Reviews tagging 'Chronic illness'

The Vegetarian by Han Kang

51 reviews

wellreadsquid's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense 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

4.5

This was an intense and difficult read, one I'm happy to have completed. Watching the way everyone experienced Yeong-hye suffering while Yeong-hye never once got a say in her suffering was so disheartening. I'm going to be writing a much longer review on my blog if you want my full thoughts. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Physical abuse, Vomit, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Ableism, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Chronic illness, and Blood

There is Marital Rape in this book so read with caution.

jay_hobday's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Confinement, Eating disorder, Infertility, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Dysphoria

thefearlessfrock's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

This book is extraordinary but I still feel something's missing.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

It's really heavy.

jamesdavid's review

dark reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Dementia, Medical trauma, and Suicide attempt

kaiulanilee's review against another edition

challenging 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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body shaming, Bullying, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Alcoholism, Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Vomit, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Alcohol

jbcrue's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Chronic illness, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

aelunny's review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

4.5

Um wow. I was definitely misled by a book reviewer to this book and it took me completely by surprise.

Very, very well written and this was an excellent translation. It's truly one of those novels thats also a work of art. That being said, the content of this book is most accurately described as disturbing. I have so so so many thoughts and I feel like I need to write an essay about this book, but the number one theme that I keep coming back to to is the objectification of women. Our protagonist (Yeong-hye) is viewed by a different person in each of the three parts and is reduced to a role in each of them. I also think a lot of people are saying her actions in the book are to enact agency on her life, but I think that by viewing it this way we are also objectifying her as a character in a book. The fact we never see the story told from Yeong-hye's perspective and our narrators never have a real conversation trying to understand what is going on in her head, makes me believe we cannot presume what her motivations are.

Please read all content warnings, as a lot of the depictions are really graphic.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Chronic illness, Confinement, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Dementia and Abandonment

refrejarator's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Full of symbolism. A bloody blend of eroticism, gore, beauty, and emotionality.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, and Medical trauma

nabila99's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Gaslighting

Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, Sexual content, Vomit, Medical content, and Medical trauma

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