Reviews tagging 'Sexual harassment'

The Vegetarian by Han Kang

47 reviews

saint_eleanor's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I really loved this book, it was so heartbreaking and weird. Some of it seemed kinds on-the-nose but i lack the cultural background to appreciate 100% of the writing. Its really interesting how vegetarianism is received in Korean culture, though obviously the vegetarian aspect was more of a metaphor for going against the grain as a woman, and also picked up major  anti-consumerism anti-individualism vibes, the people in the MC’s life can’t fathom that she would want to do something for herself or have her own thoughts that conflict with High Society, and it ultimately breaks her. If you like this book you should watch Kotoko (2011)

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Misogyny, and Sexual harassment

alexiasp's review against another edition

dark tense medium-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

2.0

What did I just read? I am disturbed.
This is marketed as a "feminist" novel (I guess?), but it seems to be more about Yeong-Hye's mental illness? 

Yeah I am confused. Also, this has literally every trigger warning.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Blood, Animal death, Cursing, Eating disorder, Mental illness, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Body shaming, Medical content, and Sexism

tangerinejellies's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Eating disorder, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Animal cruelty, Sexism, Domestic abuse, Animal death, Infidelity, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Sexual assault, Gaslighting, and Suicide

vncavalcanti's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Rape, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, Mental illness, Grief, Sexual harassment, and Misogyny

Moderate: Emotional abuse and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders

samihami's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

I couldn’t find sense in it. +3 stars for the creative narrative style and the theme of culture, traditions, and going against them. -2 because it seems

like vegetarianism is a sign of mental condition (since Yeong-hye ends up having an ed, attempts suicide, dissociates completely, and exhibits unusual behaviour) and because it just didn’t make sense to me. The dream inputs in the beginning were confusing, the characters seemed to have been quite one dimensional and Yeong-hye’s mental state just felt out of place and a little but silly. 

 
Though I must say I enjoyed the depiction of

marital SA as that rarely gets acknowledged or represented and isn’t commonly shown so realistically as it is The Vegetarian.

Overall it’s okay but wouldn’t recommend it to someone out of nowhere or reread it. 

Keep in mind that this can be triggering for some. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Domestic abuse, Medical content, Medical trauma, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Blood, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, and Body shaming

Moderate: Eating disorder

Minor: Abandonment

maidmee's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Rape, and Sexual harassment

laraamaee's review against another edition

4.5

Wow…I read it mostly in one sitting…I’m blown away… This was a shocking read, from the animal abuse to the sexual violence, to the mental illness… As a vegan…this was certainly interesting. How do we live with the guilt of harming/eating animals? with being human and all that that entails? with the violence inflicted upon us—especially from men abusing their power under the patriarchy? Lots to think about………..

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Murder, Violence, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Vomit, Animal death, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Animal cruelty, and Eating disorder

itsjoenna's review

dark emotional sad tense medium-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

Reading the first two chapters was terrifying, I felt overwhelmed and confused the whole time. Then, I read the last chapter and... I felt scared, sad and tense. It was hard to keep reading. The ending is okay, I think it's a perfect fit for this book to end that way.

I honestly not sure if I love it or not, but 4 stars is the right score for me. Oddly enough, I can see myself re-reading this book over and over again.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Eating disorder, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, and Suicide attempt

lakeofwords's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? No

3.0

Very well written. Very disturbing. I don't know if I fully "get it", at some point this just feels like... I don't know, torture porn? It feels very weird in a way I can't put my finger on. It's a book about women suffering at the hands of society and men, but it doesn't really get any deeper on its criticism, it's mainly just putting it out there so people see the wreckage and think about it. I understand the choice of not giving us the protagonists perspective at all, giving her even less agency in the whole thing, but I still wish it had, I wish we got to know what she was experiencing. I'm very unsettled about it, some scenes stuck with me and I wish they hadn't. Anyway, fuck men and I am gonna stop reading litfic for a whiiiile.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, and Eating disorder

Moderate: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Medical trauma, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit

risemini's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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? No

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Misogyny, and Sexism