Scan barcode
A review by ohlhauc
The Vegetarian by Han Kang
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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
A weird, stark, gripping story that hooked me from the get-go. The writing and translation is exemplary - very sparse and straightforward but the rhythm is smooth and you become lost in the pages.
The main character is a woman, Yeong-hye, as she decides to stop eating meat after having a dream and then other choices that she makes to get closer to what she believes is her essential self. However, the story isn't told from her view but rather is broken up into three sections, each one told from the perspective of another character, and how they react to Yeong-hye: her husband, her brother-in-law, and her older sister.
This book is at times heartbreaking and other times, flat out disturbing, but it will make you think about how you treat others that you're different from, that you have power over, and that you're envious of. Not to mention thinking about the roles society expects one to play, and the conflict that happens when a person decides to live outside those unspoken rules.
I really enjoyed this and plan to continue reading Han Kang's works. Her writing is just spectacular.
The main character is a woman, Yeong-hye, as she decides to stop eating meat after having a dream and then other choices that she makes to get closer to what she believes is her essential self. However, the story isn't told from her view but rather is broken up into three sections, each one told from the perspective of another character, and how they react to Yeong-hye: her husband, her brother-in-law, and her older sister.
This book is at times heartbreaking and other times, flat out disturbing, but it will make you think about how you treat others that you're different from, that you have power over, and that you're envious of. Not to mention thinking about the roles society expects one to play, and the conflict that happens when a person decides to live outside those unspoken rules.
I really enjoyed this and plan to continue reading Han Kang's works. Her writing is just spectacular.
Graphic: Blood, Forced institutionalization, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual content, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Eating disorder and Medical content
Minor: Animal cruelty