Reviews tagging 'Suicide'

La vegetariana by Han Kang

85 reviews

drinkthefloor's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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

5.0

i think that i am genuinely quite in shock after finishing this unassuming, slim little book. perhaps that is also a metaphor for the content of this novel too. a haunting tale told by unreliable narration, handling themes of ethics, bodily autonomy, societal pressures, family dynamics and mental illness. ‘if everything hadn’t splintered apart, then perhaps she was the one who would have broken down’ is a perfect quote that encapsulates my reading experience. i am quite literally breathless and so on edge. easily one of the most meaningful books i’ve read this year, or more likely, ever. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Blood, Violence, and Medical content

Moderate: Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, and Suicide

hallowini's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Blood, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Eating disorder, Suicide, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Sexual content, and Emotional abuse

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

Moderate: Blood

Minor: Alcohol

lemonadecat's review against another edition

5.0

Have you ever read a book that, when you finish, you just have to sit there and chew on it for a while? Like, the rest of your day is sort of a fog because it's so heavy on you? That's this book.

I was drawn to this book immediately because of the themes; I'll admit that I'm a sucker for books about deranged and somewhat violent women. However, what I got when reading this was miles different than what I was expecting. I still feel unsettled about the content a month later writing this review, but to my best knowledge, that's the intent. To make you question society, women's place in it, how mental health is treated, and to haunt you a bit. And it does that excellently and tastefully without sacrificing grit and nuance.

I will warn readers in advance that there is some potentially triggering content. The book has mentions and some brief depictions of rape, sexual assault, abuse, and eating disorders. A massive theme in this book is "the male gaze" and the subjugation of women who are seen as "other" or less than. There are sections that are written from the perspective of, without spoiling much, a male who is sexually violent in bursts. Typically, I struggle to get through rape/sexual assault scenes and mentions of it in literature. However, the writing in this book is masterfully done and does not lean sympathetically or gratuitously in any way when referencing such violence. In fact, it made me feel seen as a survivor, even if it was a deeply upsetting topic to push through.

Honestly, this book left me at a loss for words. I say that as a compliment. It is few and far between that a book leaves me this shaken. There is so much to unpack in such a short book that I feel like I could dedicate a day to mulling it over and still be left with a feeling of unease.

***** - Five stars

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Mental illness, Medical content, Forced institutionalization, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Eating disorder, Blood, and Death

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Suicide, Sexual violence, and Sexual content

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

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

radarmagi's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Rape, Violence, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Medical trauma

_dani's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Forced institutionalization, Suicide, and Eating disorder

syahnazquamila's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Blood, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Vomit, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

baileyt2424's review against another edition

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

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Suicide, Body horror, Confinement, Dysphoria, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, and Violence

tsuntsundoku's review against another edition

challenging dark 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? It's complicated

3.0

I read this in one session. I have no idea how to articulate this book. 

Well, it’s dark. Very dark. And…intense. Boy, was it intense. Make sure to read the content warnings; you’ll need it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Eating disorder, Sexual violence, Suicide, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide attempt, and Violence

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Animal death, Physical abuse, and Animal cruelty