Reviews tagging 'Chronic illness'

The Vegetarian by Han Kang

52 reviews

bananavc's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

4.5

so difficult to read because it just feels so unbelievable but the way that it's so grounded in reality is baffling. if you're interested in gender and society in the context of Korea, this is a good but difficult read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, and Dysphoria

svoeti's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Suicide attempt

knottmad's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-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

4.0

This book is not for the faint of heart. It's deeply disturbing. The last part is the part that makes the whole book worth reading. This is not a traditional horror story. It has a sense of distrubing banality to it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

sakisreads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark slow-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

2.5

I’m still not sure what to think of this book (perhaps it’s because I’ve just finished it). The vivid imagery was so interesting but also hard to take in at times; there were moments where I felt I had to gasp as it was so intense. I am waiting for my friend to read it so we can have more of a discussion. The conversations around mental illness and such were very intriguing; overall a thought-provoking book. Not one I think I’ll come back to though 🥲

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Suicide attempt, and Dysphoria

scruffie's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

Edit on August 2023: 5 stars ⭐

A very difficult read for me, unbearably graphic and exceptionally dark. I'll probably find myself thinking about the contents of this book for years to come. Unless I'm seriously deluded, this book is not about vegetarianism.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Abandonment

Minor: Alcoholism

atticusbinch's review against another edition

dark 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? Yes

There’s something profoundly sad about this novel that left me feeling deeply empathetic toward Yeong-hye. This is a woman that had endured so much, but spoken very little on her collective tragedies. All of the men in her life have sucked her essence away and misused her trust in them. The only person that even begins to understand is her sister, In-hye, and even she is at a loss for words. It’s interesting that there are so few moments in this novel that indicate what Yeong-hye is going through and even those seldom moments are portrayed as passing thoughts; not truly giving a well-rounded few of who Yeong used to be, has became, and the fate that she has sealed for herself. I hurt for her, and I hope that at least she finds some peace in the afterlife after everything that’s happened to her. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Violence

Moderate: Chronic illness, Eating disorder, Forced institutionalization, and Suicide attempt

sunsetcity's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment

deborah_green's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Chronic illness, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Injury/Injury detail

varshe's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective tense medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness and Eating disorder

Minor: Animal cruelty

axlndra's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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

5.0

This book isn’t plainly good, it sucks you in instead. 
The psych ward and the patients there are presented in a very realistic way.
Heartbreaking, shocking, deeply touching.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Sexual harassment