Pachinko by Min Jin Lee: Summary and brief review
There are times when a book doesn’t just tell you a story, but it also gives you a history lesson, an emotional experience, and a deep reflection all at once. Pachinko by Min Jin Lee is exactly that.
This novel follows a Korean family across four generations, from the early 1900s to the 1980s. It begins in a small village in Korea and takes us to Japan, where the family tries to survive, to belong, and to protect their future. The story takes place during a time when Korea was under Japanese rule, and later, when Koreans living in Japan were treated like outsiders, even after decades, which was so heartbreaking for me because it’s something that we still see nowadays around the world.
The characters feel incredibly real. You grow attached to them. You feel their pain, their hope, their losses. Sunja, the main character at the beginning, is strong and brave. Her choices shape the future of her family. Her children and grandchildren live through poverty, discrimination, and personal heartbreaks. But through it all, there’s love, sacrifice, and resilience. God, I loved the presentation of these values in this book.
Even if you don’t know much about Korean history (like me), this book teaches you in a very human way. You learn through the characters' lives. It’s not always easy to read because some parts are really heartbreaking, with things that feell unfair, but it makes you think deeply, even weeks after finishing the book.
I think a way to describe it would be: a story about what we carry from the past, what we lose when we leave our home, and how identity can be both a gift and a burden. As a migrant woman that haven’t been in her country for the last 7 years, this book resonated with me deploy. Pachinko is about how history can shape your life, even when you didn’t choose it.
FAQ – Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
(May contain light spoilers)
What is Pachinko book about?
It’s a multi-generational historical novel that follows a Korean family living in Japan during the 20th century. It shows their struggle with poverty, discrimination, identity, and love across four generations.
Is Pachinko LGBTQ?
There is a minor LGBTQ character later in the book, but you would really need to pay attention to be able to notice it, because it is not the main focus. The story mainly follows themes of family, identity, and survival.
Is Pachinko based off a true story?
It’s not based on one specific real family, but it is inspired by real historical events and the real experiences of many Korean families who lived in Japan during that time.
What is the main idea of Pachinko?
The main theme is resilience in the face of injustice. It also explores identity, belonging, sacrifice, and how political history affects personal lives.
What genre is Pachinko book?
Historical fiction, literary fiction, family saga.
What happened to Noa in Pachinko book?
Noa, Sunja’s son, discovers a painful truth about his father and his own identity. He struggles deeply with shame and ends up living a separate life, tragically ending in suicide.
How many chapters in Pachinko book?
The book has 58 chapters, divided into three parts.
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