The Vegetarian

This seems to be a controversial book, and I get why. Who do I recommend this to without seeming like a weirdo? There are very disturbing character monologues and scenes in this book, which is off-putting to a lot of people.

So why do I think it's a 5-star? This book hits differently. It shows the reader how mental illness, specifically in Asian cultures, is sometimes ignored, shamed, and misunderstood. The story follows Yeong-hye, not through her own perspective, but from the perspectives of her husband, brother-in-law, and sister. Each perspective tells a very different story about Yeong-hye, and everyone has their own interpretations of the level of her illness. We see her, not as a woman with her own thoughts, desires, or dreams; we see her as the “other”. We watch her decline on the inside from an outside view.

The story is haunting, confusing and grotesque because that's what developing and coming to terms with severe mental illness is.