Reviews with content warning for Racial slurs - The Bell Jar

Reviews tagging 'Racial slurs'

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

628 reviews

ally_alert's review against another edition

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dark slow-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

4.75

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amyrosesmeds's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny medium-paced

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

5.0

This book was honestly amazing. Sylvia Plath’s style of writing is so unique, witty and captivating. The way that she speaks is so human, but it has this eerie nature to it that I just love. The fact that this has an autobiographical aspect to it makes it even more fascinating.

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amessina3399's review against another edition

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dark 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? It's complicated

4.0

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robyn1998's review against another edition

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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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allydoessomereading's review against another edition

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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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