Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

The Vegetarian by Han Kang

358 reviews

littlefroggy's review

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Eating disorder, and Self harm

Moderate: Sexual content, Misogyny, and Sexual assault

ciaranolio's review

challenging dark reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

A thoughtful, incredibly depressing novel about a mentally ill woman's abuse at the hands of her family after she decides to become a vegetarian. Translated from Korean, this novel switches between the vivid and the matter-of-fact masterfully. I was not taken by the literary style, but that may be a side-effect of translation, and the book is undeniably very powerful. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Rape, Eating disorder, Self harm, Forced institutionalization, and Domestic abuse

slim_pixie's review

dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Rape, Sexual assault, and Suicide attempt

carmentxx's review

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

tlasata's review

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? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Self harm, Sexual content, Body horror, Body shaming, Mental illness, Blood, and Suicide attempt

sangavisugumar's review

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

_gayser's review

dark emotional reflective tense medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Blood, Self harm, and Rape

solyluna's review

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, and Eating disorder

camillekurtz's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

3.25

compelling and redeeming narrative structure 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Eating disorder, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Rape, Suicide, Sexual assault, and Self harm

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