Reviews with content warning for Gore - The Vegetarian

Reviews tagging 'Gore'

The Vegetarian by Han Kang

121 reviews

tilder's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

A feminist piece about two sisters and the darkness they share. A testament to patriarchal structures within families and the health system, Kang supplies ample commentary on the nuance of mental health treatment. I reccomend this book to someone who needs a jolt back to the present, beautiful prose and sharp horror this book checks all the boxes of modern magical realism.

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libellumartinae's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark inspiring reflective fast-paced

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

3.5

Allora questo libro è la definizione di 'fever dream', perché ammetto che non ci ho capito tantissimo, ma ho trovato molto interessanti le diverse analisi riguardanti i temi discussi. E' un libro decisamente forte e intenso, ma lo stile è molto ben fatto e interessante. Voglio leggere di più di questa scrittrice, di sicuro.

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oprah_wimpy's review against another edition

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dark slow-paced

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

1.0

I did not understand the hype of this book. It was all I could do to finish it. I did, but my goodness I did not enjoy it.

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leilorenzo's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

This one packs a punch. Rather, multiple ones. There are MANY trigger warnings, check them out before starting it.
It was interesting reading a piece from a South Korean author (I believe it is a first for me) and I enjoyed how the culture was portrayed throughout the book.
We are shown the slow degeneration of the FMC from three perspectives: her husband's (and a bit of hers), her brother in law's and, finally, her sister's. It deals with themes such as family, nature and humanity, mental illness, being an outcast, and more.

It is very well executed, but I don't think I'll be reading it again.

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snarkycrafter's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

This is Lit Fic, and a very good one at that. But as with all Lit Fic, there are many layers that caused you to critically think and discover the true meaning of the novel. It’s a great book, but not for those who like to have everything spelled out. This book requires you to uncover the meaning of things, the purpose of certain literary choices. It’s not an enjoyable, fluffy read. You will be uncomfortable, you will be confused, you won’t know how you feel sometimes. That’s how I felt, and yet I could not deny that I saw myself in certain things.

I think it’s a very interesting and compelling commentary on gender, norms and societal expectations (especially for women) in South Korean culture.

“Her calm acceptance of all these things made her seem to him something sacred. Whether human, animal, or plant she could not be called a person…”

So dehumanizing of women. Only sacred as long as we remain submissive and pliant.

Her brother in law wants to film her having sex with a man. And is talking about it like it’s a done deal, “if he were to choose a man to have sex with his sister in law it couldn’t be him[self]…” he assumes simply that she’ll be ok with it if he corners her into the situation.

“It’s your body. You can treat it however you please. The only area where you’re free to do just as you like, and even that doesn’t turn out just as you want it.”

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asynhte's review against another edition

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dark 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

3.5

Honestly wasn't really getting this book until I read the 3rd part (and read reddit to 100% understand what was going on lol). I always forget that horror is usually allegorical...

with Yeong-hye's desperate need to become a tree relating to her need to escape the violence and submission she's experienced from the different men in her life.

Without thinking about it in this context, the first 2 parts had me like

"I'm just reading about how South Korean men are shitty to their wives and other women and if I wanted to do that I would just look online".

The 3rd part when

her sister starts to slowly connect the dots was when I started to connect part of the puzzle in my head.

The blurb made me think that it was going to be

the husband, brother-in-law, and sister all fighting for control at the same time, but it was more like one person tries to impose their will onto Yeong-hye and then they leave (asides the sister).

I know some people didn't like how

we didn't get Yeong-hye's POV but I think it makes sense for the story and its message of her trying to regain control from the people in her life (and we get some of her POV in the first part with the description of her dreams).

Very interesting as a think piece, but definitely not for those that are sensitive to graphic content.

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vilmuska's review against another edition

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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

2.75

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emilietje's review against another edition

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dark tense fast-paced

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

2.25

This book contained a lot of triggers for me. Physical and verbal abuse, rape, obsessive behaviour, gore, self-harm and suicide. This made it a very difficult book to read despite me appreciating the thought that went into this thing.
When I was reading the first two chapters, I was missing reflections and/or explanations. I suppose it makes sense that Yeong-hye’s chapter is the most gorey, because her emotions are the most repressed and she has the worst nightmares. I mean, her chapter isn’t even from her point of view, it’s her husband’s. And I suppose it makes sense that the brother-in-law's chapter contains the most discomforting sexual descriptions and misconduct, because, well, that’s his issue. I ended up enjoying In-hye's chapter the most. It was the most introspective and least gruesome one after all. I liked reading her interpretations and her feelings about life and death. I'd say her chapter felt the most cohesive for this exact reason. The gaps between moments of insanity and despair are filled in with her thoughts, and I think the reading experience would’ve been nicer if it had those from the start.
One other thing that I liked –and this might be a spoiler but whatever– is Yeong-hye's whole wanting-to-become-a-tree thing. It's not something I've read before you know? Being deeply unhappy as a human and as an animal, so you try to become a tree in every way until you die from the effects. Idk, this also really shined in that last and third chapter and I really felt for her. Successful and effective portrayal of passive suicide and insanity? Yes!
Regardless of everything I said here, this book was clearly not aimed at a reader like me who can’t handle shit. I totally get that there aren’t meant to be fleshed-out (get it ha ha) thoughts in the beginning, but it just wasn’t my style. I went into this book blind, because I loved Han Kang's The White Book and Human Acts, but I have to say this was almost nothing like those books. The only overlap I can find is the miserable people and the introspection about what it is to be alive. Props to Han Kang for publishing works with what feels like a completely different writing style.

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abbysnofun's review against another edition

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4.0

definitely heed all trigger warnings, but if those don’t put you off you can devour this book in one sitting

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mistydes1re's review against another edition

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i don’t think i’ve ever liked reading at all. the writing and story hasn’t did anything to me!

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