Reviews tagging 'Misogyny'

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

233 reviews

xbernadette's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Drug abuse, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Blood, and Medical trauma

Minor: Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Homophobia, Rape, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

coldcrumble's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad 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

4.0

a very interesting character to read from pov of. at times you could only marvel at how purely unhinged she was and detached from reality because of her mental illness. I feel like the end didn't really tie it up enough, with some plot points, but also it made sense for the novel and character to not have the effort to explain them.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Racial slurs, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, and Medical content

Minor: Sexual content and Alcohol

very dark and idealising suicide, not to be read if already in a bad place

christinereichard's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

5.0

Sylvia Plath's writing is great: Her worldview glazed with despondency was so immersive that as Esther spiraled, I truly felt myself join along for the ride. So yes, I got depressed, but only because the book was too good at sharing the experience.

Edit: 3 months later and I've updated this to a solid 5 stars, because it was just that good at bringing you inside Esther's mind. I actually find myself thinking of it often

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Confinement, Self harm, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Fatphobia, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual content, Blood, Medical content, Death of parent, and Alcohol

juneday's review against another edition

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Racism, and Self harm

Moderate: Death, Misogyny, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Suicide attempt

solitarylee's review against another edition

dark emotional informative 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

4.25

A well detailed and beautifully written tale of a woman facing deterioration. Although dark at times, the description of food and fashion is truly impeccable. Plath writes in a way that is so smooth, and makes you forget that you are reading.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug use, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Medical content, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

issy888's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Misogyny and Racism

francoise's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.75

I enjoyed The Bell Jar because each relationship Esther had in the bell jar all reflected various themes that were relatable. I felt that her relationship with her mother was most significant although not talked about as often as her relationship with Buddy. Although quite loving, she never truly understood her own daughter and only wanted her to fit societal expectations. As the reader, I felt the detachment strongly and how realistic it was. Plath did so well in portraying challenges that we (women) face and her use of words in general string so well together. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Suicide attempt

rcsreads's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, and Suicide attempt

lindaaroesler's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective tense 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

3.5

It’s a wee bit racist. Overall a good book tho. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Suicide attempt, and Sexual harassment

trish1oo1's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

3.25

Languid prose that is sprinkled with dry humor and feminism. I think this solidifies that i just don’t like literary fiction. 
esther’s journey is fascinating. initially she just feels empty when her life is seemly perfect and doesn’t not want to fit into the stereotypical 1950s feminine role. as the novel progresses she begins to show signs of depression and paranoia. unfortunate, she doesn’t get the correct treatment for it because she’s in the 1950’s (which makes me celebrate how far medicine has come.) she got lobotomies, like that’s insane. also there is this notion that the bell jar-a metaphor for her mental state- that is suffocating her lifts and “clears” directly after electroshock therapy. that has got to be a placebo right?
besides that Esther is selfish and demonstrates this multiple times through the novel. this could be partly due to her mental illness, her depression causing her to not care about anyone but herself. but i believe this behavior is a defining characteristic of her. she is self centered, early in the novel and later into it. i don’t particularly like Esther but i understand her. this was a bleak journey.  
also should be mentioned Sylvia Plath wrote this as a Roman a clef and shortly after publishing this novel she committed suicide. I feel wrong judging this book because of that. this is basically an autobiography. but if im looking at this solely as a piece of literature it’s definitely not my favorite. 
**also, Esther says so prejudiced things against a few marginalized communities. there’s undertones it’s not very overt and i do understand the time period this was written/set in but it’s a little uncomfortable to read

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Body shaming, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, and Lesbophobia

Minor: Homophobia, Racism, and Blood