Reading The Vegetarian by Han Kang, Man Booker International Prize 2016

The Vegetarian by Han Kang

Han Kang is a South Korean writer. She was born in a family of writers and novelists, her brother and brother being also writers. Her novels The Vegetarian and Human Acts are her first translated works in English by Deborah Smith. In 2016 her novel The Vegetarian won Man Booker International Prize and she is the first Korean author to be nominated for the award.

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This book is so strange and weird at the same time. It's th first time I am reading any Korean literature in translation, so I cannot judge it too much. In short, it's the story of a woman named Yeong-hye who decides to become a vegetarian and how her family reacts to this decision. The novel is divided into three parts, each told from the point of view of a person who is impacted by her decision.

The first part is narrated by her husband who describes her as plain looking and who chose her because she was unremarkable in every possible way. Then she suddenly had a dream. A rather bloody dream that turn her away from meat and all animal products. In the second part we see her through the eyes of her brother-in-law, an unsuccessful video artist who struggles to create some vague pornographic visions. He sees her in a total different way, an enigma with a strong sense of self-posession and sexually attractive. Finally, in the third part we see her complete transformation, her struggle with mental illness and how this affected her sister. In her sister's view she is altogether a victim and a manipulator, a psychiatric patient who is so capable of controlling those around her.

It is not a novel about becoming vegetarian. It is more about obsessions, acting on obsessions and family relations. Despite being a novel about Yeong-hye we never hearher perspective. It is also a novel that makes you react against abuse, either physical or psychological, family relations and societal norms. The writing is so impactful and heartbreaking. So, I'd say take 24 hours, read the novel and then make up your mind, is it reasonable, provocative or it leaves you helpless?