Not really sure how to start this conversation, but as I’ve got a little more confident on here I wanted to ask for wider perspective/ advice on perhaps a niche conversation. It’s a little personal but I’d really appreciate compassionate advice.

I’m a repeat rereader and movie watcher, I have found myself over the past couple of years seeking out ‘comfort’ over new adventures because it feels safe. There’s no unexpected emotional turbulence. It began at a time when I was severely unwell but I can’t break the cycle…

I was wondering if anyone else also experiences this block on pushing themselves into new reads, and whether anyone perhaps has advice?

I LOVE reading. Always have. Escaping into a different world is one of my favourite things to do. I curate TBRs, buy books all the time. It’s still a major part of my life. I know I will love reading again if I just DO IT but I can’t get over the first hurdles, when I do, if I stop I struggle to start again. I’ve just found I constantly block myself. I’ll sit and scroll for hours trying to choose what to read with no end result. I don’t know, is there anyone out there who relates?

Okay so I started moving some of my TBR books to my Interested category. TBR I feel like for me is 'I'm definitely going to attempt to read this at some point'. Whereas interested is like a 'this seems neat but I don't know if I'm gonna reach out for it or if I'm dying to attempt to read it anytime soon'. Is that how you guys are using this Interested category or just me? 'Cause I've never seen an Interested categoy til now! I also wonder if it's for books that have yet to come out? I know it can be my own thing, I get that, but I'm curious what other people do.

I just finished reading the first chapter and I have so much to say. My interpretation of the book is that the decision of Yeong-Hye to become vegetarian is a metaphor for woman that have always followed societal rules but one day decide to change. And how even if the rebellion is a as simple and as little as becoming vegetarian, it leads toa butterfly effect. Is interesting how this small thing, food preference, becomes this full-blown crisis for Yeong-Hye’s family. We never get the perspective of Yeong-Hye the first chapter is narrated from her husband’s perspective, also known as the 9th circle of hell. Yeong-Hye is not an individual person for him. She is that thing that is in his house that makes chores for him or this person that is an extension of him and as such everything about Yeong-Hye from her outfit to her looks, to her dietary preference, reflects on him. In fact, the whole family acts this way. Is never about Yeong-Hye, it is about what her life says about her family. This individuality is further taken away by having her husband narrate, at least, the first chapter. The story is about Yeong-Hye, yet I am suffering the thoughts of her husband. Which is important for the overall theme of the book but I’m still suffering. The only snippets of this books that tell us something about Yeong-Hye is the narration of her dreams. Which I do not know how to fit into the overall theme of the book. I do not know what they want me to take away about these dreams as I do no think that she is completely nuts is what Hang Kang wanted to say about Yeong-Hye with these snippets. As I do not understand them, I wonder if maybe removing them would have made the book more interesting as the reader would be second guessing themselves trying to decipher if how Yeong-Hye is acting is that extreme or he is just making it that extreme because he hates her and wants her to be as unnoticeable as possible. The family lunch was so uncomfortable and made me so sad just to then be completely furious. The fact that a simple thing such as being vegetarian is eliciting this extreme violent reaction angers me and makes the behaviour of the family ridiculous. Which I do not know if it was the desired aim.