Reviews tagging 'Classism'

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

21 reviews

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

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

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

itsbrianascall's review against another edition

dark reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Medical trauma, Misogyny, Medical content, Grief, Racism, and Sexual violence

Minor: Body shaming, Bullying, Classism, Death, and Death of parent

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

Moderate: Classism and Racism

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: Classism, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, and Blood

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

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

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

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

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