Pachinko, by Min Jin Lee

The accolades for this fine, epic novel are deserved. In her second novel, author Min Jin Lee follows members of a family (and many equally fascinating ancillary characters) from the Japanese Occupation era in Korea, to the Korean diaspora in Japan, up to 1989. She manages this expansive timespan through third-person omniscient voice, allowing a kind of economy in the storytelling that would otherwise be limited to structural concerns. It’s both a feat of intricate character development and a rapid-moving plot that makes one love the people, even the antagonist, and live through a hundred fast-moving stories that kept pulling at me long after all the pages were turned. Much is written about her inspiration and about the story itself, so I leave this post brief, with a final urging to read this stunning book.

Free Food for Millionaires, by Min Jin Lee

A New York City saga peopled with insecure, wounded, and angry resentful characters. Casey, the protagonist, is somewhat aimless, dangerously impulsive and self-destructive. Her only sibling, Tina, is the “nice” and obedient daughter. Her parents, operators of a dry cleaners, are hard-working Korean immigrants who expect their children to become doctors and lawyers. Casey's circle of friends, family and their individual circles, a mentor, workmates, add up to roughly 20 individuals whose thoughts and feelings are explored in roving points of view.

Kicked out of the house, without job and focus, Casey’s search for herself emphasizes shopping, body image, how much things cost, big name schools, business prestige, money, status. Cigarette-addicted Casey also is conflicted about her Christian faith and growing agnosticism, though this theme doesn’t fully play out. She does find something solid in understanding how many and how much others care for her. A huge family saga of New York.