Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

The Vegetarian by Han Kang

130 reviews

awaybeyondblue's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense slow-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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gore, Rape, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Medical trauma, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Body horror, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Self harm, Chronic illness, Medical content, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Violence, Sexual assault, Blood, and Physical abuse

mbhcad's review

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I’m not entirely sure what this novel is about, but that doesn’t stop it from being gripping the entire way through. Han Kang creates a subject whose very existence upends the lives of those around her, laying out like spilt entrails the inescapable violence of patriarchy. Yeong-hye, the titular housewife-turned-vegetarian, is constantly manipulated and violated by the men around her who have decided her expression of autonomy is an unbearable offense. A spectacularly written read that left me feeling hollow, but not in a bad way.

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Content Warnings

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

jokehelldo's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Body horror, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Self harm

Moderate: Sexual content and Rape

abicaro17's review

challenging dark reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

This is hard because while I enjoyed the symbolism and literary quality of this book, it also contains numerous instances of gratuitous violence, eating disorders, and abuse. I came into this book thinking it was a horror book based on the cover and implications in the synopsis. It is a horror book but not like I thought. The way women are treated in this book is the truly horrifying part. Rape, abuse, sexualisation, more rape etc. I really enjoyed the intentional slow decent for Yeong-hye into having zero control over her life despite every attempt to prevent it. I think the execution is just so violent that this book is soured for any attempt at resolution. Especially when the resolution is the sister abandoning her child?! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Abandonment, Mental illness, Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Infidelity, Misogyny, Body horror, Pedophilia, Toxic relationship, Rape, Sexism, Gaslighting, Self harm, Forced institutionalization, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Child abuse, Eating disorder, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, and Physical abuse

mareld's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring 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? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Child abuse, Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Body horror

undersea's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Wow. I’m not totally sure what I just read. This book is weird even for the weird book girlies. This is a crushing look at mental illness and being a woman in an extremely patriarchal society. This book made me sad in a kind of desolate & hopeless way, but overall I’m glad I read it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Body shaming, Body horror, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Suicide attempt

aisclaradm's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.25

I liked much of it, but I think the story was too far-fetched and had no satisfying ending. It seemed to be building up to something incredible, but it left me wanting. Beautiful story at times and an interesting premise, but it was lacking too much to rate it higher. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Body horror, Animal death, Infidelity, Eating disorder, Medical content, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Sexism

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Self harm, and Dysphoria

brealoadion's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

2.75

I struggled a bit with this books because it was quite what I had expected from the synopsis on the back of the book. The first part was very disturbing and gory, but really intriguing. The second part fell very flat to me and I still struggle to understand the relevance of this part other than to give a small look into where Yeong-hye was at during this time and to give a segue into the third part from her sister’s perspective. The third part was beautifully written and focused mainly on mental health issues, but I really struggle with books that don’t give a clear ending or explanation for things. However, maybe that’s a testament to what it’s like to be a human – there aren’t always going to be explanations for things.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Self harm, Violence, and Body horror

annoyedhumanoid's review against another edition

challenging dark slow-paced

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

1.0

i am really trying to think if there's anything i got out of this book, and i'm coming up blank.
i can't even say it was interesting because i was often bored. it was undeniably disturbing, but that alone doesn't make for a good read. it often read like, "they did this. then they did this. this is what they did." the writing fell so flat that i didn't highlight a single passage. and maybe it went over my head but i couldn't extract any meaning from it, either. after reading others' reviews, none of the mentioned themes held any weight for me, except for patriarchy. just an unpleasant, unenlightening slog. it earned one star because the first part of the three was my favorite, and at least i can say i have a favorite, even though i wouldn't say it was good.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Infidelity, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, and Blood

Moderate: Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Vomit, Gore, Abandonment, and Body shaming

Minor: Ableism, Dementia, Alcohol, and Cursing

airr's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Eating disorder, Blood, and Body horror