Pachinko

This book follows several generations of ex-pat Koreans living in Japan in the 20th century, during a time of sweeping political and industrial change. The narrative begins and ends with a woman named Sunja, a modest, proud, and hard-working Korean woman who moves to Japan before the birth of her first son – she is the sturdy fulcrum of the family, which is an unexpected perspective in a culture that historically did not respect women as such. While the backdrop is one of immense, ongoing suffering, there is an equal hopefulness in the love of family, resilience, and moments of joy. The prose is stoic and deliberate, and the narrative is paced so perfectly that it's hard to believe 50+ years have elapsed by the last chapter.

I learned so much from this book about the tensions between Japanese and Koreans (had no idea!), as well as the cultural traditions surrounding both cultures. Eye-opening stuff. I felt like some of the characters weren't as developed as I wanted them to be, and less-important characters were given too much real estate, while some characters' plot lines weren't neatly tied up. The ending felt a little rushed as well, especially compared to the expert pacing in the rest. But given the scope of the novel, these are minor complaints. Overall, it was a transporting, informational, beautiful read.