The Vegetarian

The Vegetarian
By Han Kang
Hogarth, 2015. 188 pgs. Fiction

Yeong-hye and her husband have lived a very average, relatively boring life. However, when nightmares of blood and brutality begin, Yeong-hye decides to become vegetarian, a decision that she hopes will make the nightmares that are driving her mad stop. As she asserts control over this aspect of her life, the lives of those around her fall into chaos. As her husband, brother-in-law, and sister try to force Yeong-hye to change her mind, she becomes ever more broken and estranged.

This is not a book for the faint of heart. It’s short, but also stomach turning. Yeong-hye is abused by the people who are supposed to care about her, and for many she is objectified, nothing more than a piece of meat: An average wife for a husband who expects her to be subservient, a piece of art and desire that even other artists view as perverse, a sister that has always taken the brunt of a father’s rage. Yeong-hye is broken in a variety of ways, and her descent into mental illness is heart-breaking. Told in three parts from different points of view, this is a book for readers who like to peel away layer upon layer, finding meaning and allegory. It’s deep, weird, but definitely not for everyone.

ACS