Korean Book Recommendation: The Vegetarian by Han Kang

Posted On March 23, 2024

Hi Readers! The third book I read for Korean March was The Vegetarian by Han Kang. I went in blind with no idea what the book was about and I was amazed! I finished it in three work days and I couldn’t stop thinking about it when I was not reading it. Every time I was doing a chore or travelling or watching TV, something would strike me about the book. It would be a parallel interpretation or striking revelations or some abstract concept of pseudo-reality. You see how I am still so enticed by it? Anyway, check it out!

~~GOODREADS DESCRIPTION~~

Before the nightmare, Yeong-hye and her husband lived an ordinary life. But when splintering, blood-soaked images start haunting her thoughts, Yeong-hye decides to purge her mind and renounce eating meat. In a country where societal mores are strictly obeyed, Yeong-hye’s decision to embrace a more “plant-like” existence is a shocking act of subversion. And as her passive rebellion manifests in ever more extreme and frightening forms, scandal, abuse, and estrangement begin to send Yeong-hye spiraling deep into the spaces of her fantasy. In a complete metamorphosis of both mind and body, her now dangerous endeavor will take Yeong-hye—impossibly, ecstatically, tragically—far from her once-known self altogether.

~~TRIGGER WARNINGS~~

Violence, abuse, rape, mental illness, eating disorder, misogyny, cheating, self-harm.

~~THOUGHTS~~

The Vegetarian is an audaciously insane book. Reading it was like living a fever dream. Do you enjoy it? Not really. But, are you thoroughly spellbound by how much you can push your imagination? Absolutely! And, when you are awake and well, you wonder if all of that even happened and at the same time you simply can’t stop fixating over its contents.

This book is divided into three parts. The first part is husband and Yeong-hye universe told from husband’s perspective. The second part is brother-in-law and Yeong-hye universe told from the brother-in-law’s perspective. The third part is sister and Yeong-hye universe told from the sister’s perspective. This in itself captures how the perspective of someone who does something out of the ordinary is never taken into account. It’s always how the society views the person and the collective perspective which is considered as the norm.

In this book, we read about Yeong-hye’s decision to become a vegetarian in a culture where that rarely ever happens. Such a decision leads to critique from her husband and family. People are willing to accept it if there is a logical reason to it, such as health or environment reasons. But, the moment a woman’s decision about her own body and her own life doesn’t tick the boxes of society’s logical reasons, she is ridiculed and eventually thrown into social isolation. In this book, it’s about being a vegetarian, but the brilliance of the book is such that you can replace that act with any other act and it would still write the same way. A woman who does not want to marry. A woman who does not want children. A woman who is pro-choice. A woman who earns more than her husband. A woman who has a child and works. A woman who has a child and does not work. The list goes on, doesn’t it?

Even after sitting with my thoughts for over two days, I am still finding insights about this book. It is multi-layered and thematically enriching to read. It is certainly unlike any book I have ever read before.

~~THREE PARTS~~

In the first part, we see how Yeong-hye’s husband is a product of patriarchal society. He doesn’t love his wife. She is just someone who prepares his meals, washes his clothes, makes an appearance with him to events and someone he can forcefully have sex with. So, when she decides to take a stand and become a vegetarian, his whole life tumbles. I think that’s what the first chapter represents. How one tiny decision made by a woman destroys decades of patriarchy.

In the second part, we see how Yeong-hye explores sex outside of her marriage. Reading this chapter felt like a change of shift from the first part, because it is so vividly different. It’s about desire and exploration of sex through art. Yes, male artists have been doing it all along. There are nude sculptures of women that date back centuries. And yet, the way it is written here is truly revolutionary especially being set in Korea.

And then part three which was perhaps the most unhinged. A lot of readers have different interpretations for this one. To me, it was like looking inside the mind of someone living with a mental illness – schizophrenia. I have seen movies/shows that portrayed people with schizophrenia. While it is different for each person, Yeong-hye’s case mirrored so poignantly towards reconnecting with nature. Painting flowers on her body made her breathe easier. Doing a handstand made her relate to the trees. Being intimate with a man who had flowers painted on him aroused her. Who knows what else was happening inside her mind. But, it really made me wonder about mental health and the climate crises.

~~TO READ OR NOT TO READ~~

I must say that this book is not for everyone. If you are someone who reads diversely, then you should definitely read this book. If you read across genres and are up to reading something new, go for it! If you like plot-based books, then you might not enjoy this. If you love literary fiction, then you should read this book. If you want to read something unlike anything you have read before, you should definitely pick this! I can’t wait to read Han Kang’s other books, Greek Lessons and Human Acts! I have rated The Vegetarian by Han Kang, translated by Deborah Smith at 4/5 stars!

Until next time,