WinneroftheShirleyJacksonAward.NamedOneoftheTop10ThrillerstoReadThisSummerbyTimeMagazine.MiserymeetsTheVegetarianinthispsychologicalthrilleraboutlonelinessandthedarktruthswetrytobury.Inthistense,grippingnovelbyastarofKoreanliterature,Oghihaswokenfromacomaaftercausingadevastatingcaraccidentthattookhiswife’slifeandlefthimparalyzedandbadlydisfigured.Hiscaretakerishismother-in-law,awidowgrievingthelossofheronlychild.Oghiisneglectedandleftaloneinhisbed.Hisworldshrinkstotheroomheliesinandhismemoriesofhistroubledrelationshipwithhiswife,asensitive,intelligentwomanwhofoundallofherlifegoalsthwartedexceptforone:cultivatingthegardeninfrontoftheirhouse.ButsoonOghinoticeshismother-in-lawintheabandonedgarden,uprootingwhathiswifehadworkedsohardtoplantandobsessivelydigginglargerandlargerholes.Whenasked,sheanswersonlythatsheisfinishingwhatherdaughterstarted.AbestsellerinKorea,TheHoleisasuperblycraftedanddeeplyunnervingnovelaboutthehorrorsofisolationandneglectinallofitsbanalandbrutalforms.AsOghidesperatelysearchesforawaytoescape,hediscoversthedifficulttruthabouthiswifeandthetolltheirlifetogethertookonher.
