Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

The Vegetarian by Han Kang

30 reviews

abicaro17's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

This is hard because while I enjoyed the symbolism and literary quality of this book, it also contains numerous instances of gratuitous violence, eating disorders, and abuse. I came into this book thinking it was a horror book based on the cover and implications in the synopsis. It is a horror book but not like I thought. The way women are treated in this book is the truly horrifying part. Rape, abuse, sexualisation, more rape etc. I really enjoyed the intentional slow decent for Yeong-hye into having zero control over her life despite every attempt to prevent it. I think the execution is just so violent that this book is soured for any attempt at resolution. Especially when the resolution is the sister abandoning her child?! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

iloveboogie's review against another edition

dark sad tense fast-paced

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

4.25

intense, graphic look into the struggles and breaking point of women forced into submission 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Blood, and Gaslighting

alygoel16's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, and Dysphoria

frenchvanillapowdercreamer's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

tiernanhunter's review

challenging dark tense fast-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, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, and Gaslighting

Minor: Ableism

faithrose16's review against another edition

It is very vivid with the descriptions of animal cruelty in the book

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Excrement, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

leonormsousa's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.5

REPRESENTATION 

Korean cast, mental health 

QUOTE 

“The feeling that she had never really lived in this world caught her by surprise. It was a fact. She had never lived. Even as a child, as far back as she could remember, she had done nothing but endure. She had believed in her own inherent goodness, her humanity, and lived accordingly, never causing anyone harm. Her devotion to doing things the right way had been unflagging, all her successes had depended on it, and she would have gone on like that indefinitely. She didn't understand why, but faced with those decaying buildings and straggling grasses, she was nothing but a child who had never lived.” 

WHAT I ENJOYED 

• the violence and weirdness → it took me a little aback at first, but I’m here for it!
• the underlying message (and no, this is not a book about vegetarianism)
• the different POVs allow us to see the story from different perspectives but also contribute to the idea that the MC does not have a voice
• it’s a beautifully written book, even when it’s ugly
• the way it stuck on the back of my head and does not let me go
• I know it’s a book that I’m gonna enjoy even more the second time around

WHAT I DIDN'T ENJOY

• very, very minor but there were points, especially in the dreams sections, where it became a bit confusing for me

READ IF YOU ENJOY

• character-focused books
• a dark, bizarre and disturbing vibe
• unhinged women
• hidden meanings
• different views on life
• non-lovable and flawed characters
• underlying critics of sexist societies

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Dysphoria

jbcrue's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Chronic illness, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

nabila99's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Gaslighting

Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, Sexual content, Vomit, Medical content, and Medical trauma

soyboi's review against another edition

dark reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Gaslighting