Scan barcode
allydoessomereading's review against another edition
- 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
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
ankiaisreading's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Moderate: Body horror, Body shaming, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
daniskara's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
This book was published in 1960s, hence for me it was very brave that the book mainly centered on the topic of mental illness. I love the way Sylvia Plath doesn't describe the Esther's mental illness in an insufferably romanticizing way. Instead, she chose to portray the illness as raw as it possibly is. No romanticizing, just pure portrayal on how Esther goes about her day while knowing that something was wrong with her, simply describing about how it distorts the way she views herself and her surrounding, also the way she's making decisions.
I do feel like a character-driven book that talks about depression will be hard to go through, especially at the beginning—because it is simply reality for those who are experiencing it. Throughout the book, it truly felt like I was watching the world through Esther's eyes and I can totally feel the way she battled with her illness—starting from the phase of being confused, denial, angry, scared, acceptance, down to her path of getting better. All I gotta say, I wish I could give Esther Greenwood a hug if I could.
Moderate: Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Sexual harassment
vonya45's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Pregnancy
Minor: Death of parent
nnw's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.5
Moderate: Racism and Rape
frdz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, and Death of parent
abitofapoet's review against another edition
Graphic: Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, and Rape
ldpaige's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I have various reasons as to why it has dropped so low, but a personal reason has been the improvement of my mental health. I realized this book was only so good to me because of the mental state I was in. I related to Esther in so many ways, which allowed for this book to resonate with me deeply. That, at the time, made it an automatic 5 star for me, along with Plath's vivid imagery and cascading language.
What's funny is the same things that turned me off from this book were the things that put me on to this book. The
It's simply not "entertaining" to me anymore. It doesn't speak to me as it once did, so listening to this in its bare bones was captivating at times, boring at times, tedious at times, but just downright depressing the whole time. I knew this wasn't the happiest book ever written, but Goddamn.
Not to mention, the racial elements threw me off SO bad reading this book the second time around.
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Rape
avawetherall's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Blood, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, and Suicide
peeled_grape's review against another edition
Graphic: Ableism and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Rape and Suicide
Minor: Racism
First reference of an unironic lobotomy I’ve seen in literature. Casual racism, casual fatphobia. Weirdly charming?