Reviews tagging 'Dysphoria'

The Vegetarian by Han Kang

25 reviews

cordeliamartin's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Sexual assault, Self harm, Eating disorder, Forced institutionalization, Rape, Infidelity, Medical content, Mental illness, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Vomit

Moderate: Dysphoria, Body shaming, and Body horror

jay_hobday's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Body horror, Chronic illness, Dysphoria, Eating disorder, Forced institutionalization, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic relationship, Vomit, Violence, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Body shaming, Confinement, Grief, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Rape, Infertility, Self harm, and Sexual assault

melashton's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Medical trauma, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Dysphoria, and Eating disorder

leonormsousa's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

REPRESENTATION 

Korean cast, mental health 

QUOTE 

“The feeling that she had never really lived in this world caught her by surprise. It was a fact. She had never lived. Even as a child, as far back as she could remember, she had done nothing but endure. She had believed in her own inherent goodness, her humanity, and lived accordingly, never causing anyone harm. Her devotion to doing things the right way had been unflagging, all her successes had depended on it, and she would have gone on like that indefinitely. She didn't understand why, but faced with those decaying buildings and straggling grasses, she was nothing but a child who had never lived.” 

WHAT I ENJOYED 

• the violence and weirdness → it took me a little aback at first, but I’m here for it!
• the underlying message (and no, this is not a book about vegetarianism)
• the different POVs allow us to see the story from different perspectives but also contribute to the idea that the MC does not have a voice
• it’s a beautifully written book, even when it’s ugly
• the way it stuck on the back of my head and does not let me go
• I know it’s a book that I’m gonna enjoy even more the second time around

WHAT I DIDN'T ENJOY

• very, very minor but there were points, especially in the dreams sections, where it became a bit confusing for me

READ IF YOU ENJOY

• character-focused books
• a dark, bizarre and disturbing vibe
• unhinged women
• hidden meanings
• different views on life
• non-lovable and flawed characters
• underlying critics of sexist societies

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Misogyny, Blood, Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Dysphoria, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, and Sexism

kcelena's review

challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

For quality of writing I would give it 4🌟, but I did not enjoy this one. Not enough focus on our main female protagonist and too much focus on justifying men being truly terrible human beings. The second half was slightly better than the first. People with eating disorders should be VERY careful with this - only go into it if you are in a strong and safe place in your recovery. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Dysphoria, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Misogyny, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Blood

Minor: Toxic friendship

bananavc's review

challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

so difficult to read because it just feels so unbelievable but the way that it's so grounded in reality is baffling. if you're interested in gender and society in the context of Korea, this is a good but difficult read.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Blood, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Dysphoria, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Forced institutionalization, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Sexual assault, and Suicide

sambashua's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Death, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, Vomit, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

sakisreads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

I’m still not sure what to think of this book (perhaps it’s because I’ve just finished it). The vivid imagery was so interesting but also hard to take in at times; there were moments where I felt I had to gasp as it was so intense. I am waiting for my friend to read it so we can have more of a discussion. The conversations around mental illness and such were very intriguing; overall a thought-provoking book. Not one I think I’ll come back to though 🥲

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Physical abuse, Rape, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Dysphoria, Blood, Chronic illness, Eating disorder, and Sexual content

scruffie's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Edit on August 2023: 5 stars ⭐

A very difficult read for me, unbearably graphic and exceptionally dark. I'll probably find myself thinking about the contents of this book for years to come. Unless I'm seriously deluded, this book is not about vegetarianism.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Body horror, Body shaming, Gore, Medical trauma, Chronic illness, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Animal cruelty, Physical abuse, Rape, Child abuse, Violence, Blood, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Misogyny, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Abandonment

Minor: Alcoholism

gabb_reads's review

challenging dark mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Eating disorder, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual violence, Sexual content, Mental illness, Rape, and Suicide

Moderate: Vomit, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Dysphoria, Forced institutionalization, Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, and Body horror