--- product_id: 56105735 title: "The Vegetarian: A Novel" price: "AED 120" currency: AED in_stock: true reviews_count: 9 url: https://www.desertcart.ae/products/56105735-the-vegetarian-a-novel store_origin: AE region: United Arab Emirates --- # The Vegetarian: A Novel **Price:** AED 120 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Vegetarian: A Novel - **How much does it cost?** AED 120 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.ae](https://www.desertcart.ae/products/56105735-the-vegetarian-a-novel) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description The Vegetarian: A Novel : Kang, Han, Smith, Deborah: desertcart.co.uk: Books Review: This book is like Marmite - I was determined to read one of the Man Booker Prize shortlisted books this year and I took my time choosing which one to read. I'm glad I chose this one. This book is odd. I can't skirt around that issue. You will either love this book or you will detest it; and I can see both sides of view. I, personally, quite liked this. Just a background to this story: arranged marriage is somewhat common in South Korea, though this is mostly in rural areas than anything else. Women and men have traditional gender roles and women are expected to be obedient to the men in their lives (husband, father etc). Vegetarianism is still not a common practice. This is a very general background and, of course, does not apply to all South Koreans. The book, on the outside, looks at one woman's choice to become a vegetarian, but really it is about mental illness and the constraints of society on a woman. It examines the impact of mental illness of the people around the woman rather than of the woman itself. The book is written in 3 sections and each section tells the story from the perspective of someone connected to Yeong-hye (the main character). It starts with Yeong-hye's husband and his initial reaction to her desire to become vegetarian. Her actions and refusal to obey her husband and father see her break social norms and she becomes somewhat of an outcast. The narrative here is rather easy to read and a part of me felt for her husband, initially. The second section is written from the perspective of Yeong-hye's brother-in-law who develops an unhealthy obsession with Yeong-hye after her admittance to a psychiatric hospital. I saw real parallels between his obsession of Yeong-hye and Yeong-hye's obsession with trees and flowers. This part of the book is erotic and looks at the exploitation of Yeong-hye mental state. The third section is written from the perspective of Yeong-hye's sister. It is such a depressing and dreary read that sees the aftermath of Yeong-hye's illness on her family. I think it is quite fitting and it is here that I realised that the narrative over the 3 sections gradually became darker and more difficult to process. This, to some degree, mirrors the erosion of Yeong-hye mental state. I love how this book was written, but the ending really spoilt it for me. I didn't really understand it and did not answer any questions I had. Review: Good read - Got it for my partner who likes to read. He said it’s the best book he’s ever read ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | ASIN | 1101906111 | | Best Sellers Rank | 210,183 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) 326 in Cultural Heritage Fiction 540 in Literary Fiction (Books) 1,376 in Contemporary Fiction (Books) | | Customer reviews | 3.7 3.7 out of 5 stars (15,194) | | Dimensions | 13.11 x 1.37 x 20.22 cm | | Edition | Reprint | | ISBN-10 | 9781101906118 | | ISBN-13 | 978-1101906118 | | Item weight | 1.05 kg | | Language | English | | Print length | 201 pages | | Publication date | 23 Aug. 2016 | | Publisher | Hogarth Pr | ## Images ![The Vegetarian: A Novel - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71l1Bhqtr0L.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ This book is like Marmite *by E***N on 17 December 2016* I was determined to read one of the Man Booker Prize shortlisted books this year and I took my time choosing which one to read. I'm glad I chose this one. This book is odd. I can't skirt around that issue. You will either love this book or you will detest it; and I can see both sides of view. I, personally, quite liked this. Just a background to this story: arranged marriage is somewhat common in South Korea, though this is mostly in rural areas than anything else. Women and men have traditional gender roles and women are expected to be obedient to the men in their lives (husband, father etc). Vegetarianism is still not a common practice. This is a very general background and, of course, does not apply to all South Koreans. The book, on the outside, looks at one woman's choice to become a vegetarian, but really it is about mental illness and the constraints of society on a woman. It examines the impact of mental illness of the people around the woman rather than of the woman itself. The book is written in 3 sections and each section tells the story from the perspective of someone connected to Yeong-hye (the main character). It starts with Yeong-hye's husband and his initial reaction to her desire to become vegetarian. Her actions and refusal to obey her husband and father see her break social norms and she becomes somewhat of an outcast. The narrative here is rather easy to read and a part of me felt for her husband, initially. The second section is written from the perspective of Yeong-hye's brother-in-law who develops an unhealthy obsession with Yeong-hye after her admittance to a psychiatric hospital. I saw real parallels between his obsession of Yeong-hye and Yeong-hye's obsession with trees and flowers. This part of the book is erotic and looks at the exploitation of Yeong-hye mental state. The third section is written from the perspective of Yeong-hye's sister. It is such a depressing and dreary read that sees the aftermath of Yeong-hye's illness on her family. I think it is quite fitting and it is here that I realised that the narrative over the 3 sections gradually became darker and more difficult to process. This, to some degree, mirrors the erosion of Yeong-hye mental state. I love how this book was written, but the ending really spoilt it for me. I didn't really understand it and did not answer any questions I had. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Good read *by N***0 on 6 March 2026* Got it for my partner who likes to read. He said it’s the best book he’s ever read ### ⭐⭐⭐ Disturbing & Beautiful *by L***Y on 14 October 2017* Having flirted with the idea of turning towards a vegetarian diet for quite some time now, I was instantly drawn to The Vegetarian. When I was 17, I decided to give up meat for lent, to prove to a friend that I could and would survive for forty days without meat. However, when I got home from school and announced this news to my mother (Chinese), she was horrified. Although the vegetarian movement has grown enormously in the West, it is not wholly accepted in East Asia. This is partly what Han Kang explores in her phenomenal piece, The Vegetarian. Before the nightmare, Yeong-hye and her husband lived an ordinary life. But when splintering, blood-soaked images start haunting her thoughts, Yeong-hye decides to purge her mind and renounce eating meat. In a country where societal mores are strictly obeyed, Yeong-hye's decision to embrace a more “plant-like” existence is a shocking act of subversion. And as her passive rebellion manifests in ever more extreme and frightening forms, scandal, abuse, and estrangement begin to send Yeong-hye spiraling deep into the spaces of her fantasy. In a complete metamorphosis of both mind and body, her now dangerous endeavor will take Yeong-hye—impossibly, ecstatically, tragically—far from her once-known self altogether. First of all, I have to admit that at first I just didn't get this book. It was disturbing enough that I kept reading but it wasn't what I was expecting at all and when I put the book down I was very confused. It wasn't until after I had done a bit of research and read about what Han Kang was trying to get at that I really began to appreciate all the themes in this story. You're not supposed to understand everything that happens here and if you go looking for a "right" answer to everything then you've missed the point entirely. Told from three different perspectives, we see Yeong-hye descend into a sort of quiet madness through the eyes of her husband, her best friend and said friend's husband. Each chapter is very distinct and we get a glimpse at the inner workings of this family that once seemed "normal" from the outside. Kang shows us how our inner demons can haunt us and what happens when they finally break loose. There's conflict between father and daughter, husband and wife, sister and sister. Through these relationships and conflicts we are given a glimpse into Korean culture. Of course, this book is not representative of all Korean culture (I would be pretty worried if it did), but it certainly makes you aware of some of the stark cultural differences between the East and the West. Being half Chinese myself, I can imagine that turning vegetarian could actually have such a huge impact on your family. The plot seems a little surreal at times and the writing can be rather abstract. The imagery is disturbing and yet beautiful all at once. Kang weaves together these two notions, completely captivating the reader and compelling you to read on even though alarm bells are ringing at the back of your brain. Reading The Vegetarian almost brings you into a trance-like state, much like the leading character herself, Yeong-hye. Finally, I must say that The Vegetarian isn't for the faint hearted or the squeamish. Whilst I wouldn't go quite so far as to say there are "gory" parts, there were a couple of passages that made my stomach squirm. Make no mistake, this story isn't the happy story of how a woman moved towards a plant based diet - it is dark, it is disturbing, it is distressing. Kang's description of the protagonist through the eyes of her narrators is frighteningly compelling and it's certainly not a book I'll be forgetting anytime soon. ## Frequently Bought Together - The Vegetarian - Human Acts: A Novel - The White Book: A Novel --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.ae/products/56105735-the-vegetarian-a-novel](https://www.desertcart.ae/products/56105735-the-vegetarian-a-novel) --- *Product available on Desertcart United Arab Emirates* *Store origin: AE* *Last updated: 2026-06-05*