Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

The Vegetarian by Han Kang

188 reviews

lindsaylhunter's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-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

3.0

While I liked Deborah Smith's English adaptation of this novella, I still struggle with books that have been translated from one language into another. This one doesn't read as stilted as the likes of novels by Sayaka Murata, but there's still an element of disjointedness that can be hard to push past. Still, a really interesting read on the human body as the last refuge of a woman's sense of self.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Forced institutionalization, and Blood

Moderate: Sexual violence and Rape

kissgn's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.5

I hate men

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny and Sexual violence

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

lavissa's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense slow-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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Rape, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Violence

lilyadams2's review against another edition

dark emotional sad fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Infidelity, Blood, Eating disorder, Rape, Self harm, Vomit, and Physical abuse

kgreene17's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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

3.25

Just very unsettling and uncomfortable. I almost only read dark books but I found this one affecting my mood quite noticeably in a way I really didn’t like so I put it down. I was almost finished so perhaps I’ll pick it back up down the road and finish the last 40 pages or so but not for awhile
<I ended up completing the book, I did find it engaging and it really has a way of pulling you into it and into the minds of these different characters, however it remains deeply unsettling for the entirety of the book. Perhaps as a person who has struggled with certain mental health issues described in this book, it just affected me really uncomfortably, and I don’t believe this will ever be on a re-read list for me.>

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Vomit, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Eating disorder, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

carmentxx's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

i’ve had to sit on this book before i made a review. i’m used to reading bizarre, disturbing and creepy books but this one may take the cake. there is no better way to describe this book other than bizarrely disturbing. 
i was curious to see if we would ever get yeong-hye’s perspective after we got the perspective of the first two men. spoiler- we don’t. it’s just the sister. it’s a bizarre, disturbing account of a woman’s descent into complete and utter madness from the perspective of people around her who may well be slightly mad as well. the book begs the question- how do we know we’re not all really mad in the same disturbing way these characters are? what is madness? what is the difference between madness in men and in women?

the book isn’t perfect. the pacing is kind of weird where some bits are way too slow and some bits are a bit glossed over. but i was incessantly curious about how kang would end the book- and just as i expected, with lots of questions. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Mental illness, Grief, Dysphoria, Domestic abuse, Death, Body horror, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Self harm, Rape, Sexual violence, and Eating disorder

sangavisugumar's review against another edition

dark reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Rape, Sexual violence, Self harm, and Blood

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

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