The Vegetarian by Han Kang | Book Review

Title: The Vegetarian

Author: Han Kang

Genre: fiction, horror, contemporary

Ages: Adult

Publisher: Random House (eng)

Volume: 1/1

Release: Aug. 23rd, 2016

Order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

Before the nightmares began, Yeong-hye and her husband lived an ordinary, controlled life. But the dreams—invasive images of blood and brutality—torture her, driving Yeong-hye to purge her mind and renounce eating meat altogether. It’s a small act of independence, but it interrupts her marriage and sets into motion an increasingly grotesque chain of events at home. As her husband, her brother-in-law and sister each fight to reassert their control, Yeong-hye obsessively defends the choice that’s become sacred to her. Soon their attempts turn desperate, subjecting first her mind, and then her body, to ever more intrusive and perverse violations, sending Yeong-hye spiraling into a dangerous, bizarre estrangement, not only from those closest to her, but also from herself.

Celebrated by critics around the world, The Vegetarian is a darkly allegorical, Kafka-esque tale of power, obsession, and one woman’s struggle to break free from the violence both without and within her.

minor spoilers

Firstly, I’m writing this review after reading the book only once, and even though it’s relatively short, it’s the kind of book I could read several times. Each read-through would likely reveal something new or an aspect I missed, offering plenty to analyze. A truly brutal read, and it’s hard to articulate a review for such a book. It’s undeniably deserving of its Nobel Prize.

It’s often described as grotesque for its imagery, and while I would agree, I think what made it a hard read as a woman wasn’t just the vivid imagery, but the harsh reality of societal expectations placed on women. From the husband’s point of view, the rape of Yeong-hye is mentioned only in a line or two and is never addressed again.

the most triggering:

The casual acts of violence against women are often mentioned so casually, as if they are just to be expected, and this is what ultimately drives Yeong-hye to want to be something other than human. It reflects a disturbing acceptance of abuse and serves as a heartbreaking commentary on society’s treatment of women.

This is a book you won’t like/is not an easy read, especially as a woman, but it will make you think deeply and leave you staring into the void. I ended up on four stars instead of five just because this was such a hard read for me personally.

I wouldn’t recommend this book to everyone, especially if you’re sensitive to heavier topics, but it’s definitely one to add to your TBR and give it a read when you feel ready.

⬇️spoilers here⬇️

Chapter 1

The first chapter told from the perspective of Yeong-hye’s husband, focusing on her transition to becoming a vegetarian.

“I couldn’t stand the way her expression, which made it seem as though she were a women of bitter experience, who had suffered many hardships, niggled at my conscience.”

This is after he had raped his wife, and it’s clear from the beginning that he is a horrible person. I believe he’s the second major factor contributing to her descent into psychosis.

The first offender was Yeong-hye’s father whom she suffered abuse from as a little girl and when a dog bit her as a child he ran the dog until it died.

“the saying goes for a wound caused by a dog-bite to heal you have to eat that same dog, and I did scoop up a mouthful for myself.”

He also tried forcing her to eat meat and it becomes clear that the violence is unrelenting. Her mental health continues to deteriorate with every act of violence.

Chapter 2

Chapter 2 shifts to the perspective of her brother-in-law, who becomes obsessed with her Mongolian mark and begins to sexualize everything about her, including her suicide attempt.

This is where the ‘weirdness’ and imagery really intensify.

Now, this chapter is where you can really pick apart so many things. The fact that each brother-in-law is sexually attracted to their sister-in-law is disturbing in itself. Additionally, the brother-in-law’s shift from wanting to objectify her to almost idolizing her, then back again, shows the complexity and discomfort of his obsession.

“He reproached himself for having used her as a kind of mental phonography when she simply had an innocent wish to be naked.”

But of course, this chapter ends with the lust of man winning out over human decency. At this point, it’s clear that Yeong-hye is unwell, and the brother-in-law takes advantage of the situation. Though not as brutal as before (arguably more perverse), it is still another act of violence against her.

Chapter 3

In this chapter, Yeong-hye is in a residential psych ward. While the acts of violence this time come from well-intentioned doctors and nurses trying to force her to eat, it’s evident she has completely lost control of her own body. & notably, all the doctors are men.

The final chapter is told from the perspective of Yeong-hye’s sister, In-hye

Instead of resenting the societal norms that force women to endure harsh realities, In-hye becomes resentful of her sister, who hasn’t truly done anything wrong except defy those norms by choosing to become a vegetarian.

We also learn that In-hye was parentified from a young age and grew to be very independent even becoming the bread winner of her family. Horrible things also happened to In-hye so she struggles to understand why Yeong-hye chose to slip into psychosis while she had always endured.

However, as In-hye spends more time visiting her sister in the psych ward and is pushed to her emotional limits, it’s not that she resents her sister more—it’s that she resents herself for not being able to live the way she wants to, or rather, for not being able to exist outside the social boundaries of society.

“She’d been unable to forgive her for soaring alone over a boundary she herself could never bring herself to cross, unable to forgive that magnificent irresponsibility that had enabled Yeong-hye to shuck off social constraints and leave her behind, still a prisoner.”

The book ends with In-hye riding in an ambulance with her sister, staring fiercely at the trees as if trying to fully understand her. I’m curious about what others thought of the ending.

tldr: The Vegetarian is haunting not for its graphic descriptions but for its commentary on how women are treated in society and how women are often also complicit in this treatment as well.

*quotes are from my book journal thingy, so may not be 100% accurate since I’ve already lent my copy to a friend. Images are from the movie that I didn’t know existed until writing this review but I am hesitant to watch…*

How did you feel about this book? Honestly, I was shocked to see the low rating on goodreads. I thought this book was really well done and had a great translation.

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