Reviews tagging 'Medical content'

The Vegetarian by Han Kang

250 reviews

crybabybea's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

Kafka-esque exploration of autonomy and the violence that people, especially women, face under patriarchal standards and the pressure to conform socially and culturally. Bizarre is a great descriptor for this, it's definitely the weirdest book I've ever read. Definite elements of horror here with lots of gory imagery, especially about animals and meat. The overall tone of the novel is extremely alienated and isolated, as the story revolves around the main character, Yeong-hye, but is never written in her POV. Instead, we see her descent into psychosis through the eyes of three people in her family; her husband, her brother-in-law, and her sister. 

This is clearly a novel that was written with the intention to make readers think and reflect, I think it is a testament to Han Kang's skill as a writer that everyone comes away from this experience with different thoughts and analyses. 

The writing is super allegorical and it's clear that each event happens for a reason and is designed to make the reader reflect and analyze. I found the writing style to be the main issue that kept me from giving it 5 stars; it jumped around in POV and tense, which, although it was written very well, became hard to follow at times.

I definitely feel like there were bits that went over my head and this is a book that deserves a reread with more concentration and reflection.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Eating disorder, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Incest

Very graphic depictions of animal torture and death. Not quite incest but the

main character's brother-in-law has a sexual obsession with her and ends up assaulting her.

There are multiple depictions of abuse against the mentally ill main character, both at home and in a mental facility.

kiri's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Pregnancy

kelisabeth's review against another edition

dark tense fast-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

angorarabbit's review

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

5.0

TLDR: Anything I write is trite compared to this book. I would advise taking it slow and reading something lighter in-between sessions. 

 

A masterclass. It is not just about how others react to the diet a family member but a visceral depiction of the effects of childhood abuse and mental illness on the individual and family members. 

 

There are 4 points of view: Yeong-hye, her husband, brother-in-law, and sister. In the end all four are devastated, though perhaps the husband is the least affected. It is a book that will stay with me for a long time and haunt my dreams.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Incest and Alcohol

I skipped 5 paragraphs 25% of the way in due to graphic animal abuse/killing. The protagonists thoughts include disturbing depictions of slaughter and molestation of animals. There are graphic depictions of food including meat.

westernsunshine's review against another edition

challenging dark medium-paced

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

violargento's review against another edition

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content

tsundokuu's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Eating disorder, Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, and Medical content

heartofhorrors's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Eating disorder, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Injury/Injury detail

bridge_to_narnia's review

dark 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

2.25

Well written, but I don't think it was for me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Suicide attempt, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

dawndiscusses's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.0

The most endearing part was Han's exploration of the impossibility of a truly ethical life, the impact of which I think has softened to some of the other perceived flaws others have pointed out. I'm generally not a fan of art that requires extra research (e.g. author interviews, discussion threads etc) to get a grasp on, but in this case I'm glad I followed my curiosity. Having watched Han discuss the project and reading a lot of the wonderful clarity provided by people in this community, I am moved by her willingness to open herself up and confront a subject matter that has plagued her for so long. Not in attempt to find a solution, but in the desire to explore what it means to be human. For that alone and the earnestness with which both she and translator Deborah Smith carried this project out, I really enjoyed it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Eating disorder, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Minor: Domestic abuse