Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'

The Vegetarian by Han Kang

614 reviews

vilmuska's review against another edition

2.75

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Body horror, Child abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Vomit, Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Abandonment

hannacolm's review against another edition

3.75

dark fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Physical abuse, Rape, Forced institutionalization, Blood

Moderate: Animal death

thomasina's review against another edition

2.0

challenging dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

Loveable characters: No

---

I didn't enjoy it. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis

viireads's review against another edition

2.5

dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Rape, Vomit

Moderate: Animal death, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship

Minor: Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Blood

doormango's review against another edition

4.0

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization

christineazopf's review against another edition

3.75

challenging dark reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

---

From a literary perspective this book is challenging and thought provoking. There’s a lot of ways to analyze the text. I would not recommend to someone for a casual read

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Injury/Injury detail

amris's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional sad tense

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Mental illness, Rape, Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Abandonment

karmachamillionaire's review against another edition

3.0

dark emotional sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt

Moderate: Body shaming, Chronic illness, Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Blood

Minor: Vomit

jennazim's review against another edition

3.5

challenging dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Eating disorder, Rape, Self harm, Forced institutionalization, Suicide attempt

carojust's review against another edition

3.75

dark mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

---

It's a given that the hype behind a book really dilutes the experience of reading it, as I kept expecting the wrong things from "The Vegetarian." It wasn't shocking material like reviewers say, but quite the opposite -- a delicate, honest portrait of two sisters dissolving from the construct of reality, and the lost men tethered to them.

This short book is told in three parts, from the perspectives of Yeong-hye's husband, her brother-in-law and her older sister, In-hye. Yeong-hye is the vegetarian, her decision to fiercely avoid meat ends up disrupting her loveless marriage and her already strained relationship with her family. It offends them. Her wasted, bra-less body offends them.

I appreciate the metaphors and message of this story, and there's a lot to deconstruct. Considering the vitriol that comes with any mention of feminism, and women continuing to lack agency and safety, this book's horror feels so dampened by today's reality.

The way this ends will leave you emptier than how it starts, so be warned if you're not into that.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Injury/Injury detail