Longlisted for the Man Booker International Prize (which the book went on to win), \u2018The\u00a0Vegetarian\u2019 by Han Kang and translated from the Korean by\u00a0Deborah Smith tells the story of Yeong-hye who suddenly\u00a0declares she will no longer eat after having a disturbing\u00a0dream. Originally published as separate \u201cnovelettes\u201d,\u00a0the three parts of the story are told from the point of view\u00a0of her husband, brother-in-law and sister respectively who\u00a0are all outraged by her decision to become a vegetarian in a\u00a0society where refusing to eat meat is extremely rare.<\/p>\n
Some elements of the story such as the first part narrated\u00a0by Yeong-hye\u2019s emotionally detached husband were vaguely At one with nature<\/p>\n\t\t
\nreminiscent of the novels of Haruki Murakami but that\u00a0comparison really doesn\u2019t do justice to the unique atmosphere\u00a0of \u2018The Vegetarian\u2019. As Yeong-hye\u2019s obsession begins\u00a0to manifest itself in extreme ways to the point where\u00a0she rejects all food and attempts to live as a tree, Kang explores\u00a0broader social issues surrounding gender politics\u00a0through Yeong-hye\u2019s relatives\u2019 reaction to her mental illness\u00a0in spare, precise prose. The absence of Yeong-hye\u2019s\u00a0own voice as she becomes increasingly disconnected from\u00a0yet also imprisoned by society is particularly unsettling.\u00a0Subtle and surreal, \u2018The Vegetarian\u2019 is a tightly controlled\u00a0novella which boldly takes the reader to some very unexpected\u00a0places.\u2014Clare Rowland<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"