Reviews tagging 'Misogyny'

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

208 reviews

fruitsaladsk's review

challenging dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

The story on it’s own was good, very interesting and reflective, quite relatable. Though there were a lot of blatantly racist moments that were quite off putting.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Self harm, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide attempt, Racism, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, Mental illness, and Racial slurs

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

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

Minor: Infidelity and Pregnancy

star_lost_fairy's review against another edition

dark emotional sad fast-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

2.75

It reads very easily but I did't get the intention behind the book, to me it felt very empty. Had it been more of a social commentary I think I wiuld have liked it more but it was cery supwrficial on a lot topics so I don't know what to think about it. For me it's not a memorable book. 

Also there is a very long list of trigger warning, I put all the ones I remembered in my post.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dysphoria, Medical trauma, Blood, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Medical content, Sexism, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, and Alcohol

roouija's review against another edition

dark emotional sad fast-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Ableism, Grief, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Death, Lesbophobia, Medical trauma, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Sexism, Alcohol, Confinement, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, and Injury/Injury detail

hannahcstocks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective 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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Misogyny, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual harassment, Forced institutionalization, Alcohol, Confinement, Death, Dysphoria, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Classism, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Medical content, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

mermaidread's review

challenging dark emotional 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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Suicidal thoughts, Dysphoria, Eating disorder, Gaslighting, Medical content, Misogyny, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Suicide, and Self harm

Moderate: Racism and Racial slurs

giulidrago's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

5.0

"Lo sai che cos'è una poesia, Esther?"
"No, che cos'è?"
"Polvere."
"Anche i cadaveri che tagliuzzi tu. Anche la gente che credi di curare: polvere sono, polvere, nient'altro che polvere. E una vera poesia dura molto ma molto più a lungo di cento dei tuoi pazienti messi insieme."

Mi arrendo di fronte alla consapevolezza di non essere riuscita a mantenere il distacco necessario a soppesare, tagliare e disporre ordinatamente i brandelli di questo romanzo per tirarne fuori qualcosa di razionale. 
La protagonista si sgretola piano piano davanti agli occhi impotenti del lettore e non c'è cura, manicomio, elettroshock, terapia che possa salvarla. Le tematiche della depressione e del suicidio sono raccontate con agghicciante tranquillità, e tutto il romanzo è pervaso da un cinismo e un'ironia cupa che toglie il respiro. La scrittura è immaginifica, e così bella che sebbene leggere questo libro ferisca in profondità, invoglia a volerne ancora e ancora.
La campana di vetro ha affondato le unghie nella mia pelle e rifiuta di lasciare la presa, e dubito che il tempo diluirà l'impressione ricevuta. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Medical trauma, Medical content, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Racial slurs, and Mental illness

diedaahh's review against another edition

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

1.0

Picked up this book for 3 reasons and 3 reasons alone, ranked from most to least important

1. the fig tree analogy
2. I was told we were following a journalist MC (relatable)
3. I'm trying to read more classics

Jesus Christ did I hate this.
Esther is an absolute asshole all the way throughout. I was warned for problematic language, but her dedication to insulting every other character was something else. Being stuck in her head was incredibly unpleasant for me. And that's not because I don't like reading from a villain/unlikable POV. As long as the story makes me understand WHY a character turned out this way, I like a good villain POV. 
I simply felt like Esther's bitterness towards literally everyone wasn't warranted whatsoever.
White women claiming this is feminist literature or even admitting that they relate to Esther terrify me and will be avoided at all costs.

Also fun fact: this was the second physical book I bought since getting an e-reader (the other one being: her body and other parties) and I HATED both books. I think the universe is trying to tell me something.

Almost put me in a reading slump, should've DNF'ed, Beya Rabaï why did u lead me astray with your gorgeous cover design. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fatphobia and Racism

Moderate: Racial slurs, Mental illness, Misogyny, and Body shaming

Minor: Forced institutionalization, Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit

litliz's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Pregnancy, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Death, Dysphoria, Body horror, Blood, Body shaming, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Medical trauma, Fatphobia, Forced institutionalization, and Mental illness

Minor: Racism, Sexual violence, Bullying, Sexual assault, Sexism, Pregnancy, Gun violence, Medical content, Incest, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Religious bigotry, Rape, Racial slurs, Misogyny, Death of parent, and Sexual content

jastasticxoxo's review

dark emotional funny reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

This book is excellent. I see why it is a modern classic. I connect so deeply with Esther and Sylvia Plath has always spoken to me in a way no other author or poet has. Esther is such a deeply timeless and relatable character and I love the frankness, honesty and bluntness Sylvia Plath wrote with. Men have been acting with the same violent wilful idiocy for all of time and it’s insane how many of the experiences plath writes about here I and every single afab person I know have experienced. I love this book so much. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Mental illness

Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcoholism, Mental illness, Misogyny, Abandonment, Blood, Confinement, Medical content, Medical trauma, Forced institutionalization, Alcohol, Death, and Physical abuse