Reviews tagging 'Terminal illness'

The Vegetarian by Han Kang

24 reviews

v_____'s review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Bevor meine Frau zur Vegetarierin wurde, hielt ich sie in jeder Hinsicht für völlig unscheinbar...

Wer sich in Han Kangs "Die Vegetarierin" ein Plädoyer für vegetarische Ernährung erwartet ist hier leider fehl am Platz.
Nichtsdestotrotz würde ich dieses Buch empfehlen, auch wenn es nichts für schwache Nerven ist und ein paar echt heftige Szenen enthält.
Ich werde hier erst mal keine Triggerwarnung platzieren, um nicht zu sehr zu spoilern, aber ich denke man kann sich schon auf den ersten Seiten, anhand des Tons, denken, in welche Richtung es (unter anderem) gehen wird.

Das Buch ist in drei Kapitel aufgeteilt und jedes wird aus der Sicht einer anderen Person geschildert. Interessant ist dabei, dass die Hauptperson Yeong-Hye aka "Die Vegetarierin" nicht selbst zu Wort kommt. Wir wissen also nur über sie, was die Anderen sich über sie zusammenreimen, wie sie ihre Körperhaltungen oder Handlungen interpretieren und was sie in seltenen Gesprächen von sich gibt. Die Anderen, das sind in Kapitel 1 ihr Ehemann, in Kapitel 2 ihr Schwager (der Mann ihrer Schwester In-Hye) und in Kapitel 3 In-Hye.
Soviel zum Aufbau, ACHTUNG ab jetzt können SPOILER vorkommen.

<u>Zum Inhalt:</u>
Eines Tages erklärt Yeong-Hye ihrem Mann aus heiterem Himmel, dass sie sich fortan nur noch vegetarisch ernähren wird, denn sie hatte einen "Traum". Ihr Mann (auf den ich hier nicht weiter eingehen werde, da er einfach die größte smallest man who ever lived-energy hat, die ich je in einem Buch gelesen habe und mich nur aggressiv werden lässt), versteht dies nicht, nimmt es aber hin, mit der Sorge, was dies nun für ihn und sein Leben bedeuten wird. Nach einiger Zeit wird Yeong-Hye immer magerer und schläft auch kaum mehr. Bei einem Familienessen kommt es zu einer Konfrontation, bei dem die Familie sie auffordert, Fleisch zu essen. Die Situation eskaliert dahingehen, dass sich Yeong-Hyes gesundheitlicher Zustand immer weiter verschlechtert und deutlich wird, dass es sich nicht (nur) um ein physisches Problem handelt, sondern hauptsächliches um ein psychisches.

Interessanterweise ist das Vegetarier-Thema eher eine Randerscheinung, eine Aufmachung, die die ganze Handlung anstößt. Es ist ein Deckmantel, für darunterliegende Probleme und Missstände, die Schicht für Schicht zum Vorschein kommen. Um welche Themen es nun wirklich geht, möchte ich hier nicht spoilern. Für mich war genau das so besonders, dass man dieses Buch zwar liest und die Handlung verfolgt, aber nachdem man fertig ist, immer noch darüber nachdenkt. Ich persönlich habe Verständnis für die Protagonistin und sie tut mir furchtbar leid. Mit der Veränderung ihrer Ernährungsgewohnheiten, hat sie ihr Leben selbst in die Hand genommen und die Kontrolle über sich widererlangt. Aber zu welchem Preis? 

Zum Schluss möchte ich noch kurz den Schreibstil loben! Ich war einfach von Seite 1 dabei, und auch wenn manche Stellen unangenehm, ekelhaft oder gewaltvoll waren, hat mich die Autorin mitgetragen und in den Zeilen danach wieder abgeholt.

... Das Leben ist schon seltsam, denkt sie sich nach einem Lachanfall. Egal, was passiert, selbst nach einem schrecklichen Ereignis isst man, trinkt man, geht auf die Toilette, wäscht sich. Kurz, das Leben geht weiter. Manchmal amüsiert man sich sogar...

- Die Vegetarierin, 90%

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, and Suicide attempt

danimacuk's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Infidelity, Mental illness, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Terminal illness, and Blood

Minor: Body shaming, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Vomit, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

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

cuddlygryphon's review against another edition

emotional 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? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Blood, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Ableism, Animal death, Child abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail

ixris's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail

Well paced and fascinating

hannaheinhorn's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense slow-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

1.5

because many people with mental health are already silenced when telling their own stories, this book rubbed me the WRONG way. i disliked the author’s choice to describe various violent instances (specifically the multiple rapes) by gratuitously showing it through the brother-in-law’s perspective and the husband’s perspective. i’ve read far grimmer stories but this one grossed me out, especially because of the pedophilic overtones when describing yeong-hye’s emaciated body. i feel like the author did exactly what she was trying to critique, which is ridiculous.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Pedophilia, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail

thomasdj's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective slow-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

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Vomit, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Abandonment

gossameralbum's review against another edition

dark reflective 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

5.0

i can not stop thinking about this book. overall it is about the absence of autonomy for women, in every way imaginable.
definitely check content warnings and do not take them lightly, as most of them are very graphic and haunting.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Alcoholism

seagullsaga's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Confinement, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Blood

Minor: Alcohol

emily_lloyd's review against another edition

dark tense slow-paced

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

2.0

I went into this book pretty blind and did not realize it’s more of a horror-psychological book. The book contains three narrators describing their sister/wife/SIL downfall into anorexia and schizophrenia. I get the author was trying to write about how humans cannot be innocent being but the book was uncomfortable. Booktok did me dirty with this recommendation 😅 Highly considered DNF, but the book is very short 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Rape, Self harm, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Vomit, Suicide attempt, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Body horror, Chronic illness, Blood, and Classism