Lisa of Troy's Reviews > Pachinko

Powerful, entertaining, and thought-provoking

It is difficult to know where to start, because there are so many positive things about Pachinko and Min Jin Lee.

Let’s start off with the structure. This book is highly readable—there are no page long paragraphs, no jumbo sentences, packed with every vocab word the author knows.

Even though this book is long, it earns its length.

And this book has some tremendously exceptional quotes:
“They’d make a tasty broth from stones and bitterness.”
“The Lord forgives, but the world does not forgive.”
“Being a man means you know how to control your temper.”
“Fill you mind with knowledge—it’s the only kind of power no one can take away from you.”

Pachinko covers four generations of Koreans who eventually immigrate to Japan. Min Jin Lee pulls off the miraculous—she introduces the characters with perfect timing, making them memorable without overwhelming the reader. The characters are beautifully complex and imperfect, leading to riveting storylines with unexpected turns.

If you desire a little extra challenge, you can consider the Biblical names. Does each character live up to their given identity?

Oh my my...oh h*** yes! They did not cheap out on the narrator for the audiobook. It is Sandra Oh. This is the actress who plays Eve Polastri in Killing Eve!

The Green Light at the End of the Dock (How much I spent):
Hardcover Text – $13.75 on Pango
Audiobook – Audible – 1 credit (Audible Premium Plus Annual – 24 Credits Membership Plan $229.50 or rough $9.56 per credit)

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