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booksandmoe's review against another edition
4.0
It’s beautifully written, and some passages are among the most moving I’ve ever read, however it’s also a novel of its time and has some very misogynistic, racist and homophobic rhetoric.
Additionally, there are some graphic references to SA, suicidal thoughts and acts of suicide , if you are sensitive to any of those topics I would approach this one with caution.
All in all I can see why this is a modern classic and is definitely a great novel to analyse and dissect
Graphic: Self harm, Misogyny, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Homophobia, and Racism
carpethatdiem2's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Sexual assault, and Racism
caitlin_cain's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Minor: Sexual content, Self harm, Medical content, Forced institutionalization, Death, Mental illness, Racism, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
icvelx's review
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
taylorevans's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Racism
ashgalwoah's review against another edition
- 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
Despite this being a story about mental health and suicide, Plath maintains poetic and comedic language, making it an enjoyable read rather than a depressing one.
I couldn’t help but think of the social understanding or tolerance towards mental health and Suicide when reading The Bell Jar, when this book was written and first came out, Suicide was more taboo than it is now, I assume this made the mundane story more interesting at the time. To me it was relatable and something I was uncomfortably numb to.
This book is outdated and a bit racist, no question there, and follows a story of an upper middle class white woman. There’s room for improvement!
Graphic: Medical content, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, and Suicide
Moderate: Racial slurs and Racism
georgie_libby_m's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Mental illness, and Self harm
Minor: Racism
jkandert2's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Misogyny, Racism, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, and Suicide
greenranger666's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Racism
intofolkloreee's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Racial slurs, Homophobia, Racism, and Suicide