Reviews tagging 'Racism'

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

870 reviews

shaleen64's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This book skilfully covers the issues of patriarchy, mental health and bodily autonomy.

The book follows the main characters decent into madness in a direct manner without any dramatics. It is particularly enjoyable how the writing style changes to reflect this.

The analogy of both the Fig Tree and the Bell Jar are both relatable and affirming. 

However, it’s impossible to ignore the blatant racism within the book, and whilst consideration has to be given to the time period in which it was wrote, the comments made just feel like a way for Plath to voice her own prejudices. For this reason alone I wouldn’t actively recommend this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Mental illness, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Fatphobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Pregnancy

alexrobinsonsupergenius's review against another edition

dark funny sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, and Classism

etbliss's review against another edition

dark reflective sad medium-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism

bookedandbusy's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book was incredibly written, Esther’s depression was so well written and the treatment she received from other people showed that depression and other mental illnesses weren’t fully understood back then, and that no one truly understood her struggles. I found a lot of her struggles to be relatable, and I felt like she was a very real character. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Confinement, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Homophobia, Vomit, and Death of parent

smitha_r's review against another edition

This is a very relatable and well written book, don't get me wrong. But

her slow unravelling once she's rejected from her course after the internship finishes was not good for my own mental health unfortunately. I felt like I was slipping into depression and suicide ideation alongside her, so NOPE NOPE NOPE.

I will hopefully come back to this if/when I'm in a better mindspace. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Sexual assault, Vomit, Medical content, and Classism

Minor: Racism and Antisemitism

ravenstag6's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Death, Misogyny, Sexism, and Grief

Minor: Racism, Sexual content, and Abandonment

fictionandfauna's review against another edition

dark reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

 I would say that this book is about to become my whole personality but that would be wrong since I feel like it already IS my personality. 

 

As a mentally ill girly, I rarely read any books that so perfectly encapsulate the experience of battling depression, anxiety, ADHD or even mania. But The Bell Jar practically reflected back to me the girl I was in my late teens. 

 

I have never felt so seen and understood by a book before and when I learned that it was the one and only novel Sylvia Plath wrote before she took her own life in 1963, my heart broke because it so easily could have been me in 2011. 

 

The slide from “normalcy” into complete and total breakdown was so insidious and accurately depicted, you can’t help but feel for Esther as she battles the dark recesses of her own mind. Anyone who has experienced a depressive episode or lives with chronic depression will see their experience written in the pages of this book. We may not all wind up in an asylum undergoing electric shock treatment these days but the events that led to it are still relevant today. 

 

The one flag is that there is some ugly, jarring racism in this book with stereotypes, racial slurs and even assault. One scene in particular makes for harrowing reading and readers should take care. The fact that this book was published in 1963 does not excuse the awful content but it does offer some context as to the very privileged, very white, very racist world that Sylvia Plath herself was a part of. 

 

Overall, The Bell Jar feels like the original My Year of Rest and Relaxation and for those who enjoy unhinged main characters, this one is the OG. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Medical content, and Suicide attempt

shoelr's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Don't read this book if you are currently experiencing depression. 

Also, note it was published in the 60s so parts of it will be quite dated and racist. 

That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It was painfully relatable. lol

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Racism and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Medical content

maijaraven's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Racial slurs and Racism

noctrnes's review against another edition

dark reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

It was pretty interesting to read especially knowing she committed suicide not long after the book's publication. I wish the pacing was a bit less all over the place

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt