Read this when
The Vegetarian
She stopped eating meat. Her family decided that was their business. A short, haunting book about who gets to own a body.
Who it's for
Yeong-hye, a quiet wife in Seoul, stops eating meat after violent dreams, and her husband, father and brother-in-law react with escalating control: shaming, force-feeding and exploitation.
Feelings it meets
What it is
Yeong-hye, a woman living in Seoul, stops eating meat after recurring disturbing dreams, a decision that isolates her from her family and society. The novel is told in three parts: first by her husband, then focused on her brother-in-law, a video artist, and finally on her sister In-hye, who becomes her main support.
Where to find it
In print (Hogarth in the US, Portobello in the UK); widely available from libraries (Libby/Hoopla) and as an audiobook. Not public domain.
Before you start
Heads up: Self-harm and marital rape.
Age: Adult (18+)
Slavery is terrible for men; but it is far more terrible for women.Harriet Jacobs, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
