Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

So many people had recommended this to me and I finally got to read it. I must really like stories that traverse generations, because I come back to them again and again. The thing about these types of epic historical novels is that you come to understand the context of one's life, especially when it intersects so dramatically with significant developments in a country's history. Though I am Japanese, I am not opposed to reading about Japanese imperialism, in this case, in Korea. The conflict this creates makes for compelling characters, as they struggle to survive and generations down, even succeed. I always knew that Japanese were very insular, not pluralistic. How that affected non-Japanese in Japan, is sad, but you follow these characters, rooting for them. There are some devastating developments, but in the end .... Good read.