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Pachinko posted by Robyn

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee is a beautifully told story of a Korean family trying to make ends meet in a world where they are despised by the Japanese.  This saga covers four generations, beginning in the early 20th century.  The novel begins with the birth of Sunja, the only surviving child of loving Korean parents.  When her dad dies during her childhood, she grows up working side by side with her mother, running a boarding house.   As Sunja approaches womanhood, she uncharacteristically gets involved with an older and wealthy gentleman.  She finds herself pregnant and alone after she discovers he is married with children, and has let her mother down by this disgrace.  A young and kind yet sickly visiting minister observes their situation.  He offers to marry Sunja, raise the child as his own, and move the family to Japan.  The result of these actions plays out for decades to come, as the story follows the illegitimate child and his younger brother into adulthood.  The biological father refuses to disappear, and his stalking will haunt Sunja and their son for many years.  This is a novel about family bonds, kindness, and results from life choices.  This title is also available in audio.

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