This short novel, winner of the Man Booker International Prize 2016, is translated from Korean and tells the story of Yeong-hye, a young woman in modern day South Korea. It is a fascinating and thought-provoking narrative that starts with Yeong-hye choosing to become vegetarian. This seemingly unremarkable and straightforward choice turns out to be nothing of the sort- vegetarianism is almost unheard of in Korea but, more importantly, Yeong-hye is on the verge of serious mental illness. Yeong-hye’s stance is challenged by all of those around her, but she remains steadfast. It transpires that becoming vegetarian is the prodromal seed of an all-encompassing psychosis which will take Yeong-hye on a journey from being vegetarian to believing that she is vegetal in nature and therefore food is superfluous to her needs.
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