Review: The Vegetarian

The Vegetarian by Han Kang
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is nothing like I've ever read before, a stunning achievement, both for its narrative and execution as much as for its translation from the original Korean. I fell headlong in love with this book: it's one of the most luscious, sensual (not sexual), richly detailed journeys ever. One women's rapid commitment to her truth, and her intersection between her micro culture of her family and the larger demands of her the society she's in. This is brimming with rich entries into the sensate, a deep exploration of motivation and ethics, of hunger to be oneself, as metaphor for physical appetite. This is a narrative that can be interpreted in multiple ways, especially in the current climate of the 'MeToo' movement. There's no real villain or hero here, just deeply drawn characters, for whom we feel. Riveting and pure, unapologetic in tone and content, this slim little tale will leave you riveted and depleted in the best way possible. I cannot recommend it heartily enough.

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