Just finished The Vegetarian by Han Kang and I don’t think I’ll stop thinking about it anytime soon.
I knew it was going to be unsettling, but I didn’t expect to feel this wrung out. Like, Yeong-hye just says she’s done eating meat after a nightmare, and instead of anyone respecting her, her whole family basically treats her like she’s lost her mind. Her husband’s POV in the first part pissed me off so much. The way he talks about her like she’s defective, not a person. I wanted to throw the book across the room.
The second part… holy shit. Her brother-in-law and the painting/flower obsession. On the surface it’s beautiful, but the more I sat with it the more gross it felt, because she was never really seen, just used. That mix of gorgeous imagery + complete violation made me so uncomfortable.
By the third part, I just felt hollow. Her sister’s trying to care for her, but Yeong-hye’s basically disappearing into this idea of being a tree. And honestly? It didn’t feel “crazy” to me. It felt like the only way she could escape everyone’s control. Like the ultimate refusal to participate in violence or desire.
Now tell me what did you feel when you try reading or finished it….???
by JumpyYogurtcloset946