Reviews tagging 'Torture'

The Vegetarian by Han Kang

9 reviews

circe_08's review against another edition

challenging dark fast-paced

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

3.0

Disturbing, odd, I was especially furious about the men leaving his wife Yong-hye behind, not acknowledging her work until she stops doing it, than leaving her even if she needed him most after her mental breakdown, the most uncomfortable I felt after reading a book, not really in a good way as most detailed described scenes left me feeling disturbed 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

bestsoph123's review

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

3.75

SPOILERS FOR EVERYTHING

Overall, I really liked the book for its strong parts on detailing Korean society, the role of women and the deterioration of Yeong-Hye. I feel for her because nobody cared to fully understand what she was going through and what her dreams were, they just wanted to use her for their own advantage, except maybe In-hye. I really like the writing style too, it emerses you into what the characters are thinking and feeling.  

Overall, what brings it down for me is the mention of animal abuse in a dream was  completely unnecessary and it didn’t add to the plot, imo. That’s one of the only dreams that gets shown, and I just feel like it could’ve been done in a better way yk?

Additionally what let it down was the whole Yeong-Hye fetish/sister-in-law trope. I understand why it’s there, it’s In-Hye’s husband’s motivation, but at times it kinda felt too weird…? I think that’s just me though.

I also thought that at the end when In-Hye’s husband sneaks in after they’ve broken up and rapes her and then never comes back was really weird? It didn’t add anything and I was genuinely confused on why it was there. 

Overall, I enjoyed it, and would recommend to read, but uf you’re sensitive to animal abuse, rape etc, I wouldn’t. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Vomit, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Confinement, Gore, and Blood

smallwhitepills's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Vomit, Dementia, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

breeliant's review

dark emotional sad tense slow-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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Suicide attempt, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

avidreadr's review

dark emotional relaxing slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

A very intense book, disturbing and very sad. A lot of parts were difficult to read and difficult to imagine. I often read longer books rather than short books, but sometimes it’s the shortest books that really carry the most weight. I will be thinking about this book - meanings, visuals, heartbreak - for a long time. I am very eager to read more by this author. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Mental illness, Rape, Torture, and Violence

martinza's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

4.25

About mental illness and abuse. Partially out of the perspective of the abusers.The description on the cover of my edition is grossly misleading. Be aware of the content warnings 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Suicide attempt, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Rape

Rape described from the perspective of the rapist

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: 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, and Injury/Injury detail

lycheejelly'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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Confinement, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, and Abandonment

Moderate: Alcoholism, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Rape, Torture, Stalking, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

breauseph's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis