by Han Kang
Published 2016
FROM HAN KANG, WINNER OF THE 2024 NOBEL PRIZE IN LITERATURE “[Han Kang’s] intense poetic prose . . . exposes the fragility of human life.”—The Nobel Committee for Literature, in the citation for the Nobel Prize A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER WINNER OF THE INTERNATIONAL BOOKER PRIZE ONE OF THE NEW YORK TIMES’S 100 BEST BOOKS OF THE 21ST CENTURY “Ferocious.”—The New York Times Book Review (Ten Best Books of the Year) “Both terrifying and terrific.”—Lauren Groff “Provocative [and] shocking.”—The Washington Post Before the nightmares began, Yeong-hye and her husband lived an ordinary, controlled life. But the dreams—invasive images of blood and brutality—torture her, driving Yeong-hye to purge her mind and renounce eating meat altogether. It’s a small act of independence, but it interrupts her marriage and sets into motion an increasingly grotesque chain of events at home. As her husband, her brother-in-law and sister each fight to reassert their control, Yeong-hye obsessively defends the choice that’s become sacred to her. Soon their attempts turn desperate, subjecting first her mind, and then her body, to ever more intrusive and perverse violations, sending Yeong-hye spiraling into a dangerous, bizarre estrangement, not only from those closest to her, but also from herself. Celebrated by critics around the world, The Vegetarian is a darkly allegorical, Kafka-esque tale of power, obsession, and one woman’s struggle to break free from the violence both without and within her. A Best Book of the Year: BuzzFeed, Entertainment Weekly, Wall Street Journal, Time, Elle, The Economist, HuffPost, Slate, Bustle, The St. Louis Dispatch, Electric Literature, Publishers Weekly
These are AI narrators you can listen to with your own EPUB on ElevenLabs or Fish Audio. How does it work?
Top voices for narrating this book
American · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Serious
“This voice brings an intense and serious tone, perfectly suited for the dark, psychological nature of the narrative, drawing listeners into the story's intrigue.”
American · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Husky
“With a haunting and gravely texture, this selection excels at conveying the allegorical and deeply unsettling atmosphere required for the audiobook's psychological depth.”
American · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Serious
“The smooth, natural-sounding quality of Niki offers a professional and serious delivery, ideal for a narrator who needs to maintain a sense of detachment amidst intense themes.”
American · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Calm
“Possessing a calm and articulate presence with measured pacing, this voice can beautifully convey the narrative's serious tone without becoming overtly emotional.”
American · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Calm
“Gabriela's grounded and expressive delivery, imbued with emotional depth, is excellent for a narrator guiding listeners through complex internal struggles and dark allegories.”
For listeners: use the Best Narrator voice above in ElevenReader or Fish Audio. Character casting is for authors producing audiobooks with studio tools.
Starts quiet and withdrawn, her voice becoming increasingly ethereal and detached, reflecting her profound internal struggle and estrangement.
Female · Young · Conversational · Character-Voice · Social-Media · Educational · +47 more
“Manon's gentle and soft tone, combined with a hint of mystery from her extensive tag list, makes her an ideal choice for Yeong-hye's initially withdrawn and evolving ethereal nature.”
Female · Young · Conversational · Narration · Character-Voice · Social-Media · +48 more
“Sophia's voice, featuring a breathy and intimate quality from her tag profile, captures the delicate and introverted essence of the character, reflecting her internal struggle.”
Female · Young · Deep · Social-Media · Conversational · Medium · +57 more
“The deep, low register of this voice offers a unique interpretation for Yeong-hye, lending a mysterious and detached quality that can emphasize her growing estrangement.”
A conventional and controlling man, his voice should convey rigid normalcy that gradually shifts to frustration and a subtle, unsettling menace.
Male · Middle-Aged · Conversational · Narration · Character-Voice · Social-Media · +57 more
“Matt Dillon's voice, with its measured and serious delivery, perfectly embodies the husband's conventional and controlling personality, smoothly transitioning to frustration as the story unfolds.”
Male · Middle-Aged · Deep · Low · Medium · High · +58 more
“This commanding voice, while potentially too dramatic for initial normalcy, could effectively convey the subtle, unsettling menace and underlying control of the character in later stages.”
Also recommended for: Yeong-hye's Brother-in-law
A concerned yet ultimately conventional voice, reflecting her attempts to understand and control Yeong-hye, tinged with a growing desperation.
American · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Professional
“Syd's natural, conversational tone with professional undertones aligns well with the sister's conventional nature and her initial attempts to understand Yeong-hye, hinting at underlying concern.”
American · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Wise
“Angela offers an empathetic and warm vocal presence, making her suitable for portraying the sister's genuine concern and care, even as desperation begins to set in.”
American · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Calm
“The articulate and grounded quality of Kira's voice, delivered with a steady cadence, can convey the sister's serious attempts to control the situation and maintain normalcy.”
American · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Calm
“Natasha’s smooth, comforting, yet informative tone is ideal for expressing the sister’s initial calm approach to her sister’s condition, eventually dissolving into desperation.”
American · Middle Aged · Female · Narrative Story · Professional
“Mia's clear and professional sound, coupled with an empathic edge, works well for a character who is both conventional in her outlook and deeply concerned for her sister's well-being.”
His voice should convey an artistic sensibility mixed with a disturbing, obsessive curiosity that becomes increasingly intrusive and perverse.
Male · Middle-Aged · Deep · Low · Medium · High · +58 more
“Sukuna's sinister and dramatic flair, delivered with a deep, raspy texture, perfectly captures the disturbing and perverse nature of the Brother-in-law's obsessive curiosity.”
Also recommended for: Yeong-hye's Husband