Reviews tagging 'Classism'

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

26 reviews

carajewels'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

4.25

this book has brilliant quotes and im afraid i relate to esther a littleee too much ..!

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Racism and Classism

isirla's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

3.75

I believe this one would be better for me on a re-read. It's not that I didn't like this novel. I enjoyed Sylvia Plath's writing. Esther is someone I felt compelled to protect throughout the book. I did spend the first 60% of the ebook wondering if I should trust the narrator or not which was a bit unsettling but I was also wondering when and if anything of note was going to happen. I had more questions than answers. I believe this wasn't the right time for me to read this book but for now on my first read, I'm rating it a 3.75 stars out of 5.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Forced institutionalization, Blood, Gaslighting, and Classism

sorene_'s review against another edition

informative lighthearted reflective 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Death, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, and Classism

Minor: Body shaming, Chronic illness, Homophobia, and Vomit

lindsey_bear's review against another edition

dark reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

Plath’s writing style is easy and timeless. That being said, the topics in The Bell Jar are anything but easy. The story was hard to get through as much of it surrounds the main character’s thoughts of suicide. I found the descriptions of the asylum to be extremely interesting and it shed a lot of light on how mental disorders used to be dealt with decades ago. The metaphor of the bell jar as intermittent depression was relatable and evergreen. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Classism

fleursreads's review against another edition

dark reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5

it's a book you have to be in the right mental space to enjoy

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

alexisgarcia's review against another edition

dark sad tense fast-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

3.0

i really wanted to love this. however, some parts of the book felt unnecessary to the story and Esther was just not a good person which made this so unenjoyable for me. despite her mental illness there was no reason for her to be so incredibly nasty to everyone around her. and her character targeting and physically abusing the only person of color and calling them slurs… for what? there was absolutely no reason for all of her rude actions especially considering how privileged she was. it did adequately portray the mental unraveling of a women in her early adulthood but it outshined by how awful her character was in my opinion. i was so disappointed :((( 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, Dysphoria, and Classism

karol99's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny reflective tense 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

I am really glad I finally read this book! I enjoyed that way it was written, there have been multiple sections of the book that I have underlined because the way Plath worded things was so eloquently done. I really enjoyed the way she tackled different forms of mysogyny as well as mental health all while the reader has to keep in mind that this book as well as the character is from the 60's - which is also clearly evident in the cultural/societal response to women and mental health at the time.

I specifically had a moment of reflection where I had to jot down my thoughts on mirrors and it's role in the story (Plath, p. 168): 

[Esther asked to see a mirror, and the nurse ignored her]
'Why can't I?'
'Because you better not.' The nurse shut the lid of the overnight case with a little snap. 
'Why?' 
'Because you don't look very pretty.' 

I also had a discussion with my mum about it. All the different factors and layers that were held in such a short line:  'Because you don't look very pretty.'  

I will leave at 4.75, and see how the book will further impact me - and if it does, now that I have finished it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Medical trauma, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Alcohol, and Classism

julialozanoh'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

5.0

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Fatphobia, Lesbophobia, and Classism

daisy_may's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Suicide attempt, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Blood, Vomit, and Classism

manu11227's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body shaming, Death, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Xenophobia, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, and Classism