m_moon 's review for:

The Vegetarian by Han Kang

4.0

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense

Loveable characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Quite disturbing - the first 2/3 of the book made me physically queasy. Difficult and challenging, but an important story on freedom, choice, bodily autonomy, and who we may become when those are violated. Separated into 3 parts, each section is told from one of the characters who challenge/violate these freedoms of the main character. Triggering!! Proceed with a lot of care. Or just skip it. 

**MAIN TWs + descriptive scenes of:
animal abuse; R**e+ SA; Eating disorders; force feeding; Abuse; institutionalization; body horror; bodily autonomy; suicide attempt; mental illness

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Addiction, Body shaming, Child abuse, Gore, Incest, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Pregnancy, Alcohol