Melissa Rininger’s Reviews > Pachinko > Status Update

Wtf? Seriously, did the author just kill off a major character in a single paragraph at the end of a chapter, again? I am not sure if this is successful at elevating tension and keeping the reader curious, or if it creates the opposite reaction.

Wtf? Seriously, did the author just kill off a major character in a single paragraph at the end of a chapter, again? I am not sure if this is successful at elevating tension and keeping the reader curious, or if it creates the opposite reaction.

Why do the women see themselves as old and ugly? Shriveled or disgusting. Poor and hard working women are beautiful, and 52 is not old. But the older men are described as good looking or never changed....this seems a bit weird, lopsided POV.

I really don't like the time compression of major events. Book 3 Chapter 3 opens with the death of Yumi (Mozasu's wife). I had to rewind audio book b/c the event happened so fast that I wasn't sure if I heard it correctly. Why does author start or end xhapters w/death of characters in such a nonchalant manner?

Beginning of book III

Some of the Japanese seems off. I have never heard "Honto desu" before. Normally it is "honto" or "honto dayo" or "honto ni" depending on usage. Use of "desu" is very formal and it is being used in a convo between familiars. Why?

Chapter 12, we finally enter the pachinko parlor.

Chapter 6 Book 2: prose style is clean but simple...boring. I wonder if the POV distance is the reason for the difficulty in caring about these characters?