Pachinko

Probably 3.5 stars. In many ways a fascinating book with a lot going on and a lot to think about. The first 2/3 of the Nov were brilliant. The last third seemed to lose a little direction, with some storylines that didn't seem to fit in the larger narrative, while the central storyline seemed somewhat unconvincing... Solomon's choices seemed contrary to his personality and upbringing.. Perhaps there is more to it that people in the community would understand, but the exposition was quite vague. I also thought that, given the central role of women in the epic, thier characters (with the exception of Sunja) seemed under developed.