From the Bookshelf of Constant Reader…
Find A Copy At
Group Discussions About This Book
*
The Schedule for July through Dec. 2025
By Lynn · 1 post · 41 views
By Lynn · 1 post · 41 views
last updated Jun 20, 2025 08:37AM
showing 3 of 3 topics
view all »
Other topics mentioning this book
What I'm Reading - March/April 2018
By Mary Anne · 168 posts · 64 views
last updated May 02, 2018 07:25AM
The Schedule -- July - December 2018
By Sherry , Doyenne · 2 posts · 66 views
By Sherry , Doyenne · 2 posts · 66 views
last updated Jun 04, 2018 02:48AM
What I'm Reading - March & April 2019
By Mary Anne · 180 posts · 62 views
last updated May 01, 2019 04:45PM
What Members Thought
I picked this from Book of the Month last year, and then my in-person book club voted to read it in the 2017-18 season. Since we aren't reading it until June, I was going to wait, but then saw the author would be coming to my town on February 5, and I wanted to go see her read and get my book signed. Then it was included in the shortlist for the Tournament of Books, so basically I needed to read it. It also counts for the Reading Women challenge, as a book on their 2017 shortlist. This checks a
...more
I lived in Korea for 2 years in the 1970s and used to travel there for work in the '90s, visiting most recently in 2011, and while that doesn't make me an expert on all things Korean, the story this novel tells about Koreans in Japan wasn't as unfamiliar to me as it seems to have been for a lot of readers. Lack of familiarity with the cultures seems to have been part of the reason US readers have responded so well to it.
In 1977 I spent some time in Osaka with some friends. We went to a Pachinko ...more
In 1977 I spent some time in Osaka with some friends. We went to a Pachinko ...more
A masterpiece!
I didn't want this book to end and yet it ended so perfectly. This generational story of a Korean family living in Japan is nothing short of a masterpiece. I am in awe of Min Jin Lee's talent. ...more
I didn't want this book to end and yet it ended so perfectly. This generational story of a Korean family living in Japan is nothing short of a masterpiece. I am in awe of Min Jin Lee's talent. ...more
When I started reading this it seemed like a typical long novel: noble girl from poor family is seduced by wealthy, older man. Marries good man from strong Christian background and moves away. This is a multi-generational saga that reveals discrimination in new and surprising ways. It will stick with you for a long time and in the end deserves its place on the New York Times Top 10 list.
Good saga.
I liked it when I started but then it kind of started dragging. I just kept reading it because I thought I would find some catharsis in the end. I didn't. But it did give me a good insight into Korean and Japanese relationships, which I had not read enough about before.
...more
Nov 08, 2017
Jennie
is currently reading it
Nov 15, 2017
SooYoung
marked it as to-read
Feb 02, 2018
Sarah Minnella
marked it as to-read
Feb 26, 2018
Natalya
marked it as to-read
Jun 23, 2018
Stacie
marked it as to-read
Aug 03, 2018
Robert
marked it as to-read
Dec 19, 2018
Isabel
marked it as to-read
Jan 21, 2019
Wendyb
marked it as to-read
