Pachinko Review
What does a book expert think: Get a comprehensive overview of the reception and review of Pachinko.
Article written by Victor Onuorah
Degree in Journalism from University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
‘Pachinko’ by Min Jin Lee takes a good peek into the history of Korean immigrants in Japan by capturing the pristineness of their experiences in another man’s land. The book was nominated for the National Book Award for Fiction and came out as a finalist for its rich coverage of issues related to immigration, race, and identity.
Key Facts about ‘Pachinko’
- Author: Min Jin Lee
- Language: English
- Inspiration: The writer’s experiences in immigrant life.
- Publisher: Grand Central Publishing.
- Publication Date: 7th of February, 2017.
- Literary Genre: Historical Fiction.
- Time Period: Between 1910 and 1989, covering Japan’s annexation of Korea and World War II.
- Number of Pages: 490 pages
- Settings: Yeongdo, Korea: Osaka, Tokyo, Japan.
- Climax: Troubled by Akiko’s observation, Noa confronts Sunja and finds out his real father is Koh Hansu.
Min Jin Lee and Pachinko
Although ‘Pachinko’ comes out as a novel, putting together the drafts for the final manuscript entailed a lot of research and inquiries on the side of the author Min Jin Lee.
After releasing her first novel ‘Free Food For Millionaires’ in 2007, Lee and her family relocated to Tokyo, Japan, that same year, and this movie presented her with the opportunity to get the needed research in the tune of interviews for her upcoming book ‘Pachinko.’
Despite having quite the experience of being an immigrant, Lee collected several data from actual Korean people who were living in Japan to make her final draft for ‘Pachinko.’ Because she was writing about the experiences of Koreans in Japan, Lee knew she had to go beyond her own knowledge to incorporate those of the others who were actually living the life.
Books Related to Pachinko
Min Jin Lee’s ‘Pachinko’ is a historical masterpiece motivated by the struggles of Korean immigrants in Japan, and frankly, the stories therein go beyond the Asian experience to touch on the general theme of immigration for all peoples and cultures.
Like Lee’s ‘Pachinko,’ there are a lot of books that inspire a similar theme, with some even proffering ways to contain the trials and tough times presented by circumstances in any given foreign society that anyone can find themselves in.
A few books similar to ‘Pachinko’ include Robin Ha’s ‘Almost American Girl’, and Neil Gaiman’s ‘Caroline’ (without the creepiness) in the sense that it talks about family and survival in a strange land.
The Lasting Impact of Pachinko
Min Jin Lee’s historically epic fiction ‘Pachinko’ has been tagged her best for the time being, although the author is still quite busy building the final piece to her Korean diaspora trilogy, ‘American Hagwon’, and expectations are high on this noble.
Still, why the wait for ‘American Hagwon’ is on, ‘Pachinko’ has had a tremendous impact on its many readers after its publication five years ago, and it doesn’t matter if you are a native Korean living in Japan or from any other ethnicities thousands of miles across the world, the story does the same thing for everyone; it inspires you to never settle for less.
In terms of accolades garnered, ‘Pachinko’ earned Lee a place most of her recognition thanks to its immediate success. The book was a finalist for the 2017 National Book awards for Fiction and received several great reviews from high-ticket publishers and websites – such as the New York Times, Toronto Star, South China Morning Post, and the American Booksellers Association.
Along with that, the book won the Medici Awards and was also a major contender for the Dayton Literary Peace Prize. Its reviews came from top literati and important personalities which included Barack Obama, BBC’s Jan Ciabattari, and Darin Strauss – who all had good things to say about the book.
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About Victor Onuorah
Degree in Journalism from University of Nigeria, Nsukka.