Hiranmaya

Meera and I have ventured into this incredible community of people who live and breathe literature. While I used to get most of my recommendations from search engines and looking at my suggested titles on my Kindle, I now look at what this community has to offer. This is the first book that piqued my interest as I scrolled through reviews and it did not fail to amaze me. 

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee follows the story of a Korean family that moves its roots to Japan and deals with the hardships of being a foreigner and during World War II. The most striking thing about this novel is that it follows the stories of multiple generations of this family. Like water running from a stream to an ocean, the stories flow into each other and the reader is brought into the utmost intimacy of this family’s life. 

Let’s start with the detailed character development. No character is left forgotten. All characters that are involved with this family, no matter how minor, are given background into their lives. The author’s choice to reveal this information makes it impossible to dislike any of the characters. It supports this running theme that life is hard. Life is unexpected and you are left to deal with the repercussions, and learn to move forward. That being said, this book is heartbreaking.

It is filled with tragedy and loss but also so much love and respect. The author creates this delicate balance in each generation, giving us hope for our characters despite it all.

There were all these little things that I loved about the book. The first of which is that the author didn’t translate the Korean words she used. This is an important choice as it highlights that the author isn’t responsible for teaching us everything. When reading books about a culture you do not know, the reader must take the extra step to put some of the learning in their own hands. It has been too long since I have picked up a book and felt like my eyes were being opened back up to the world. I also loved the way Min Jin Lee describes people; they were a mix of facial and social characteristics that made the characters come alive on page.

The fact of the matter is that this book is brilliant. Beautifully written and good for the soul.

It reminds me that there is much to learn from our past and so much to look forward to in the future.

I don’t care what’s next on your reading list, Pachinko is the next book you have to read.