#7 in Historical fiction
Pachinko
- 512
- Pages
- about 9 h
- Reading time
- NYT bestseller · 1 week on the list, peaked at #10
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About the book
Pachinko is the second novel by Harlem-based author and journalist Min Jin Lee. Published in 2017, Pachinko is an epic historical fiction novel following a Korean family who immigrates to Japan. The story features an ensemble of characters who encounter racism, discrimination, stereotyping, and other aspects of the 20th-century Korean experience of Japan.
Where the score comes from
The sources average 8.5 across 1,031 ratings. With that many, the reader vote carries 85% of the weight and the score stays at 8.4 — the Historical fiction average of 7.9 barely moves it.
| Source | Average | Ratings | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open Library | 8.1 | 25 | 2% |
| Hardcover | 8.6 | 1K | 98% |
Reader voices
The most-liked reviews on Hardcover (credited to their authors).
“Wow. Just WOW! Once this book got going, I could not put this book down. Incredibly riveting, deeply emotional, and it made me want to read more Japanese and Korean literature.”
“A fascinating look at Koreans dealing with war and fleeing to Japan. Spans decades.”
“The positives: - I learned a great deal about Japan & Korea's shared history through stories that felt like family gossip - It's a very human and real view on the sociological and cultural effect of wars, and how the aftermath is experienced through generations The not so positives : - In its purse of covering and explaining a generational story in one single book, it jumps (somehow abruptly) in time and from character to character - It's well written and detailed enough but somehow it feels too detached or cold by tending to be more descriptive of emotions than emotional”
Frequently asked
What is Pachinko rated?
8.4 out of 10, from 1,031 reader ratings across 2 independent sources.
Is Pachinko worth reading?
Readers give it 8.4/10 from 1,031 ratings, which puts it ahead of 95 % of the Historical fiction shelf.
How long does it take to read Pachinko?
About 9 hours at an average reading pace — 512 pages.
Where does Pachinko rank?
#7 in Historical fiction on the current snapshot.
Was Pachinko a bestseller?
Yes — 1 weeks on the New York Times list, peaking at #10. Sales are shown here but never scored.
How long is Pachinko?
It has 512 pages — longer than 63% of the ranked books in Historical fiction.
If you liked this
Same shelf — Historical fiction — with scores between 8.4 and 8.5, closest to this book.
