The Vegetarian

Winner of the Man Booker International Prize, this novel by Han Kang, translated from the original Korean by Deborah Smith,  is certainly beautifully written and unique.
While short in length, it is a powerful story that will stay with you long after you finish the final, devastating page.
Starting out as the story of a "flat-lined" marriage, it is essentially told from three points of view, none  of which belong to the character referred to in the title: Yeong-hye awakens one morning and informs her husband (the narrator of Part One) that based on a very disturbing dream she has just experienced, she is henceforth a vegetarian.  As Yeong-hye begins to manifest physical symptoms of her extreme vegetarian diet, her family becomes concerned. Her brother-in-law and sister join forces with her husband and parents in attempting (through violent means) to dissuade her from her dietary path, to no avail.
While it may sound simplistic, it is anything but: Kang is addressing much larger issues than diet in her story.  It's really about personal choice versus submission to others.
As Yeong-hye begins to "disappear" into her own fantasy world, the reader feels compelled to choose sides: does Yeong-hye control her own destiny or does she "owe" it to her family to continue her life in a way she finds repellent?

My rating: **** 4 stars