★★★★★ Pachinko By Min Jin Lee
Just as good, if not better, as everyone is saying. If you love stories following multiple generations and the obstacles they must overcome, this is the book for you. The book begins in the early 1900s following a Korean family moving from a small island off the coast of Busan to the new and unfamiliar Osaka. You watch as the family must overcome struggles, scandals, and understanding what it means to be Korean in a society that will not accept them.
Whenever I read (well-done) historical fiction I’m always astounded at the historical detail plugged into the most inconsequential of sentences. They are so easily overlooked, but bringing those tiny bits of historically accurate descriptions is what makes this book so atmospheric.
The amount of research that went into this book—I can’t even imagine it. Min Jin Lee said this story has been in the making for the past 30 years and that doesn’t surprise me at all. Everything is written with purpose.
Would definitely recommend. Especially if you want to learn more about the lives of Koreans living in Japan during the occupation.
