Author Min Jin Lee is in London working on her third novel — and also celebrating United Kingdom Queen Camilla’s recent recommendation of her second, “Pachinko,” as part of The Queen’s Reading Room. Lee shared the news on Twitter, where she wrote, “Her Majesty recommends. She read my second novel.”
“Am honoured (British spelling). In London right now researching and interviewing for the revision of my third novel, and Her Majesty’s generous remarks feel like a miracle. Grateful,” Lee added.
In her review, Camillo wrote of the book on the Queen’s Reading Room, “This is a really powerful presentation of women’s resilience and grit in the face of adversity. ‘Pachinko’ is an expansive, multigenerational epic which offers a fascinating insight into life for Koreans in Japan in the 20th century. A moving and memorable read.”
Published in 2017, the historical fiction novel was Lee’s second. The book was a finalist for the National Book Award for Fiction and was adapted into a series by Apple TV+ in March 2022.
The first season of “Pachinko” was a success for the streamer, which quickly ordered a second season. Show creator Soo Hugh said in a statement, “Words cannot express my joy in being able to continue telling the extraordinary story of this indomitable family. I’m grateful to the amazing team at Apple and Media Res studio for believing and supporting this show and to our passionate fans who have cheered us on. It’s an honor to be able to continue working with this amazing cast and crew.”
The show’s second season will continue to tell the tale of “war and peace, love and loss, triumph and reckoning. The new season will continue the riveting story that spans generations and is told across three languages – Korean, Japanese and English.”
The Queen’s Reading Room is Queen Camilla’s charity and book club. Its stated aim is to champion literature from the U.K. and beyond and “to celebrate and promote the power and benefits of reading and is on a mission to help more people find and connect with books which enrich their lives.”
The book club began with an Instagram post in January 2021 about Charlie Mackesy’s “The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse.”
The Queen’s Reading Room also launched a podcast by the same name in January.
