The Vegetarian by Han Kang, Winner of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature Paperback – 5 November 2015

What a thrilling read! I never expected this book to be such an amazing collection of mind boggling takes, different perspectives and varied lives. It's so so well written, it feels like you are inside the story and watching silently as an observer of all the things that unfold one by one. I loved this to every single bit. Beautiful, just beautiful, unexpected and serene while horrific at the same time.p.s i love the cover design a lot.

I picked this book up when it was announced as the Nobel Prize recipient for Literature. I understood the premise as a person from a different culture, in a way that did not think becoming a vegetarian is as much of a subversive decision as it is presented. But the book presented to me this argument not just as a culture shift, but also about a woman's autonomy, the reason why her choice is seen as a defiance of a patriarchal society. Her decision is not treated as a serious decision and she is constantly belittled for it as it is not common, and yet she is abused, threatened, cajoled, and feared for just her nonchalance in taking a stance that most people would not in fear of judgement and ridicule.I think the book represents more of what it does to stand against a crowd, a majority consensus, and how it affects you especially as a woman. I would rate it four stars. While it is gripping, the abuse, and sensitive topics did give me some pause.

{ ⚠️TW - Trauma, Sexual Abuse, Rape, Anorexia, Mental Health Illness, Schizophrenia, Self-Harm⚠️ }This book left me traumatized, mind-boggled, and utterly lost. The title may deceive you into thinking it's a story centered around vegetarianism, but it's so much more. It delves into the darkest corners of human behavior, societal norms, and mental health, leaving the reader with more questions than answers.The Simple Part-The story revolves around Yeong-hye, a woman who, after years of consuming meat as part of South Korean culture, decides to adopt vegetarianism. This seemingly small decision sends shockwaves through her life. Her husband, Mr. Cheong, her rigid father, and her entire family are unable to comprehend her choice. In their culture, vegetarianism is almost unheard of, and they go to disturbing lengths to force her back into conformity.One of the most harrowing moments in the book is when Yeong-hye's father-portrayed as an authoritarian figure-attempts to shove meat into her mouth during a family gathering, in front of everyone, including her husband and siblings. Yeong-hye's retaliation leads her to self-harm, eventually landing her in a mental institution, where she's labeled a patient too complex to fit into a single category.The Complex Part -The narrative is divided into three chapters, each told from the perspective of a different character: her husband -Mr. Cheong, her brother-in-law, and her sister-In-hye.Her Husband: He represents a typical patriarchal figure who views his wife as an object meant to serve his needs. His inability to respect her choices or even acknowledge her "no" is unsettling and suggestive of a deeper societal issue.Her Brother-in-Law: A deeply disturbing character, he becomes obsessed with Yeong-hye due to a birthmark (a Mongolian mark) mentioned casually by his wife. His fixation leads him to objectify and sexualize Yeong-hye in ways that are both bizarre and horrifying.Her Sister, In-hye: While In-hye appears to care for her younger sister, her actions suggest otherwise. She never truly understands Yeong-hye's struggles or trauma, a failure rooted in their shared, unresolved childhood pain.Final Thoughts -This book is entirely open-ended, leaving readers to interpret its layers in their own way. For me, it was a challenging read-brilliant in its craft but emotionally exhausting. It confronts you with uncomfortable truths about gender, societal norms, and mental health while offering no easy resolutions.It’s a ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 for me!While I can appreciate its brilliance, it's not the type of book I would enjoy revisiting or decoding further.

The Vegetarian" by Han Kang is athought-provoking novel that tells the story ofYeong-hye,a womàn who decides to stop eating meat after experiencing disturbing dreams which results in remarkable changes in her life.The novel is divided into three parts, each narrated from different perspectives: Yeong-hye's husband, her brother-in-law, and her sister. The impact of Yeong-hye's transformation has multiple angles, highlighting the complexities of human relationships and societal expectation.Han Kang's intense and poetic prose, which vividly conveys the emotional and psychological turmoil of the characters,making it a powerful and haunting read.Overall, "The Vegetarian" has ability to provoke deep reflection on the nature of identity and freedom. It's a novel that stays with you long after you've finishedreading.

Before picking up this book, whatever notion I had about it was disrupted by the end of it. How? I, based on blurb, thought this is about a woman who becomes vegetarian, against her “culture” and family wishes. But it’s much more than that! This book has many layers and undercurrent themes and in less than 200 pages, it leaves a huge impact on you!While the strongest theme is of mental illness, other themes are that of domestic violence, family relations, female oppression, patriarchy, culture, vegetarianism etc. This book has been divided in three parts, 3 POVs; first, protagonist’s husband, second her brother in law, third, her sister. I wanted to read protagonist’s perspective as well but that didn’t happen. It was haunting, confusing, disturbing, depressing still somehow beautiful and emotional. Writing was brilliant and gripping. Also, as this has been translated from Korean, I don’t think essence was lost in translation.It will shake you to the core. You will get angry and disgusted by the way protagonist’s family, her husband, father, and brother in law treat her. Nobody tries to understand her but everyone tries to force their own belief and perversion on her. She is violated and harassed for making her own life choices. This book has a really dark theme and depressing undertone which might not go well for everyone. It partially, didn’t work for me as well and I wanted to quit but thanks to few friends for motivating me to read. I am still confused about the ending though. I think I will reread it after some time to understand it better.