Reviews tagging 'Xenophobia'

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

57 reviews

elove13's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Racial slurs, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Suicide attempt, and Alcohol

Minor: Fatphobia

mockingjayx16's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, and Sexual content

Minor: Ableism and Xenophobia

keyisbored's review against another edition

Plath was racist against Chinese people 8 pages in. I was really expecting some interesting reading on mental illness and a feminist perspective but got white feminism. Also the main character was giving weirdly judgmental vibes towards other women and I'm not sure if that's something that changes but it would've put me off if the racism didn't do it first. Not sure why this is considered a feminist classic and not bothered to find out. I'm sure there is merit if you look beyond the racism but personally, I don't care.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Racism and Xenophobia

piesxlorini's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• 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

Minor: Racial slurs, Racism, and Xenophobia

picnicatthehangingtree's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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

4.75

Docking .25 stars for the racism and homophobia. Otherwise this is a near perfect book for me, I’ll be thinking about it for a long time. I think 25 was a really good age to read it at - that feeling of not knowing what the future holds and having to make your way forward despite all the uncertainty really hit for me. This is such an incredible portrait of life with depression, but with such a hopeful ending for a path moving forward whilst holding space for it as a part of you. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Ableism, Body shaming, Confinement, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Lesbophobia, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Infidelity and Pregnancy

thorney's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, and Xenophobia

annahollamby's review against another edition

challenging dark sad slow-paced

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

2.0

I'm satisfied that I read it, as it's a contemporary classic,and because I've been mentally ill for as long as I've been sentient, I did find the book relatable (derogatory). But, I can't and won't get over or look past the racism, anti-semitism, homophobia, and general white privilege of it all. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, and Classism

courtmckenz's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Vomit, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, and Gaslighting

robyn1998's review against another edition

dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

This is my third time reading the Bell Jar and my first time reading it while I'm in a mentally good place. The writing style is as beautiful as I remember, and I appreciate gross details and weird characteristics in protagonists. However, I was struck by how Esther shows ZERO empathy for other characters. The book is extremely racist for the time period. It also has basically every other -ist and -phobia you could imagine. Considering that she's basically a stand-in for Plath herself, it made me like the book a lot less. The afterword mentions that Plath wanted to emphasise how you see everyone as a caricature when you're mentally unwell, which I understand to some extent. However, Esther is continuously judgemental and nasty throughout the book, both before she becomes unwell and after she recovers. Interesting how so many people idolise Sylvia Plath when she had such backwards attitudes to anyone who wasn't a thin, attractive, white Anglo-saxon protestant. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fatphobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Medical content, and Suicide attempt

allydoessomereading's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

I think Sylvia plath knows my life exactly. I don't think I've ever read my own thoughts and feelings be explained so beautifully and precisely like Plath does. Her writing is so vibrant and poetic, even when she is discussing some very heavy topics. Its amazing that she was able to discuss the female experience so ruthlessly in the time that she did. Its insane that this book from years ago is the first ive read with passages that have made me feel so seen and understood in a way i havent felt before. I think this book found me at both the best and worst time, either way I know it's stuck with me for life. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Sexual harassment

Minor: Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Hate crime, Homophobia, Xenophobia, Blood, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail