Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'

The Vegetarian by Han Kang

343 reviews

kayleepopovich's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense 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

4.25

A beautifully written read about the tragedy of being a woman. Being the object of men's desires, anger, derision, amazement, mystery, and all the classic but ever relevant aspects of being a woman Different from the Others are front and center in this story, but in a biting and mocking way at the expense of the men and society at large. The extreme degree to which Kang takes the notion that a woman is mentally ill for wanting bodily and psychological autonomy illustrates how simply perverse the things we as a society expect of women and the things we let men get away with. It was a compelling and emotionally difficult read, and all the more powerful. I actually think the pace could have slowed down a bit, and the book could have been 20 to 30 percent longer to really build the climax up. Would recommend to someone wanting a tense but rather quick read that packs a punch. Beautifully translated as well.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Eating disorder, Self harm, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Dysphoria

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Suicide attempt

lalu's review against another edition

dark mysterious

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

3.0

Ich hab's nicht gerafft.
Ich kann mir richtig gut vorstellen, wie dieses Buch im Deutschunterricht* auseinander genommen und bis zum geht nicht mehr interpretiert wird. Sowas lag mir nie, dafür bin ich einfach eine zu oberflächliche Leserin.

Der Sexismus und die Objektifizierung der Frauen, welche von den männlichen Figuren ausging, hat mich tierisch aufgeregt, aber ich glaube das war auch der Sinn...? Aber ich bin wie gesagt nicht immer mitgekommen, und das lag nur zum Teil daran, dass ich das Hörbuch gehört habe.

Aber hey, ich habe eine weitere Nobelpreisträgerin abhaken können und habe einen Ausflug aus meiner Komfortzone raus gemacht.

* so ein krasses Buch in der Schule lesen? Das wird doch nie passieren! Naja, also ich durfte in der Schule Das Parfum (Mord & Massenorgie), Räuberhände (Sex mit der Mutter des besten Freundes), Die Leiden des jungen Werther (Suizid) und Homo Faber (Sex mit der eigenen Tochter) lesen. Da reihen sich (Spoiler für die content warnings)

Vergewaltigung, häusliche Gewalt, versuchter Suizid und eine Essstörung

doch wunderbar ein. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, and Suicide attempt

husky's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, and Suicide attempt

jenlengland's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad 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: Eating disorder, Mental illness, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Rape, Self harm, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Child abuse, Blood, and Abandonment

shushkeepitdown's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

2.0

Society fails another woman with mental illness.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Suicide attempt, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Vomit, and Injury/Injury detail

fetchingdecafe's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Eating disorder, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Forced institutionalization, and Suicide attempt

leonorb's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.75

It’s not the type of book I feel like I can recommend to everyone. 😬
Though I hated one character and their actions, the writing still made the book somewhat enjoyable.

Def check content warnings on this one. Because it isn’t a book on vegetarianism 😅

[Purchased a week before the Nobel prize was announced]

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, and Medical content

ebp's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body shaming, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, Medical content, Grief, and Dysphoria

eloisereading's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Dementia, and Suicide attempt

alyssatuininga's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad 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

5.0

I am not sure that I have the words to review this book yet. I can absolutely see why it was awarded The Novel Prize and The Booker Prize. It was heartbreaking, rage-inducing, disgusting, visceral, raw and painfully real. This is not a simple book about a woman who decides to become a vegetarian. This is a book about society,  bodily autonomy, patriarchy, family structure and responsibilities, abuse, mental illness. The list could go on and on. The writing is gorgeous and the characters are so real it is almost painful. I will have more to say at some point but for now I know that this book will be on my mind for a VERY long time. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Suicide attempt, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis