A BOOK REVIEW (Spoiler-Free)
This book follows the story of a Korean family spanning 4 generations. Hoonie, a crippled Korean fisherman, had a daughter named Sunja, who got pregnant at an early age by a wealthy fish dealer named Koh Hansu from Osaka. However, Koh Hansu later revealed that he had a family in Japan but was still willing to keep and support Sunja and the child. She refused the offer and cut ties with him. Sunja conceived the child with the help of Baek Isak, a Christian minister who stayed in Sunja’s family boarding house. Baek Isak willingly married Sunja and promised to be a father to Noa, the child.
The couple was able to make it to Osaka and was accommodated by Baek Isak’s brother and his wife. And from there, began the life-changing journey of Sunja and the other characters in a land where they were left with no choice but to make it through each day.
It’s a story of survival, resilience, finding a home in a foreign land where discrimination creeped in, lingered, and stung.
This seemingly colossal book narrates the highlights of multiple characters, which allows the readers to look at and experience different perspectives. The story’s main character is Sunja, whose values remained impeccably intact to the very last page. She could be every reader’s potential favorite, as she embodied strength as she evolved from a naïve village girl to a strong-willed woman.
Aside from a refreshing fill of individuality from each character, the author’s writing style was this genre’s perfect match. It is rather dry and straightforward but the tone is still victorious in letting readers identify with the characters. It is apparent that this was thoroughly researched and the plot well-thought of. According to the author, Min Jin Lee, she did a lot of interviews and tremendous study before coming up with the chronology, which is basically an intricate mosaic of stories of people she interviewed.
This novel is a treat - a whirlwind of emotions. However, towards the end, it felt a bit rushed, which I have encountered in other books too.
In all, Pachinko is a character-driven family saga and historical fiction that documents bittersweet experiences of people who lived during the time when Japan annexed Korea.
Do not get intimidated by the size of the book and how it’s divided into 3 parts because it’s an absolute page-turner!
Pachinko, if you’re wondering, is a slot/ pinball machine, which originated and is a famous game in Japan. This business evidently played a big part in the story as it was both their shame and holy grail.
I highly recommend it.
Rating: 9/10
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