Review: Pachinko

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This review is also found on Goodreads! :)
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Actual Rating: 3.8 stars
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To be honest, I dived into this book with the wrong mindset. During the first book, I was waiting for a noble and heroic twist to the story--something loud, grand, and thundering. Gradually, I realized this isn't always played out as such in real life. It’s usually a steady progress and manifolds from generation to generation. It's probably the reason why I didn't shed any tear on any tragedy the characters went through. That doesn't mean I didn't feel their pain, but it was subtler than resounding.

This book was not an easy read. A family saga told through four generations and gave me a glimpse of the relationship of Korea and Japan. Much like the author herself, before this book, I was not aware of the Japan Annexation of Korea. This book gave an insightful and educational tale of the state of Korea during World War II and the plights of Koreans in the hands of foreigners.

Review: Human Acts

Human Acts by Han Kang
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This review is also found on Goodreads! :)
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If I could rate this higher, I would.

It is set during different eras, and centers around the story of Dong-ho, a boy killed during the Gwangju Uprising in 1980 when Martial Law is still in effect in South Korea. This is rawness that goes straight to your core. Told through six point-of-views, the narrative echoes with pain, trauma, and guilt, effectively silencing my usual skittish thoughts. Dong-ho's soul and presence resonates all throughout the narrative. It is unsettling and riveting at the same time. Each chapter gives you different views of human suffering. Is cruelty and suffering all that makes one human? It bathes you with realization after realization of the weakness and tenacity of a human soul.