Reviews tagging 'Racism'

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

827 reviews

sjhonarvar's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad medium-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

4.0

I really struggled with how to rate & review this—I’ve never had such complicated, heavy feelings about a book, honestly. I understand now why this is such a masterpiece, but I also understand why my friends begged me not to read it (lol sorry girls). I feel like I needed this, but it also kept me up at night & made me feel a lil crazy. The duality goes so crazy on this one, fr. Also, Sylvia—the racism is a big no from me (it really took away from my experience of the book). Final thought is that the fig tree will live rent-free in my mind for the rest of my days. Wowie wow wow.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Mental illness, Rape, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Homophobia, Forced institutionalization, and Self harm

margarita__'s review against another edition

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism and Fatphobia

beetdirt's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective slow-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

2.5

racist

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Content Warnings

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

chelseeaa's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Racism, Sexual assault, Sexism, Rape, Mental illness, Death, and Vomit

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

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

zzaakkiiyyaa's review against another edition

dark reflective 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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Racial slurs, Suicide attempt, Racism, Suicide, and Rape

katharinaamaliae's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-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

4.5

I was really looking forward to reading this book for a long time, so my expectations were high. Mostly, I wasn't disappointed. The writing was, of course, amazing and will always kind of stick with me, I think. Especially the fig tree analogy. That and a lot of other parts were just something I could relate to so much, and Sylvia Plath put it into words better than probably anybody else ever could. However, it still wasn't five stars for me, mostly because, even though I could relate to the main character, Esther, a lot she could also be insufferable and, of course, it were different times, but it's impossible for me to just overlook the racism and fat phobia in this book. 
I also want to add that it's really important to check trigger warnings before reading this and that it's definitely not an easy read, that can really impact your mental health.

I took a deep breath and listened to the old brag of my heart.
I am, I am, I am.

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Content Warnings

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

godfrina's review against another edition

challenging dark tense slow-paced

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

2.0

I sadly didn't enjoy this classic at all. I find Esther insufferable. The writing is truly poetic but I couldn't get into the story, I took what feels like an eternity to finish it. On top of that, there's uncomfortable streaks of rasicm and fat phobia all throughout, possibly as a product of its time, but it takes you out of the story reading it in this age. 

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Classism, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Racism

Minor: Fatphobia and Vomit

stilestastic's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-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

2.0

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Classism, Lesbophobia, Alcohol, Medical content, Racism, Body shaming, Addiction, Homophobia, and Racial slurs

samarareads's review against another edition

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

2.0

While I can value a novel about the madding nature of the expectations and restrictions society places on women, my appreciation for The Bell Jar stops there. A lovely fig tree metaphor cannot make up for the derogatory characterisations that plague this book, especially given it was written in the middle of the civil rights movement. Perhaps I have simply read this novel too late to appreciate its significance because I cannot help but think of the many other writers who manage to explore mental distress, misogyny, suicide, and institutionalisation without succumbing to racism, anti-Semitism, homophobia, and so on. I simply cannot see myself in a story that fails to see the humanity in me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Antisemitism, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Medical content, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Suicide, and Racism