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A review by sophieml
The Vegetarian by Han Kang
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
2.25
Look I’ve always had trouble reading translated works; I believe that a lot of the power is quite literally lost in translation.
The story follows a young woman gradually drifting into the psychological abyss as a function of being raised by a repressive family and then being married into a similar dynamic. Every male character was piggish, sexually violent, and practically unrecognizing of the female characters’ humanity.
I understand the intent to show a suffocating existence and explore the grim realities of many wives (in this case in a traditional Korean family) and really wanted to love this as an exploration of femininity and familial duty but it was just lost on me.
The middle section involving the protagonists brother in law was particularly difficult. I was torn between understanding what her complete surrender and desire to escape herself meant and my own physical discomfort with the descriptions. I do think part of the point of the story was for us to look right up against some of our ugliest human behaviour and our own complacency.
I might just not be intelligent enough for this one as I found a lot of the metaphor to be difficult to follow and the prose to be lacking in striking up my emotion.
Ultimately it was intentionally disjointed but I just did not receive the benefit of what Han Kuang was trying to do. Again, I blame a lot of that on coming at it as an English reader and I can see why it has received the accolades it has. In summary, this just wasn’t for me.
The story follows a young woman gradually drifting into the psychological abyss as a function of being raised by a repressive family and then being married into a similar dynamic. Every male character was piggish, sexually violent, and practically unrecognizing of the female characters’ humanity.
I understand the intent to show a suffocating existence and explore the grim realities of many wives (in this case in a traditional Korean family) and really wanted to love this as an exploration of femininity and familial duty but it was just lost on me.
The middle section involving the protagonists brother in law was particularly difficult. I was torn between understanding what her complete surrender and desire to escape herself meant and my own physical discomfort with the descriptions. I do think part of the point of the story was for us to look right up against some of our ugliest human behaviour and our own complacency.
I might just not be intelligent enough for this one as I found a lot of the metaphor to be difficult to follow and the prose to be lacking in striking up my emotion.
Ultimately it was intentionally disjointed but I just did not receive the benefit of what Han Kuang was trying to do. Again, I blame a lot of that on coming at it as an English reader and I can see why it has received the accolades it has. In summary, this just wasn’t for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Eating disorder
Moderate: Rape, Self harm