Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

The Vegetarian by Han Kang

202 reviews

p0ndscum's review

dark 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

Indigo's 2025 Reading Challenge: Award Winner

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Rape, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Blood, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Vomit and Abandonment

whitneysch's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

4.0

“I have dreams too, you know. Dreams…and I could let myself dissolve into them, let them take me over…but surely the dream isn’t all there is? We have to wake up at some point, don’t we? Because…because then…” 

This is a provocative book…and was, as many other reviewers will tell you, very disturbing. At times crossing lines of comfort to describe grotesque body horror and the equally disturbing unfiltered violent thoughts and actions of the characters. This was both a strength and a downfall of the book. At some points I was so disturbed that it no longer felt like a message was being conveyed and instead was just unnecessary description of the torture a character. Although I must admit that I do agree that often novels need to cross a line to make a point. Thus, this book was a very challenging book for me because the message of the story was very profound and meant to be unsettling, but at what point was that narratively reached… and the disturbing narrative decoration of that message… just grotesquely unnecessary. 

 

Overall this book discussed how female choices affect a collection of people, and the subsequent cruel variety of punishments women are subjected to for their choices. This is juxtaposed by male characters’ freedom of choice. Women have to occupy so many roles: caretakers, lovers, breadwinners, and muses and are labeled for their roles… as mother’s, business owners, art, wives, and…vegetarians, although it’s all dehumanizing. Unfortunately, the main character shows us that the alternative isn’t much better: to be consumed by the awareness and rejection of roles, deemed “mad” for defying societal convention. 

 

I still have so many thoughts on this story…but as one of my friends said to me… “it was atmospheric read” and I think it’s best to leave it there than further explain anything else. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, and Suicide attempt

yu_1hng's review

dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

The men in this book are insufferable.  They view Yeonghye (the vegetarian in question) as an idea rather than a person,

her husband views her as an idea of what a wife is supposed to be and her brother in law lusts over her Mongolian mark. Her sister loves her and has the most similar to her fails to understand Yeonghye as she'swithdrawing from society and life.

. I like the last section of the book as it illustrated the more complex emotions from Yeonghye's sister and how she relates and differs from her. Though the section  from the perspective of the guys either made me uncomfortable or uninterested. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Rape, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Infidelity

Minor: Blood

hauntedantiqueshop's review

dark sad 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

2.75

The husbands ain’t shit and sisters are the BACKBONE of our society. I would have rated this higher had the men been less prevalent in the story and focused on the sisters alone.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Violence, Forced institutionalization, and Abandonment

Moderate: Child abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Injury/Injury detail

Content warning for marital rape and it being glossed over completely

carparts's review

dark emotional tense medium-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

4.0

Recommend taking the trigger warnings seriously in this one. 

The book is in 3 parts, switching POVs following the protagonist’s accelerating psychosis. First, from the arrogant husband watching with annoyance the onset of her mental deterioration. Second, from the BIL who uses her transition into a  zombie-like-state for his artistic gain. Third, the older sister dealing with the aftermath out love (or guilt, obligation, last resort?). 

Overall interesting take on the male gaze, mental illness, and the responsibilities of family. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Mental illness, and Rape

Moderate: Self harm and Blood

Minor: Child abuse

betsyparty's review against another edition

dark sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

This was a heavy, unnerving read. I am not sure if I am most upset by men, the taboo depiction of mental illness, or unresolved trauma. I am left unsettled.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault

Minor: Child abuse

yamina_nater's review

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

3.75

This was a bit hard to get through - both the writing and the content. It was hauntingly beautiful but confusing at times. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Sexual content, Violence, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Child abuse and Emotional abuse

0204's review

challenging dark tense slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Blood

nele_md's review

dark sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder and Rape

Moderate: Child abuse, Self harm, and Blood

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Vomit

tanika_s's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder

Moderate: Child abuse and Domestic abuse