Reviews tagging 'Chronic illness'

The Vegetarian by Han Kang

43 reviews

bashsbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense slow-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

4.75

The Vegetarian is so compelling. It uses the unusual but very appropriate lense of vegetarianism to explore a wealth of other topics, from sexual violence to self-harm to familial abuse. I will have to reread it again at some point, as I definitely did not pick up all its nuances the first time around - it may be short, but it's dense. It is told in three parts, each from a different perspective, and I haven't decided how I feel about the tri-point-of-view yet, which is just about the only thing keeping me from giving it a full 5 stars. Regardless, it is haunting, and my brain will keep wandering back to it, for sure.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Domestic abuse, Sexism, Blood, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Suicide attempt, Eating disorder, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Toxic relationship, Self harm, Body horror, Child abuse, Mental illness, Violence, Sexual violence, Rape, Medical trauma, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual content

Moderate: Physical abuse, Animal cruelty, Fatphobia, Body shaming, Animal death, and Vomit

rtthalia's review against another edition

dark inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Toxic relationship, Blood, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Vomit, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Body shaming, Chronic illness, and Self harm

wellreadsquid's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

This was an intense and difficult read, one I'm happy to have completed. Watching the way everyone experienced Yeong-hye suffering while Yeong-hye never once got a say in her suffering was so disheartening. I'm going to be writing a much longer review on my blog if you want my full thoughts. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Physical abuse, Vomit, and Mental illness

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Blood, Body shaming, and Ableism

There is Marital Rape in this book so read with caution.

jay_hobday's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Body horror, Chronic illness, Dysphoria, Eating disorder, Forced institutionalization, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic relationship, Vomit, Violence, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Body shaming, Confinement, Grief, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Rape, Infertility, Self harm, and Sexual assault

thefearlessfrock's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

This book is extraordinary but I still feel something's missing.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Self harm, Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Chronic illness, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, Medical content, Emotional abuse, Eating disorder, Suicide attempt, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

It's really heavy.

jamesdavid's review against another edition

dark reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Blood, Medical trauma, Rape, Sexual content, Animal cruelty, Physical abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Dementia, Eating disorder, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Infidelity, Ableism, Gore, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit

kaiulanilee's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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: Body shaming, Eating disorder, Forced institutionalization, Sexual content, Bullying, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Blood, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and Ableism

Minor: Child abuse, Cursing, Vomit, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal death, Confinement, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

jbcrue's review

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Medical content, Sexual content, Suicide, Terminal illness, Chronic illness, Confinement, Physical abuse, Torture, Suicide attempt, Vomit, Blood, Body horror, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, Gore, Infidelity, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Self harm, Sexual violence, and Suicidal thoughts

aelunny's review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Um wow. I was definitely misled by a book reviewer to this book and it took me completely by surprise.

Very, very well written and this was an excellent translation. It's truly one of those novels thats also a work of art. That being said, the content of this book is most accurately described as disturbing. I have so so so many thoughts and I feel like I need to write an essay about this book, but the number one theme that I keep coming back to to is the objectification of women. Our protagonist (Yeong-hye) is viewed by a different person in each of the three parts and is reduced to a role in each of them. I also think a lot of people are saying her actions in the book are to enact agency on her life, but I think that by viewing it this way we are also objectifying her as a character in a book. The fact we never see the story told from Yeong-hye's perspective and our narrators never have a real conversation trying to understand what is going on in her head, makes me believe we cannot presume what her motivations are.

Please read all content warnings, as a lot of the depictions are really graphic.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, Body horror, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Suicide attempt, Vomit, Rape, Blood, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Sexual content, Chronic illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Abandonment and Dementia

refrejarator's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Full of symbolism. A bloody blend of eroticism, gore, beauty, and emotionality.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Chronic illness, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Grief, Medical content, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Gore, Animal death, Blood, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Body horror, Mental illness, and Misogyny