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Pachinko
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
Busan, Korea, 1911: A club-footed, cleft-lipped youth marries a fifteen-year-old beauty. The couple have one child, their beloved girl Sunja. When Sunja falls pregnant by a married man, the family face ruin. But then Isak, a young Christian minister, offers her a chance of salvation: a new life in Japan as his wife. Following a man she barely knows to a country in which she has no friends, no home, no language, Sunja's salvation is just the beginning of her story. Through eight decades and four generations, Pachinko is an epic tale of family, identity, love, death and kimchi. 'If proof were needed that one family's story can be the story of the whole world, then Pachinko offers that proof ... a stunning achievement, full of heart, full of grace, full of truth' Erica Wagner.
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Karons1

This is the second time Iv picked this one up and tried and failed 😣 to engage , it‘s not for me I‘m afraid, I thought the island of sea women was a far superior story and far more informative about Korean history and far more engaging , I made it to chapter 7 this time but now know it‘s off to the charity shop !

Kitta I loved it but sometimes it‘s not what you need or want in the moment! I wish I was better at DNFing books I tend to persevere even when I hate it. 20h
24 likes1 comment
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mcctrish
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
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I am loving this book. These are my special reading snacks

Leftcoastzen I love shrimp chips 2d
mcctrish @Leftcoastzen these have some nice kick ❤️❤️❤️ 2d
dabbe We don't have these! 😭 2d
mcctrish @dabbe I found them at Costco 🤯 2d
39 likes4 comments
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mcctrish
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
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AT LAST, something I joyfully look forward to reading and finding Korean food/snacks to pair with it #foodandlit2024

AmyG Wonderful book. 5d
dabbe How about a Karamazov kamakazie? 👀 5d
mcctrish @dabbe yes please 🙋🏻‍♀️ 5d
63 likes1 stack add3 comments
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cant_i'm_booked
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
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Mehso-so

I love the author‘s focus on her minor characters most, which gives this Korean family‘s saga (from the early 1900s Japanese colonial period of a once undivided Korea to modern day Osaka/Tokyo/Yokohama) a broad, sweeping quality, but the side-stories dead-end, which is frustrating. I appreciate this peek into the Korean-Japanese experience and how the tides of one woman‘s shame, her survival, discrimination, and globalization mold a family.

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swatreads
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
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Almost the end of March but never too late for #koreanmarch🇰🇷 I remember picking this book just after its release but halfway through I got busy with work and stopped reading. I remember the story being absolutely amazing and I was so invested in the plot and the characters especially Sunja. Waiting to finish this book now alternating with the audiobook so that I can start watching the drama starring Lee Min Ho!

mcctrish I‘m going to start this this week/weekend 1w
swatreads @mcctrish Yay! I hope you‘ll enjoy it😍 we can talk about the book after finishing it if you like ☺️ 1w
20 likes2 comments
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Bookworm54
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
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Pickpick

The story followed a Korean family, starting in Korea and ending in Japan. Covering a time period of 4 generations, there are a lot of hard topics, but it didn‘t feel like any were focused on too much as it was about the family during those times.

I don‘t really know how to describe it better… but I enjoyed it 😂

#FoodAndLit

Texreader Very accurate!! 2w
Catsandbooks 👏🏼🇰🇷 2w
49 likes2 comments
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Jen2
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
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Pickpick

Loved the early years .

57 likes1 stack add
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Texreader
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
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Pickpick

Hoonie is born in the late 1800s with a cleft palate and twisted foot but he‘s very strong, a hard worker, and loyal to his wife Yangjin. Their only surviving child is Sunja, and this book mainly tells her life story, her mother Yangjin‘s story, and Sunja‘s children and grandchildren through the late 1980s. Pachinko, a game of chance, makes this poor family eventually very wealthy. I like family histories but this one didn‘t work well me. ⬇️

Texreader What I liked was the book rarely delved into gory facts, such as dying. We knew a main character was going to die…& then in the next chapter, time has gone by, the death is in the past, as a matter of fact. I appreciated avoiding some cringey scenes. It was a good book. It just didn‘t flow well for me. I even waited to review it in hopes I‘d think better of it over time. Nope. So it‘s a low pick for me. #SouthKorea #foodandlit 3w
Catsandbooks I actually bailed on it 15% through. 😬 3w
64 likes2 comments
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Texreader
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
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I wrapped up this audiobook tonight with my little reading buddy. #SouthKorea #foodandlit @Catsandbooks

Catsandbooks Adorable kitty! 🖤 1mo
dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 1mo
BookmarkTavern What a beauty! 💖 1mo
Ruthiella 😻😻😻 4w
59 likes4 comments
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Texreader
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
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I‘ve read five books so far and am on my sixth book for #NewZealand for #foodandlit. So I‘m ready to get a head start for next month, #SouthKorea, starting with the tagged audiobook. @Catsandbooks

Catsandbooks I just picked up Pachinko from the library today! You did amazing for new Zealand though!! 🙌🏼❤️ 1mo
Texreader @Catsandbooks Great minds thinking alike!! 😃❤️ 1mo
Lunakay 6 books is amazing✨️🥳🤩 1mo
See All 6 Comments
Bookwormjillk I‘m thinking about doing a re-read of this next month too. 1mo
youneverarrived This is a brilliant book! 1mo
Librarybelle I love this book! 1mo
60 likes1 stack add6 comments
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Melancholy2243
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
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Pickpick

A multi-generational story of a Korean family trying to locate home in foreign lands. What really is home after all? The writing is easy, honest, authentic. At times I felt I was reading history rather than fiction. The characters felt genuine, their sufferings felt genuine, their dreams were genuine too. Definitely a long read but worth it.

SusanLee I have this in my TBR 😅 2mo
68 likes3 stack adds1 comment
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Texreader
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
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I texted author Lisa See for advice on finding a book to read for #SouthKorea for #foodandlit because I ❤️ her book Island of Sea Women set in Korea. She answered and suggested the tagged book, which has been on my tbr list. So…there you go. I‘ve been following See on instagram for a long time now and she‘s liked my comments before. So I thought, heck, what if she answers? Nice, right?

CatLass007 That‘s really lovely of her. 3mo
Amiable “Pachinko” is a wonderful book! She‘s right. 3mo
IndoorDame How great! 3mo
See All 20 Comments
Bookwormjillk That‘s so nice! And I agree about Pachinko. 3mo
tpixie @Texreader Great job! You never know unless you try! How wonderful she answered you! Authors are the best! 3mo
TheBookgeekFrau So cool!!!! 3mo
Mimi28 That‘s awesome 😎 3mo
kspenmoll Yay you! 3mo
Soubhiville Nice! I love it. 3mo
jlhammar Very cool. I loved Pachinko! 3mo
Julsmarshall Love this! And loved Pachinko. I need to read Island of the Sea Women-have heard great things! 3mo
Texreader @CatLass007 @Amiable @IndoorDame @Bookwormjillk @tpixie @TheBookgeekFrau @Mimi28 @kspenmoll @Soubhiville @jlhammar @Julsmarshall Y‘all are why Litsy is the best place in cyberspace!! Y‘all get the excitement that Lisa See answered me!!! And I have lots of confirmation for the book to read in March for South Korea!! 😃 and if you haven‘t read Island of the Sea Women, it is very sad but so so so good. Please consider adding it to your tbr. 3mo
CatLass007 Thanks for the recommendation! 3mo
marleed Island of the Sea Women is my favorite of her books. Talk about some bad ass women! 3mo
Texreader @marleed Which is why I love the book so much!! Such an undertold story of a successful matriarchy! 3mo
Catsandbooks That's so great to see! And yay for more recommendations! 💖 3mo
jlhammar @Texreader I think Island of Sea Women is the only See that I‘ve read so far - so good! I‘m looking forward to her latest. I‘ve got it waiting on my shelves. 3mo
Texreader @Catsandbooks I know! Isn‘t it the coolest! 😊 3mo
Texreader @jlhammar I bought that one too but haven‘t read it. I‘ve also read Dreams of Joy. It was good but not as good as the Island of the Sea Women. 3mo
tpixie Great stack! Enjoyed Remarkable Creatures. I need to start the rescuers and the spectacular! 3mo
75 likes1 stack add20 comments
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TugstenDragon
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
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I think I might like the tv show better than the book, just because I feel we get more time with the characters. The book was good but I felt unsatisfied with the ending, it felt a bit abrupt.

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Jaimelire
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee

Today I had the pleasure of joining a South Korean book club that my Canadian-Korean friend invited me to attend. They zoomed at 5am to accommodate the time change for myself and my friend (we live in Alberta). I am so grateful to these Korean women who gave me a whole new perspective on this beautiful book.

Librarybelle That‘s wonderful! 5mo
22 likes1 comment
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Coleen
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
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Pickpick

I liked this, but not sure I felt it lived up to the hype. Started out strong, but I felt it got progressively weaker as it progressed and was maybe longer than it needed to be. I‘ve started watching the series adaptation (with subtitles) and have been enjoying it so far.

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miriam.sanchez.gamero
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
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Pickpick

Amazing book from the beginning until the end.
80 years of a Japanese family where the women are strong in a masculine world.
During this 80 years, a lot of things happen , civil war, love, tears, no food.. however, how these women family survive to all of it, with their sons love in their middle

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Purpleness
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
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ShyBookOwl 💜 6mo
54 likes1 comment
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IndoorDame
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
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I rolled over last month‘s #doublespin to my September TBR, but I should have put it back on the shelf last month. From the little I‘ve managed to read I believe all the praise, but this is a case of #rightbookwrongtime. For months now I haven‘t been able to concentrate on this type of quiet narrative with lots of characters, but it‘s waiting in my audible library and I plan to come back to it someday when I can keep the cast straight in my mind.

Amiable I loved this book. But you‘re right —you need to be in the right headspace to read it. 7mo
TheAromaofBooks Gorgeous cover!!! But yes, some books you just have to wait until the right moment to read!! 7mo
59 likes1 stack add2 comments
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JuliaTheBookNerd
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
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#ImmigrantMC ❤️ #BookBinge 📚❤️📚

#BookNerd 🤓💙📚

Eggs Perfect 🤩 7mo
70 likes1 stack add1 comment
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brushlo
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
Pickpick

Great read. Warmly written but tackling big issues of race and class…but on the end a story about family and the ripple effects of our choices over generations.

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IndoorDame
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
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#MayMontage #Generational This has been on my shelf for a while but I‘m really looking forward to finding time for it in the next few months! I keep hearing such great things! @Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Cuilin I also recommend. My husband read it after me. We both still talk about it. 11mo
IndoorDame @Cuilin that‘s pretty rare! Awesome!!!❤️ 11mo
Eggs It‘s been on my Mount TBR several years… 11mo
See All 7 Comments
SamAnne I read it a few years ago and really loved it. My IRL book club is reading right now so I am watching the TV series right now. So far great, with Korean, Japanese and English subtitles. Great music and actors and a phenomenal opening title sequence! Enjoy. 11mo
IndoorDame @SamAnne fun! Love when the adaptation lives up to the work! 11mo
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks I read this one a few years ago and didn‘t care for it. I was worn out and depressed by the time I finished. I‘m in the minority though!! 11mo
IndoorDame @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks good to know!❤️ 11mo
66 likes1 stack add7 comments
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BilboBookends
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
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“Living everyday in the presence of those who refuse to acknowledge your humanity takes great courage.”

31 likes1 stack add
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451Degrees
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
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Pickpick

Well all of you who were saying #finankitten was sitting on this book to spare my feelings were absolutely correct😭 I generally have a hard time with multigenerational stories because I like sticking with one character‘s perspective but this one had such an ease of transferring the main story lines from one generation to the next. Absolutely heart wrenching and a must read. Stunning writing!

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451Degrees
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
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In other news Pachinko is loved not only by myself but by #finankitten as well🥰 this is not staged he just likes sitting on books 😆 my kind of cat❤️

Julsmarshall Sweet baby! 12mo
ShelleyBooksie Adorable 12mo
DivineDiana What a beauty! 😻 12mo
See All 6 Comments
RaeLovesToRead Awww he's so beautiful!!! 🥰🥰 Doesn't look like you're getting Pachinko back though! #kittensagainstliterature #kal 12mo
LitStephanie I love that book, but it is sad. Kitty is trying to spare your feelings. 12mo
peanutnine 😻😻 12mo
60 likes6 comments
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451Degrees
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
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Started this book this weekend after finishing The Last Graduate and boy is it a hefty read so far😅 beautifully written though. It‘s been on my TBR for years and I‘m finally getting around to it🤍 Coffee added for extra support☕️

CissaMae I‘m going to start this one this weekend!! 12mo
451Degrees @CissaMae yes!!👏🏻👏🏻 12mo
46 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Nessavamusic
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
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Bailedbailed

Sadly I am bailing on this one. I really was enjoying the history of 20th century Korea through one family‘s viewpoint. However, I just can‘t read anymore of the dialog about women. Just not for me. DNF
#Roll100 one done!

K.M.-Forester What a shame 😞. I absolutely loved this book! 13mo
48 likes1 comment
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TheBookHippie
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
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Blerdgal_Fenix Pachinko is an amazing book. The irony of this whole moment is crazy. There are so many layers to unpack. I hope that professor is eating his words. 13mo
TheBookHippie @Blerdgal_Fenix the layers!!!!! I too hope he is … 13mo
88 likes2 comments
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MK2007
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
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Pickpick

😀About 4 generations of stories, starting with a teen daughter in 1900s. It starts from the journey of Korea to Japan in the coloniazation of the japanese emperor. If you like books that are non fiction, this book can be good to read. A theme in this story is sacifice for that the families are sacificing something so their children can live a normal way of life.

MissYaremcio Nicely done Minkyu! I would have liked a bit more on the summary but otherwise it looks like a fascinating book! 5.5/6 13mo
11 likes1 comment
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Beccaf
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
Pickpick

What a book! Enjoyed it so much, power read the last 200 pages as couldn't put it down.

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mjtwo
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
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Pickpick

19-26 Nov 22 (audiobook)
This novel depicts the lives of several generations of a Korean family living in Japan. It shows the systemic racism and discrimination they suffer and the difficulties faced by displaced people everywhere. Japan does not come off well, but I expect the same would be seen in many parts of the world.
I knew little about pachinko or Korea, except they had a thriving film industry when I was more informed about such things.

15 likes1 stack add
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Tonton
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
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Ellen_C
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
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Pickpick

A 20th century, multi-generational saga of a Korean family in Japan. Fascinating info about discrimination, WWII and aftermath, and the different ways members of one family got along (or didn‘t) amongst themselves and amongst the Japanese. https://cannonballread.com/2022/10/pachinko-elcicco/

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Julsmarshall
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
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Pickpick

What an epic story! This beautiful novel spans multiple generations and brought to life so many memorable characters. I loved it! I‘ve owned it in hardback forever but finally listened on #audio and it was lovely. Deeply thoughtful, honest, and with gorgeous prose, I‘ll be thinking of this one for a long time! #chunkster #BookspinBingo

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kellock
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
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Next up . . . 99p bargain and I've heard good things

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Megzmarie5
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee

“He understood why his customers wanted to play something that looked fixed but left room for randomness and hope.”

Finished this book, filled with the relentless human spirit navigating the sufferings of a hard life, yet always having a heart filled with hope that‘s tied to loving family above all else. Tough to read at times, but completely worth it!

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Cazxxx
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
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Todays listen 🎧

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Pretty cover 🧡💜 2y
Cazxxx @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks It‘s lovely ☺️ 2y
39 likes2 comments
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mrp27
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
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I scored a hardcover copy of Pachinko at the friends of the library store this weekend for $1. All this time I‘ve been going and I never noticed this cute bench. To my credit, someone is always sitting on it 😬.

UwannaPublishme Wow! That bench! 😍🙌🏻 2y
sherrisilvera Major score. Loved this book! 2y
mrp27 @sherrisilvera A total score! You ever noticed this bench at the library? (edited) 2y
sherrisilvera I only went the one time. I don't remember a bench at all. 2y
mrp27 It‘s by the front entrance but people are always on it so I‘ve never noticed. Who knew?! 🤷🏻‍♀️ 2y
30 likes1 stack add5 comments
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Arvena
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
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Mehso-so

Truly sad and devastating historical family saga about four generations of a Korean family in Japan. The book is fine. I learned new things about the dynamic between Koreans & Japanese, their culture, cuisine, language.

Nute I think that it has been adapted into a television miniseries. 2y
cheesemoi I agree that the book was just okay :) I heard that the TV series will rearrange the order of some of the events. I‘d be curious to see the differences 2y
CaroPi I will read the book and then watch the series. Is already in Apple TV 2y
57 likes3 comments
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MartinaLove
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
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Currently reading. 🥰

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cheesemoi
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
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Mehso-so

While there is a lot to like about the book, it wasn‘t my favorite cup of tea. I liked the pacing and the multiple generations— how people come and go, the struggles the face, their reasons for coming and going… very nuanced and engaging characters!

I didn‘t love the level of sex in the book, and sometimes the book felt like it was summarizing itself during important parts of the plot. All in all, I‘m glad I read it— different than my usual :)

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cheesemoi
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
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About halfway through this, and so far, so good! Much to learn about Korean culture and history. Strong characters, loads of twists and turns, and very nicely paced.

I can tell that I am not a member of the target audience, mostly in the sense that I am not a mother! I think anyone with a strong sense of family will relate to the characters motivations, but the motherhood aspect is particularly moving, perhaps overwhelming, and very powerful!

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Aims42
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
Mehso-so

This was a “liked not loved” type of read for me. I enjoyed the first half much more than the second half, I was maybe running out of steam by then. I would recommend it to anyone who loves multigenerational family sagas, but rent it from the library 👍

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Agree with you!! 2y
Aims42 @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Thanks, friend!! 😊😊😊 2y
37 likes2 comments
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thewallflower0707
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
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Apple TV is killing it on the streaming market!! TED LASSO, Dickinson, For all Mankind, and now an #adaptation of #Pachinko. I‘ve have watched the first episode and I really enjoyed it. They are not telling the story chronologically, which helps me follow it better since I don‘t remember a lot from the book.

jen_the_scribe Pachinko keeps popping up for me everywhere, I might have to get myself a copy. 2y
23 likes1 comment
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Ivonnini
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee

All you have to do is rest before dying

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K.M.-Forester
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
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Pickpick

I‘m normally not a huge fan of historical fiction but this book was absolutely amazing. I couldn‘t put it down 📚❤️

MeganAnn I loved this book! Welcome to Litsy 💖 2y
BethM Welcome to the best place on the internet!! 2y
Pip2 I have been debating on this one. I think you convinced me to go for it. 2y
See All 6 Comments
K.M.-Forester @Pip2 somewhat slow intro but it‘s heartbreakingly good 2y
BookwormAHN Welcome to Litsy 😺 2y
DivineDiana Welcome to Litsy! 👏🏻📚👏🏻 2y
29 likes1 stack add6 comments
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DrexEdit
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
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Pickpick

Is there such a thing as #readingsynchronicity? I ended up reading these 2 historical novels of Korean 20th-century history at the same time. While the Sea Women focused on a particularly strong subset of Korean cultural community, Pachinko, also focused on strong women, told more about the Korean diaspora in Japan as a result of the colonization of Korea before WWII. Both highly recommended! 4 ⭐ each!

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Tianarose
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
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**IM NOT GOING TO WATCH BEFORE READING*** repeats slowly to self….

TheBookHippie 😂😂😂 2y
WJCintron ME NEITHER!!!!! 2y
49 likes2 comments
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andioop
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
Pickpick

ready for the on-screen version 🤪

jlhammar Yes, me too! 2y
10 likes1 comment
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Christine
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
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Pickpick

You know you‘re loving a multigenerational family saga when you shout “Nooooo!!!” bc the time period shifts and you realize you‘ll have no more time with the characters at certain ages/parts of their lives. 😭 I adored this. Having admired Min Jin Lee as a person and for her online presence for a long time, it felt pretty ridiculous that I‘d never actually read her books! This exceeded high expectations and taught me a lot.

canbku I wanted more time with later characters!! 2y
readordierachel Love this review. This one's been on my tbr since it came out. Should really get to it 2y
LeahBergen @readordierachel And on mine, as well. 🙄 2y
See All 8 Comments
readordierachel @LeahBergen Too many books 📚 2y
KatieB I loved this one too. Totally immersive! 2y
Christine @canbku Same! With most of the characters, really. Went by too fast! 2y
Christine @readordierachel @LeahBergen LOL, always too many good options! Truly glad I finally got to this, though. Praise be to Apple TV+ for lighting a fire under me (even though I don't even subscribe to it right now - but the IDEA of the series coming was the push I needed, apparently! 😆). 2y
Christine @KatieB Absolutely! I was surprised by how quickly I flew through it. 2y
65 likes1 stack add8 comments