Reviews tagging 'Suicide'

La vegetariana by Han Kang

86 reviews

tinyjude's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

Definitely a book you needed time to digest...

It certainly deals with very heavy topics (eating disorders, suicide, violence, rape, abusive relationships, self-harm, etc) although I don't think she was trying to romanticize them, but rather, critique them and expose them to the public that is still judging and ostricizing anyone who suffers from any condition and doesn't follow the norms. In the edition that I read, at the beginning and at the end there were a few explanations and extracts from interviews with the author and translator that gave a more insight look on the story. I don't think this is a story that you can fully understand and value with a first reading, but rather you need to re-read it after time has passed and think a lot about what she tried to say with the metaphors.

Several parts made me uncomfortable

such as the numerous non-consensual scenes between the male characters (her husband and her brother-in-law) and the protagonist or the poor J., who I wonder how he must have felt after leaving that apartment. I especially enjoyed the writing, simple but full of ideas and metaphors of society in general and violence, and how the author decided to use the voices of Yeonghye's husband, brother-in-law and sister instead of her own. I think it was really powerful and made her character even more interesting as well as it showed us the contrast between how she was repulsed by violence and her husband and brother-in-law had many violent/disgusting thoughts.

I cannot say I loved it, because there are many things wrong with this book in the themes that she decided to present, they are heavy and left me numb or with the feeling that I needed to take a break/throw up, but I absolutely enjoyed it after so many disappointing readings and I want to read more of Han Kang. Maybe it's because I seek sometimes for this type of writing that leaves me uncomfortable and itchy, so I am able to digest these type of things and not be scared by the gruesome descriptions of her nightmares and hard depictions of human condition. I don't know, but eitherway, I genuinely enjoyed this reading.

In addition, I was fascinated with her sister's point of view. I thought that maybe she would turn her back on Yeonghye after her husband raped Yeonghye, but I was greatly surprised to see how she was the only family member that remained by her side and even slightly understood her and shared some feelings. It felt powerful and even beautiful after the horrendous narrative of Yeonghye's husband and brother-in-law. I understood her character and wanted to protect both of them so much by the end of the novel. I also felt extremely sad and angry knowing how their father abused them, especially Yeonghye, so I cannot say I don't understand why they both feel like they do in the novel. It must have been extremely hard to live like this and they are both really strong characters.

The only reason why I don't give this book a 5 it's because the sexual and physical violence was too much at some point, but that was exactly the point of the book, so I am still debating... either way, it's not an easy read... 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Eating disorder, Suicide, and Self harm

afriske's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Forced institutionalization, Infidelity, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

mbauer97's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Eating disorder, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Mental illness

bene_velle's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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

4.5

After finishing this book I was left confused and tense. I was initially completelly hooked by the writing and I easily devoured one third of the book. The writing is so vivid and well done that some parts especially towards the second and the third chapter became almost unbearable. The writing style is incredible. The subject matter is on the other hand is heavy and delicate to describe.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Blood, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Violence

Moderate: Misogyny and Violence

Minor: Domestic abuse

daneelolivaw's review against another edition

dark reflective tense fast-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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

whatellisreadnext's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious medium-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: Blood, Child abuse, Confinement, Eating disorder, Medical content, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Self harm, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Suicide, and Vomit

lisaearley's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Eating disorder, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, and Suicide

breauseph's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Medical content, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit

melodramaticbotanist's review against another edition

dark 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

4.0

 I devoured this book parallel to the way in which predators prey on meat as described in the book. Yeong-hye seemed difficult to understand yet all too familiar to me. She reminded me of someone in my own life and reading through the different perspectives of the book, I could see myself in their thoughts and monologues. To live a non-conforming life in a strongly collectivist society as Korea was incredibly eye-opening. As a Westerner, it's difficult to understand why such a lifestyle change like vegetarian or veganism might be difficult but reading this book helped to paint a better picture of why this may be so. I couldn't help but want to believe in Yeong-hye's narrative so badly as I even got sucked into it, but as the story got stronger and her actions became more extreme, I began to see the intricacies of mental illness creep through.

  Throughout the entire novel, there is mention of a dream from Yeong-hye and the book ends with In-hye whispering in her sister's ear of having to wake up from the dream or else an unmentionable consequence will occur. In-hye quietly confesses to herself of her past suicidal ideations but inability to carry out the act for her son recounts a dream of a white bird in tears -thus, she continues to carry the burdens of others and not let her so called dreams become a reality. The ending scene has In-hye defiantly looking at the trees as she whispers this to Yeong-Hye. 

  Powerful, primitive, reflective. I will think about this for a while, I can tell. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicide, and Violence

gladiolus17's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Blood