, it's worth your time. The characters' journeys are engaging, and the themes resonate deeply, making it a thought-provoking experience.

Quick quotes

    She had suffered to create a better life for Noa, and yet it was not enough. Should she have taught her son to suffer the humiliation that she’d drunk like water? …. Did mothers fail by not telling their sons that suffering would come?

    Although it begins with an ‘obvious’ shame — an unwed mother — Lee weaves wisps of shame into so many scenes — a hare lip; school lunches that are hidden because of the stink of kimchi; and a boy dropping letters from his name to conceal its Korean-ness.

    It’s a really good story. It’s a memorable story. The writing is straightforward.

snowwhitehatesapples.wordpress.com · Unknown · 2020-10-26
heartbreaking 4.50

Pachinko is a deeply moving and intricate historical family saga that explores themes of identity, alienation, and the struggles of Korean immigrants in Japan. The novel's personal and relatable narrative makes it powerful, though some characters could have been developed more fully.

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee is a heartbreaking and eye-opening book that delves into the lives of four generations of a Korean family in Japan. The novel is a profound exploration of identity, alienation, and the struggles of being an outsider. The story is deeply personal and relatable, making it resonate with readers who have experienced similar feelings of despair and displacement. The narrative is simple yet beautiful, capturing the essence of the characters and their experiences. However, some characters introduced later in the book could have been developed more to make the novel more balanced. The author's fair portrayal of characters, while unbiased, sometimes mutes the emotional impact. Overall, Pachinko is a powerful and moving read that will stay with you long after you finish it.

Quick quotes

    the pachinko can become so complex and deep — a metaphor for the lives of many who live like the steel balls bouncing around pins that may or may not have been tweaked and the players hoping for good luck although misfortune is more common than fortune.

    It makes Pachinko all the more powerful because although it’s as personal as it can get (considering it focuses on only one family and the people they come in contact with), it’s also as relatable as it can be for those who have gone through or felt the aftereffects of similar events.

    Everything considered, Pachinko is a heartbreaking and eye-opening book.

efsunland.com · Unknown · 2018-06-27
mixed 3.60

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee is an ambitious novel following four generations of Korean immigrants in Japan. The characters are compelling, but the frequent time jumps and shifts in perspective leave many underdeveloped, except for Sunja, who remains the most engaging figure. The pacing and structure keep the reader at a distance, making it feel more like a soap opera than a sweeping epic.

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee is an ambitious book that follows four generations of Korean immigrants in Japan. The characters are engineered to be compelling, but the frequent time jumps and shifts in perspective leave many underdeveloped. Sunja, the central character, is the most engaging and well-developed, while others feel thin and enigmatic. The pacing and structure keep the reader at a distance, making it feel more like a soap opera than a sweeping epic. The narrative shifts every few chapters to follow different characters, and the narrator's voice remains coolly removed throughout. This distance, combined with the frequency of time jumps, leaves many characters underdeveloped and their actions hard to understand. Despite these issues, the book is worth reading for its insightful and moving moments, even if it can be shallow and entertaining at times.

Quick quotes

    The characters are engineered so that a reader can’t help rooting for them even though the book’s pace and structure keep the reader at a distance.

    Sunja’s life is difficult and shaped by her sense of guilt and shame that her husband (Isak) married her with the knowledge that she was already pregnant by another man.

    Pachinko is worth reading but I think its characterization as a “sweeping epic” is overblown. It’s more like a soap opera.

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