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A review by emilietje
The Vegetarian by Han Kang
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
This book contained a lot of triggers for me. Physical and verbal abuse, rape, obsessive behaviour, gore, self-harm and suicide. This made it a very difficult book to read despite me appreciating the thought that went into this thing.
When I was reading the first two chapters, I was missing reflections and/or explanations. I suppose it makes sense that Yeong-hye’s chapter is the most gorey, because her emotions are the most repressed and she has the worst nightmares. I mean, her chapter isn’t even from her point of view, it’s her husband’s. And I suppose it makes sense that the brother-in-law's chapter contains the most discomforting sexual descriptions and misconduct, because, well, that’s his issue. I ended up enjoying In-hye's chapter the most. It was the most introspective and least gruesome one after all. I liked reading her interpretations and her feelings about life and death. I'd say her chapter felt the most cohesive for this exact reason. The gaps between moments of insanity and despair are filled in with her thoughts, and I think the reading experience would’ve been nicer if it had those from the start.
One other thing that I liked –and this might be a spoiler but whatever– is Yeong-hye's whole wanting-to-become-a-tree thing. It's not something I've read before you know? Being deeply unhappy as a human and as an animal, so you try to become a tree in every way until you die from the effects. Idk, this also really shined in that last and third chapter and I really felt for her. Successful and effective portrayal of passive suicide and insanity? Yes!
Regardless of everything I said here, this book was clearly not aimed at a reader like me who can’t handle shit. I totally get that there aren’t meant to be fleshed-out (get it ha ha) thoughts in the beginning, but it just wasn’t my style. I went into this book blind, because I loved Han Kang's The White Book and Human Acts, but I have to say this was almost nothing like those books. The only overlap I can find is the miserable people and the introspection about what it is to be alive. Props to Han Kang for publishing works with what feels like a completely different writing style.
When I was reading the first two chapters, I was missing reflections and/or explanations. I suppose it makes sense that Yeong-hye’s chapter is the most gorey, because her emotions are the most repressed and she has the worst nightmares. I mean, her chapter isn’t even from her point of view, it’s her husband’s. And I suppose it makes sense that the brother-in-law's chapter contains the most discomforting sexual descriptions and misconduct, because, well, that’s his issue. I ended up enjoying In-hye's chapter the most. It was the most introspective and least gruesome one after all. I liked reading her interpretations and her feelings about life and death. I'd say her chapter felt the most cohesive for this exact reason. The gaps between moments of insanity and despair are filled in with her thoughts, and I think the reading experience would’ve been nicer if it had those from the start.
One other thing that I liked –and this might be a spoiler but whatever– is Yeong-hye's whole wanting-to-become-a-tree thing. It's not something I've read before you know? Being deeply unhappy as a human and as an animal, so you try to become a tree in every way until you die from the effects. Idk, this also really shined in that last and third chapter and I really felt for her. Successful and effective portrayal of passive suicide and insanity? Yes!
Regardless of everything I said here, this book was clearly not aimed at a reader like me who can’t handle shit. I totally get that there aren’t meant to be fleshed-out (get it ha ha) thoughts in the beginning, but it just wasn’t my style. I went into this book blind, because I loved Han Kang's The White Book and Human Acts, but I have to say this was almost nothing like those books. The only overlap I can find is the miserable people and the introspection about what it is to be alive. Props to Han Kang for publishing works with what feels like a completely different writing style.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Suicide attempt, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis