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What Members Thought
Well...THAT got bleak in a hurry!
The first act intrigued me, the second act had me rapt, the final act just absolutely destroyed me. I'll remain a happy carnivore, thank-you very much.
I *do* feel like taking some photos now though.... ...more
The first act intrigued me, the second act had me rapt, the final act just absolutely destroyed me. I'll remain a happy carnivore, thank-you very much.
I *do* feel like taking some photos now though.... ...more
This was the perfect horror novel. Strange that it's not marketed as horror. It has that spooky, calm slow Asian feel.
...more
3,5 stars!
Ok - understood why this book was deemed important. The topic of women and mental health, especially in Asia, is still something that rarely discussed. Han Kang's description about the mental illness of the main character of this book is blunt and bleak, but still has many implying meaning especially in related to the women's position in family and society.
However - some of the parts are just too graphic and absurd for me. I think that's what Korean literature is about: it's either the ...more
Ok - understood why this book was deemed important. The topic of women and mental health, especially in Asia, is still something that rarely discussed. Han Kang's description about the mental illness of the main character of this book is blunt and bleak, but still has many implying meaning especially in related to the women's position in family and society.
However - some of the parts are just too graphic and absurd for me. I think that's what Korean literature is about: it's either the ...more
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This book is weird. It is divided into three parts. The first part introduces Yeong-hye, a plain, dull Korean woman who has a series of gruesome dreams that inspire her to become a vegetarian. This decision is not taken well by her family, who stage an intervention where her father attempts to force meat down her throat. It quickly becomes apparent that Yeong-hye's decision to become vegetarian is more than a dietary choice, it is a symptom of severe mental illness.
The second part of the book i ...more
The second part of the book i ...more
I knew this book would be weird, but I was not prepared for how upsetting it would be. ALL the Content Warnings: domestic violence, child abuse, rape, eating disorder, mental illness, suicidal ideation, infidelity, and horrific cruelty to a dog. (The bit with the dog made me wish I had not read this book - why do not other reviews warn about this??) Yeong-hye's eating disorder is described in detail.
She was no longer able to cope with all that her sister reminded her of. She’d been unable...more
