bookswithlee's Reviews (669)

I I feel angry at myself for this book not being an easy 5-star read for me as it is almost universally loved. I closed the book trying to really understand why I did not have the response that so many did.

I did not cry, I reread the ending a few times with the hopes that some tears might fall, but they never came. This wasn’t a huge issue for me because I don’t usually cry from books, so why wasn’t this everything I hoped that it would be?

Did I think the book was bad? No. Was the writing great? Yes. Was the character development well done? Absolutely! But did I feel so deeply connected to our main character Ove? Unfortunately no.

This is where I think the difference between those who rated A Man Called Ove highly and those who did not differ- If you’re not able to connect deeply with Ove the rest of the book will appear slow and repetitive, and that’s what happened to me. It completely changed the trajectory of the book- starting as a five star read at the beginning slowly making its way down as the book progressed.

What started out as a funny grumpy old man, who I loved, ended up being a simple character on paper who’s primary goal was to make me feel and reflect saying the same things over and over on repeat.

I did listen to this book, so I’m curious that if I had read the physical book, maybe I would have had a different experience. I think I’ll try reading the physical book in the future.

Objectively this book has the potential to be a 5-star read and I understand why it has so many rave reviews. It is a good book! Unfortunately I am in the minority when it comes to feeling deeply connected to Ove even though it’s not where I want to be.

TW: suicidal ideation, ableism,
grief, miscarriage, body shaming

“This was the body of a beautiful young woman, conventionally an object of desire, and yet it was a body from which all desire had been eliminated … what she had renounced was the very life that her body represented.”

I’m someone who enjoys books that force me outside of my comfort zone and challenges me to examine my way of thinking, and the Vegatarian did just that.

In this story set in modern day South Korea we follow a young, married woman who has decided to become a vegetarian largely going against the beliefs of the culture surrounding her. It is then that we as readers start to witness a stark, disturbing, yet engrossing descend of our main character - Yeong-hye as she refuses to conform to the world around her.

I would be lying if I didn’t admit that after I finished the book I felt like something was missing. Like I just didn’t “get it”. However, after doing some research- the message became much more clear. I often do this when reading non-western books as a way to help me give a well rounded review and avoid rating a book poorly simply because I don’t understand.

What I liked about this book is that it is broken into 3 parts each of which showcase the POV of prominent individuals surrounding the “main charecter”: her husband, her brother in law, and her sister. However, we never actually get the story from her point of view, which I believe was tactfully done.

We watch as Yeong-hye starts to slowly reject the norms, which is represented through her rejection of herself. She challenges what it means to be human and begins to reject humanity.

As she descends we get a glimpse into some Korean beliefs, family dynamics, and some questionable behaviors that made me hate the male characters storylines.

As the story draws to an end, the reader is left with more questions than answers that almost mirrors the state of the main character.

I really enjoyed this book, and could not put it down. It was not an easy read, but it was one that had a big impact.

Although disturbing in its delivery, The Vegetarian is not a book I will not soon forget. I will forever question what it truly means to be a human.