The Vegetarian

by Han Kang

It seemed enough for her to just deal with whatever it was that came her way, calmly and without fuss. Or perhaps it was simply that things were happening inside her, terrible things, which no one else could even guess at, and thus it was impossible for her to engage with everyday life at the same time.

It’s true, he thought, she really is ordinary. It’s me who’s the crazy one.

Perhaps, at some point, Yeong-hye had simply let fall the slender thread that had kept her connected with everyday life.