Han Kang's novel 'The Vegetarian' is being favorably received by the German press. An article about the book is published on the website of the German daily newsmagazine Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
Han Kang's "The Vegetarian," which won the Man Booker International Prize for fiction in May, is being widely praised in the German press.
The German weekly newsmagazine Der Spiegel and dailies Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Frankfurter Rundsschau and Der Tagesspiegel have all highlighted the book.
Der Spiegel said, "The short book of only 190 pages reminds us of Franz Kafka's 'The Metamorphosis.' Readers might feel faintly just how deep the literary depth of 'The Vegetarian' is, like 'The Metamorphosis,' but will find it difficult to describe it in words. Han Kang's book uses metaphor for human beings and society, especially the metaphor for violence that happens when society confines human beings to a 'normal life.'" The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung paid tribute to the book saying, "It's the best literary discovery this year."
'The Vegetarian' is published in German by Aufbau.
Broadcast media, too, including radio and television, are paying attention to the book.
German radio stations Deutschlandradio Kultur, NDR, WDR and BR continue to air book reviews of "The Vegetarian," and the second-largest public broadcaster in Germany, ZDF, talked about the book in a literary discussion program on Aug. 26.
The book was published in Germany by Aufbau and was translated into German by Lee Kihyang.
By Yoon Jihye
Korea.net Staff Writer
Photos: Literature Translation Institute of Korea
wisdom117@korea.kr
