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theomancy's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Eating disorder, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Animal cruelty, and Animal death
preciousmist's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Slight spoilers below, and brief discussion of sexual abuse.
I think the way this book superimposes body and sexual horror with femininity and social constraints that come with a (cis) feminine body is interesting. I think it's a interesting commentary on Women within Korean society, when I cross reference the little I know of it with the story of this book.
I also think there's some problems with it. For one, the true psychological horror that comes with this book is, funnily enough, in the chapters with male POV's. The way they see women (women as objects, that is, though both male characters we get see this objectivication from different points, one as social value for others, and one as value for his own self-realization and self-worth, in a way) and the way they go unchecked is terrifying because I can see it happening. The rape scenes are brief, but bone-chillingly... normal? If that's a word one can use along with rape. They aren't explored further on the effects they have on the women characters that go through it - though one can say we see the narrative itself being affected for it.
I think what bothers me the most about this book is the emphasis on "strength" of the last, and the only woman who has a POV, character. The sheer will she possesses is what gets her through the days, that and the love for her son - that is what prevents her from succumbing to the strangeness that afflicts her sister. This strength is met with different, and mixed, conclusions at the end:
A) She recognises it was sheer will, and cowardice, that prevented her from going down the same path as her sister. Her sister recognizes this strangeness, in a way, as a strength - the strength to be different.
B) But she continues with the same pattern as before, while as well seeing her sister's "mental illness" as something undesirable. The writing almost insists this endurance is the path to go - survival, not rebellion, is the way. For as feminist this book is, and it is!, somehow I can see a reader coming from this book with the idea that women shouldn't stray too much from the socially accepted roles given to them, because;
C) All this strangeness, all this rebellion, all the suffering endured, is concluded with the afflicted character ultimately dying to the world. Now, I understand why: the Protag has rejected meat, carnality, sexuality, violence. Still, as we see in chapter two, this is imposed on her: through rape, exploration of her body, and the male gaze. Though she has emptied herself of all desire, all the sexual and deviant things inside her, she can't get rid of her *body*, which is why chapter 3 is where we see the Protag's body waste away to nothing, and why there's an insistence in the flora comparison. Trees are not sexual, or better yet, their sexuality is not violent. Is this book implying the only way for an *individual* to be liberated of all the complication that come with a sexual society, a sexual drive, a material life, per se, is to literally become an alien to her own humanity and waste away? One could say yes. In fact, the only way for this to not happen to the one other woman in this book, is for her to connect herself to the social gender roles given to her, that and motherhood.
I think this is an interesting book with a pretty clear message, but I wonder about the ways the message is delivered. I understand the complexity of the topic, which is perhaps why the end of this book can read so differently depending on the reader. Alas, this is a book I'd like to think about more, but certainly not reread.
Also, and perhaps this is a string of unfortunate experiences, but I have yet to read a (translated) korean book whose prose *worked* for me. Is it a translation problem I wonder? Something about the Korean language itself that lends to a translation that seems... Not vague, but certainly seems to leave some sentences incomplete, or weird, gramatically speaking? I can't read Korean, and I've certainly tried to learn it to no avail as I simply cannot compute the alphabet for some reason, but this is the second book I've read in general where I get that feeling.
Oh well. It lends to the strangeness of it all, I guess.
Graphic: Rape
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death
Minor: Gore
sk1m086's review
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Gore, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Bullying, Blood, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Violence
rachaelcandoit's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Animal cruelty, Eating disorder, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Rape, Physical abuse, Violence, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Sexism, Self harm, Misogyny, Animal death, Mental illness, and Body shaming
sun_machine's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Domestic abuse, and Rape
laurenleannereads's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Violence, Domestic abuse, Animal cruelty, and Animal death
Moderate: Child abuse
nekomata's review
- 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
This book was challenging to read. Lots of heavy themes and darker tones.
The main theme for me was autonomy; is it truly ours or do we have to make decisions still thinking of how it'll affect those around us?
The physical and bodily violence is not as horrendous as the violence that goes on within our mind. Most of which are self-inflicted, which is that much sadder to admit out loud.
Watching Yeong-hye's descend into madness through the eyes of those around her was fascinating, liberating, yet heartbreaking all at the same time. The last part told from her older sister's POV, In-hye, was the most difficult to read. Overall, this was an amazing experience, but it's not a book for everyone.
Graphic: Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Eating disorder, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Self harm, and Sexual assault
alexiasp's review
- 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
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.
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
crystal_woods's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Self harm, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Animal cruelty, Blood, and Eating disorder
Moderate: Misogyny
bxnny's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, Animal death, Blood, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Animal cruelty, Chronic illness, Rape, Dementia, Eating disorder, Forced institutionalization, Infidelity, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Confinement, Violence, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Medical content, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit