Pachinko is a heart-breaking novel in which Lee forces us to face our own humanity through one family’s story of perseverance. Written by Min Jin Lee, Pachinko begins in poverty stricken, Japanese occupied, Korea during the 1930s.Sunja, the young daughter of a woman running a boarding house finds herself in an unfortunate and socially destructive position, until she is saved by a Christian pastor named Isaac. After immigrating to Japan, she and her new family struggle to support themselves and fit in among a society constantly seeking to keep them inferior. As the author follows the stories of Sunja’s descendants, readers experience tragedy and joy alongside the characters. I found Pachinko to be an amazing story, drawing the reader in with vivid metaphors and bold comparisons, designed to show humanity’s flaws but also a strong sense of ambition and family. Each character was intricately written and their actions and decisions reflected the personalities that Lee created for them along the way. By telling the stories of so many characters Lee created an immersive world and allowed the reader to understand the motives of even minor characters. Overall, this immensely detailed and well-written book is an excellent story, especially for those that enjoy historical fiction.
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