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Graphic: Eating disorder, Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Suicide attempt
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, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcoholism, Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Vomit, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcohol
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Suicide attempt
Moderate: Child abuse
Graphic: Body shaming, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Medical trauma, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail
The Vegetarian was deeply unsettling and beautiful and nauseating. The detailed descriptions of violence against female bodies, against traumatized bodies, against physically and mentally ill bodies, were both difficult to read and somewhat empowering in the unapologetic space they gave to these experiences and their effects on those who survive them.
The book is split in three segments. The first is narrated by Mr Cheong, the husband of Yeong-hye, who is the one to turn vegetarian after a recurring nightmare. The second segment is narrated by her brother in law, Yeong,-ho. And the last segment is narrated by her sister In-hye. Especially the first two thirds of the book which were narrated by the male protagonists were deeply uncomfortable. They sexualize the women around them, compartmentalize them into consumable bits that they judge to be sometimes more sometimes less sufficient for their tastes, they obsess over their respective sister-in-law and both of them
The perspective of In-hye at the end of the book is more complex and conflicted. She struggles with the traumas of the violence and neglect in her family along with the fact
Yeong-hye herself has little to no voice in the book which is metaphorically depicted in her growing inability to speak. Her dreams and what conclusions she draws from them, are always focalized through the other characters who judge and seek to change her. And yet, I felt so many of her emotions, her fear and determination and the growing numbness, seep through the pages. Personally, I find this depiction of trauma and a mind that escapes into illnesses that give more simplicity to a violent world, moving and entirely convincing. I could write several more pages about specific aspects of this narrative, the beautiful prose or what it means to me to see stories like this portrayed with attentiveness to the complexity that violence and illness bring to lives. This was a particularly difficult time for me to read this novel but I think it was also one where the depth of this story gave me a certain kind of comfort that can only come from not looking away from deep, gaping wounds and feeling seen.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Graphic: Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship
Moderate: Eating disorder, Infidelity, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief
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, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Injury/Injury detail