Historical · Literary
Pachinko
Starting in a Korean fishing village in the early twentieth century, the novel follows one family across four generations as they move to Japan and struggle with discrimination, poverty and ambition.
Facts last checked 2026-10-16
- First published
- 2017
- Pace
- Medium
- Length
- Long
- Pages
- 484
- Format
- Standalone
Read this if you like generational sagas that show history through the daily choices of ordinary people.
Skip this if you want a single clear protagonist, or a book without a lot of loss and hardship.
The feel
Content warnings
Also reported by Hardcover readers:
Quick answers about Pachinko
- What is Pachinko about?
- Starting in a Korean fishing village in the early twentieth century, the novel follows one family across four generations as they move to Japan and struggle with discrimination, poverty and ambition.
- Who should read Pachinko?
- Read it if you like generational sagas that show history through the daily choices of ordinary people. Skip it if you want a single clear protagonist, or a book without a lot of loss and hardship.
- How long and how fast is Pachinko?
- It is a medium-paced, long read of about 484 pages, first published in 2017.
- Does Pachinko have content warnings?
- Content we flag: Racism, Prejudice, Death, Suicide, War.
- Can I borrow Pachinko for free?
- Often, yes. Check Libby (OverDrive) to see whether your library lends Pachinko; the borrow button above searches it for you.
- What should I read after Pachinko?
- Readers who liked it often move on to A Thousand Splendid Suns, Cutting for Stone, Memoirs of a Geisha.
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Where to get it
| Store | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Borrow free | ||
| Libby / OverDrive | Free with a library card | Borrow free with Libby from Libby / OverDrive |
| Print, new | ||
| Amazon | Check price | Buy new from Amazon |
| Ebook | ||
| Kobo | Check price | Buy ebook from Kobo |
| Google Play Books | Check price | Buy ebook from Google Play Books |
| Audiobook | ||
| Audible | Check price | Buy audiobook from Audible |
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If you loved Pachinko
-
A Thousand Splendid Suns Another multi-decade story of resilient people under heavy social pressure, with similar emotional force.
-
Cutting for Stone A big family saga with a medical backdrop and a similar mix of tragedy and hope.
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Memoirs of a Geisha Another look at Japan through the eyes of a woman from a poor background, in a more glossy, romantic register.
Historical
