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dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Schizophrenia/Psychosis
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Suicide attempt
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder
Minor: Sexual assault
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Misogyny, Self harm, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship
Moderate: Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Medical content
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder
Moderate: Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
what a bizarre and uncomfortable read
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual content
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Another great read at the start of the year!
The title portrays it as a book about a mentally ill woman who turned vegetarian, but it is so, so much more.
From discussing different ways someone can handle abuse to what it means to be a good mother, this book really makes you realize how different each person is and how differently we operate.
The blurb definitely doesn’t do it justice.
This book managed to disturb me with the dog scene; beware that there is animal abuse in it.
A 5 star read! It is a hard book to recommend to someone, but a definite must read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Abandonment
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder
Moderate: Sexual assault
Minor: Animal death
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
CW: marital rape, parental abuse, force feeding, animal abuse, animal death, consumption of domesticated animals, attempted suicide, sexual content, forced institutionalisation, coercion, anorexia, suicidal ideation
🌟 Contemporary fiction
🌟 Translated from Korem
🌈 Set in Korea
🌈 Mental health representation
This was... I don't even know the best word to describe it. It was more than uncomfortable.
The Vegetarian follows Yeong-hye's spiral into an acute mental health crisis through three perspectives. Her husband, her brother in law, and her sister.
This was complicated, equal parts horrifying and fascinating, seeing it play out from these perspectives, yet feeling like you get to know who she is from these perspectives.
It touches on so many different aspects of life, from autonomy and agency, to mental health, complicated family dynamics, misogyny, and perception from those who only see the world in black and white,
This review would be an essay itself if I had to touch on all these points so I'm going to attempt to be brief.
From child abuse to marital abuse, it's easy to see why Yeong-hye's spiral began, although it is hinted to that there has always been the predisposition to mental health issues within the family, but red flags were ignored. We get to see this through her sister's perspective as she herself seemingly begins to spiral, and she constantly asks herself "what if" as she reflects on all these red flags seen throughout their childhood.
Yeong-hye has never really had that sense of agency and autonomy afforded to anyone else in the novel. She's always to do what is expected and if not, received beatings as a child (and subsequent as an adult), she experienced marital rape, and nobody would respect her finally reclaiming part of herself by choosing to adopt a vegan diet, the only thing she can really take control over. The family reaction to the veganism was so extreme, and it's clear that it wasn't the veganism they held issue with, but the inability to coerce and control. Particularly from the male members of her family and social circle.
The symbolism of the trees, from both a literary perspective, and cultural perspective, reinforces these themes of agency, as trees often symbolise strength, rebirth, and resilience. So in her moments of clarity where she expresses she wishes to become a tree, it read to me that she wished for that strength, that resilience, and the desire to be reborn as her true self with autonomy.
One of the most beautiful things about this novel, is that nothing is ever explicitly stated motive-wise. And from others reviews and reading experiences, everyone seems to have taken something different away from the book. Whether surface level, or on a deeper scale, everyone's interpretation is so different and that in itself is fascinating.
I think you should read this if you're looking for something really outwith the norms of contemporary fiction. I'd definitely take heed of the trigger warnings as it's very disturbing throughout.
My only wish is that I could read Korean to have experienced it without the potential skews that can happen in translation.
🌟 Contemporary fiction
🌟 Translated from Korem
🌈 Set in Korea
🌈 Mental health representation
This was... I don't even know the best word to describe it. It was more than uncomfortable.
The Vegetarian follows Yeong-hye's spiral into an acute mental health crisis through three perspectives. Her husband, her brother in law, and her sister.
This was complicated, equal parts horrifying and fascinating, seeing it play out from these perspectives, yet feeling like you get to know who she is from these perspectives.
It touches on so many different aspects of life, from autonomy and agency, to mental health, complicated family dynamics, misogyny, and perception from those who only see the world in black and white,
This review would be an essay itself if I had to touch on all these points so I'm going to attempt to be brief.
From child abuse to marital abuse, it's easy to see why Yeong-hye's spiral began, although it is hinted to that there has always been the predisposition to mental health issues within the family, but red flags were ignored. We get to see this through her sister's perspective as she herself seemingly begins to spiral, and she constantly asks herself "what if" as she reflects on all these red flags seen throughout their childhood.
Yeong-hye has never really had that sense of agency and autonomy afforded to anyone else in the novel. She's always to do what is expected and if not, received beatings as a child (and subsequent as an adult), she experienced marital rape, and nobody would respect her finally reclaiming part of herself by choosing to adopt a vegan diet, the only thing she can really take control over. The family reaction to the veganism was so extreme, and it's clear that it wasn't the veganism they held issue with, but the inability to coerce and control. Particularly from the male members of her family and social circle.
The symbolism of the trees, from both a literary perspective, and cultural perspective, reinforces these themes of agency, as trees often symbolise strength, rebirth, and resilience. So in her moments of clarity where she expresses she wishes to become a tree, it read to me that she wished for that strength, that resilience, and the desire to be reborn as her true self with autonomy.
One of the most beautiful things about this novel, is that nothing is ever explicitly stated motive-wise. And from others reviews and reading experiences, everyone seems to have taken something different away from the book. Whether surface level, or on a deeper scale, everyone's interpretation is so different and that in itself is fascinating.
I think you should read this if you're looking for something really outwith the norms of contemporary fiction. I'd definitely take heed of the trigger warnings as it's very disturbing throughout.
My only wish is that I could read Korean to have experienced it without the potential skews that can happen in translation.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Suicide attempt
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book is not a feel good book. It’s not something you pick up and enjoy reading. However, it’s one that oddly draws you in until suddenly, you’re at the back cover, tense from reading through the perspectives of unfathomable antagonists.
The Vegetarian very uniquely explores patriarchal power systems and socialization in addition to the complexity and difficulty of finding release from said systems. This book will make you uncomfortable and see the unfortunate pieces of reality many endure, especially considering the cultural setting of the novel.
The Vegetarian very uniquely explores patriarchal power systems and socialization in addition to the complexity and difficulty of finding release from said systems. This book will make you uncomfortable and see the unfortunate pieces of reality many endure, especially considering the cultural setting of the novel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence