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A review by literaryjunarin
The Vegetarian by Han Kang
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
"With my round breasts, I'm okay. So why do they keep on shrinking? Why are my edges all sharpening? What am I going to gouge?"
When Yeong-Hye dreamed gruesomely butchered animals, she decided to stop eating meat. This change in her started spiraling chaos in her life and her family
So this book is divided into 3 parts. Yeong-hye, the one who decided to become a vegetarian has no POV. The POVs are 1st, from Yeong-Hye's husband, 2nd is from Yeong-Hye's brother in law and lastly, from her older sister In-Hye.
1. The Vegetarian - This is the 1st story where Yeong-hye chose to be vegetarian. From the point of view of her repulsive and insecure husband, I got to see the social isolation Yeong-Hye must have felt all her life. Reading about the husband's thoughts made my blood boil. This story tackles issues most women go through. Body image, conformity, responsibilities as a wife, domestic sexual abuse, emotional starvation.
2. Mongolian Mark - This one is from the point of view of Yeong-Hye's brother-in-law. This story focuses on the kind of erotic fantasies that go beyond sexual lust. I was honestly quite confused by this 2nd story and I couldn't care less about the brother-in-law's sexual fantasy to Yeong-Hye.
3. Flaming Trees - This story is my favorite. It was thought-provoking. I stopped a lot of times because of how surreal it is and made me ask so many questions. This story showed the harmful effects of child abuse, mental illness, and its effect on the family.
This book was mystifying that it'll make you sit still for a while. It was so profound that it'll make you think outside your normal thoughts.
It may be unconventional to other readers but I think fans of Murakami will like this one.
When Yeong-Hye dreamed gruesomely butchered animals, she decided to stop eating meat. This change in her started spiraling chaos in her life and her family
So this book is divided into 3 parts. Yeong-hye, the one who decided to become a vegetarian has no POV. The POVs are 1st, from Yeong-Hye's husband, 2nd is from Yeong-Hye's brother in law and lastly, from her older sister In-Hye.
1. The Vegetarian - This is the 1st story where Yeong-hye chose to be vegetarian. From the point of view of her repulsive and insecure husband, I got to see the social isolation Yeong-Hye must have felt all her life. Reading about the husband's thoughts made my blood boil. This story tackles issues most women go through. Body image, conformity, responsibilities as a wife, domestic sexual abuse, emotional starvation.
2. Mongolian Mark - This one is from the point of view of Yeong-Hye's brother-in-law. This story focuses on the kind of erotic fantasies that go beyond sexual lust. I was honestly quite confused by this 2nd story and I couldn't care less about the brother-in-law's sexual fantasy to Yeong-Hye.
3. Flaming Trees - This story is my favorite. It was thought-provoking. I stopped a lot of times because of how surreal it is and made me ask so many questions. This story showed the harmful effects of child abuse, mental illness, and its effect on the family.
This book was mystifying that it'll make you sit still for a while. It was so profound that it'll make you think outside your normal thoughts.
It may be unconventional to other readers but I think fans of Murakami will like this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder and Violence
Moderate: Rape