Pachinko by Min Jin Lee"Sunja imagined the bright, sturdy house that her father had taken care of so well by the green, glassy sea, the bountiful garden that had given them watermelons, lettuces, and squash and the open-air market that never ran out of anything delicious. When she was there, she had not loved it enough."
This saga begins in rural Korea just before and during World War II, chronicles the Japanese occupation of Korea and follows the story of Sunja and her family. Sunja's parents, Hoonie and Yangjin, run a successful but simple and plain boarding house in Gohyang. One of her chores is going to the market every day where she meets and falls in love with the worldly and wealthy Hansu. He takes advantage of her innocence and trust but never mentions that he is married with three daughters. When Sunja becomes pregnant, Hansu offers to take care of her but cannot marry her, bringing her deep shame. When she refuses, Isak, a resident at the boardinghouse and devout christian pastor, offers to marry Sunja and take her to live with his brother in Osaka.
Follow Sunja through the harshness of the war years as she raises her sons. Although this is fiction, you will learn about this period in history through descriptions of Korean and Japanese customs, dress, food and traditions.
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