Reviews with content warning for Forced institutionalization - The Vegetarian

Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'

The Vegetarian by Han Kang

617 reviews

misty_kb's review against another edition

3.5

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Content Warnings

markandcover's review against another edition

3.0

dark medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Well... this was... weird. And a little traumatizing.

Content Warnings

gossameralbum's review against another edition

5.0

dark reflective sad tense medium-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

i can not stop thinking about this book. overall it is about the absence of autonomy for women, in every way imaginable.
definitely check content warnings and do not take them lightly, as most of them are very graphic and haunting.

Content Warnings

flavoredfaeman's review against another edition

2.75

dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

annoyedhumanoid's review against another edition

1.0

challenging dark slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

i am really trying to think if there's anything i got out of this book, and i'm coming up blank.
i can't even say it was interesting because i was often bored. it was undeniably disturbing, but that alone doesn't make for a good read. it often read like, "they did this. then they did this. this is what they did." the writing fell so flat that i didn't highlight a single passage. and maybe it went over my head but i couldn't extract any meaning from it, either. after reading others' reviews, none of the mentioned themes held any weight for me, except for patriarchy. just an unpleasant, unenlightening slog. it earned one star because the first part of the three was my favorite, and at least i can say i have a favorite, even though i wouldn't say it was good.

Content Warnings

kangaroo1990's review against another edition

4.0

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

lindsaylhunter's review against another edition

3.0

dark emotional sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

While I liked Deborah Smith's English adaptation of this novella, I still struggle with books that have been translated from one language into another. This one doesn't read as stilted as the likes of novels by Sayaka Murata, but there's still an element of disjointedness that can be hard to push past. Still, a really interesting read on the human body as the last refuge of a woman's sense of self.

Content Warnings