Reviews tagging 'Animal cruelty'

The Vegetarian by Han Kang

178 reviews

sophia_m_w's review against another edition

challenging emotional tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Animal cruelty, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Self harm, Gore, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Forced institutionalization, Suicide attempt, and Blood

Moderate: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Self harm

velvet_young's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Rape, Animal death, Mental illness, Eating disorder, Sexual assault, and Sexism

zenzi2read's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, and Animal cruelty

caseyjayner's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Terrible, awful read which is an accurate portrayal of the madness that can ensue when a person is resigned to their helpless fate of repeated abuse.  I think this is meant as a horror, but honestly I related a lot to the main character, her choices, her vacancy, and the ways everyone around her repeatedly dismissed her autonomy the few times she asserted it. 
The men in this book are written in contrast to the women- never using names and only referring to their own hungers and the ways they unabashedly pursue them.

I thought this book was going to be about pure OCD, but I was terribly wrong.  

Also- marital rape was still legal a the time this was published in South Korea. Seriously strong trigger warnings here

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Misogyny, Eating disorder, Violence, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Rape, and Domestic abuse

flyawaytinker's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Rape, Mental illness, Sexual assault, and Animal death

laraamaee's review against another edition

4.5

Wow…I read it mostly in one sitting…I’m blown away… This was a shocking read, from the animal abuse to the sexual violence, to the mental illness… As a vegan…this was certainly interesting. How do we live with the guilt of harming/eating animals? with being human and all that that entails? with the violence inflicted upon us—especially from men abusing their power under the patriarchy? Lots to think about………..

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Murder, Violence, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Vomit, Animal death, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Animal cruelty, and Eating disorder

lakeofwords's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? No

3.0

Very well written. Very disturbing. I don't know if I fully "get it", at some point this just feels like... I don't know, torture porn? It feels very weird in a way I can't put my finger on. It's a book about women suffering at the hands of society and men, but it doesn't really get any deeper on its criticism, it's mainly just putting it out there so people see the wreckage and think about it. I understand the choice of not giving us the protagonists perspective at all, giving her even less agency in the whole thing, but I still wish it had, I wish we got to know what she was experiencing. I'm very unsettled about it, some scenes stuck with me and I wish they hadn't. Anyway, fuck men and I am gonna stop reading litfic for a whiiiile.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, and Eating disorder

Moderate: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Medical trauma, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit

minayana's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I finished this book in one sitting and wasn’t able to keep my eyes from the page, but I gotta say I don’t think this book is meant to be enjoyed…..more like you’re supposed to be a witness to the events that happen? PLEASE check the triggers before starting.
This was a hella weird read, and was pushing my brain to it’s limit at times lol. I wish there was more I could say to describe it, but everything is so unique to this book that you just need to read it to get it. I will say, this book is not gonna be for everyone.
Han Kang added so many themes, but above all, this book is about familial and societal dysfunction, what happens to a person (especially women) after living not for yourself but just because there is no other option. When you no longer have any control over your life, whether due to a lifetime of societal expectations or pressures from family or spouses, what left is there to do? 
Definitely a book that leaves a lasting impression, and one that I’ll be thinking about for awhile. I’m not 100% about my rating yet, and it might end up changing the longer I have to think about the book. Currently, 3.5 stars.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Eating disorder, Rape, Sexual content, and Animal cruelty

shangchunsong's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Mental illness, Animal death, Body horror, Blood, Eating disorder, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, Sexual assault, and Suicide attempt

iblyth's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Animal cruelty, Eating disorder, Vomit, Body horror, Animal death, Suicide attempt, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Miscarriage, Rape, Toxic relationship, and Sexual violence