A review by cafeluta
The Vegetarian by Han Kang

5.0

Loved it. It is not really what I expected from the way it was described as a "book about rebellion eroticism and the woman body". Sure those themes are present but it is much, much more than that. For me one of the main themes is the objectification of women (not only physical, but also in the sense of the role "his" woman should have in the man's life of cleaning object, cooking object, sexual object, pretty and silent object that you present to friends etc). This constant objectification is so dehumanising it can break something in the person's sense of self and psyche which in turn, strengthened by suppressed needs and emotions leads to major mental health issues. Sure you can see it as rebellion, you can even see it as suppressed sexual desire, but it's more fundamental than that, it hits at everything the female character is util it leaves her completely empty.
Another theme that isn't mentioned at all in recommendations is sisterhood, feelings of maternal love and female sacrifice. I feel like especially in the last part the book gets deeper and deeper into what it truly means to be a woman and how much that can fuck you up.
So yeah, I loved it.
(Also whoever says that the second part is the best is either a man or a woman that sees herself through the lens of a man. It is beautifully written, yes. But it is still about male obsession and abuse)