Review by celestialmeli - The Vegetarian

celestialmeli 's review for:

The Vegetarian by Han Kang

3.75

challenging dark reflective sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Somehow I always end up reading or listening to books about East Asian women struggling in modern society. I think some readers for this book make the mistake of not considering the context before tackling this story. It's not an easy read, although tiny for a book. There are uncomfortable scenes and moments from the perspective of the men in the main character's life, but I find it necessary to the plot. She is either idolised as a muse or seen as a grotesque and broken. Her sister experiences the same, although reversed in who feels this way. Proving that no woman can be perfect enough for society as long as men exist within it. The final section, from her sister's perspective, really saved this book for me. It really brought things into perspective and made more sense of the main character's bizarre and extreme transformation. In section 1, she was insane. In section 2, she was sexualised. In section 3, I don't wish to say she was seen as human as the whole point of the novel is that she does not want to be human, but she was certainly humanised. In section 3, she is seen as a plant. Sexless and separated from society that has brought her to this point of mental decline. I'll have to give this more thought ...

Content Warnings