The Pachinko Parlor

In "The Pachinko Parlor," set against the backdrop of a Tokyo summer, Claire navigates her time between tutoring a young girl named Mieko in an abandoned hotel and daydreaming at her grandparents' home. As Claire's family prepares for a long-awaited trip back to Korea—where they fled from civil war over fifty years ago—she develops a deepening bond with Mieko, who becomes increasingly eager to visit the family's enduring pachinko parlor, Shiny. Shua Dusapin's evocative writing delves into themes of identity, family, and the complexities of belonging.