Reviews tagging 'Antisemitism'

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

27 reviews

_lara_'s review

dark reflective medium-paced

4.0

This is an upsetting book, and one that makes you reflect on your own perception of mental health. How should a person with mental health struggles act? And what does the way you interpret Esther’s own journey with her mental health struggles say about you? 

In terms of the writing, I thought that the story unfolded rather quickly at times. Certain events (the diamond guy at the party) never get mentioned again. And it wasn’t as introspective of a piece as I thought. Rather, it dealt with the perception of mental health, both as it concerns the main character and people in her life. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide and Mental illness

Moderate: Antisemitism, Racism, and Eating disorder

buffy87's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-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

2.0

Damn, why did nobody tell me how fucking racist/Orientalist this book is? It is a great text for postcolonial analysis...you will find something in almost every chapter. There was a stretch in the middle that didn't have palpable racism and that was the only section I thought was okay. Nice to read without being assaulted.

If you read this from a Marxist lens, you'll see it full of classism and very quickly realize that your main character is privileged. 
It also has your run of the mill sexism and homophobia. 

All of the above made the reading experience so utterly unejoyable and triggering. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Fatphobia, Self harm, Sexual assault, Mental illness, Racism, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Lesbophobia

Minor: Infidelity, Death, Antisemitism, Medical trauma, Vomit, and Death of parent

laikkamac's review against another edition

Almost from the very beginning, something about this book made my skin crawl. It was unsettling and I overall got a bad feeling from it. Then I came across the first racist (and completely unnecessary) comment about “yellow skin like a China man” and I basically couldn’t continue much after that. Based on other comments/reviews, apparently the book is full of homophobic, racist and antisemitic parts. I just don’t have the patience and refuse to slog through something like that.  And no, I don’t care that it was written awhile ago… in the 1960’s. Where all of those things were at the forefront of political and social conversation and movement. I also get the feeling as though her views are actually ironically misogynistic. Sylvia Plath is one of those people that I get a really bad vibe from (that doesn’t happen often for me) and I won’t go near any of her work again most likely. It’s unfortunate that she’s considered to be such a feminist because I really don’t think this probably does any justice to actual feminism. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Homophobia, and Racism

siannn's review against another edition

dark 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

Anti-Semitic mess. Not a book to be adored, it gets its lone star for the unfortunate realsism of suicidal thoughts. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Antisemitism, Blood, Racial slurs, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Death, Bullying, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Medical content, Misogyny, Mental illness, and Racism

Minor: Body shaming

pun1sher's review against another edition

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? N/A

3.5

I definitely expected something darker and ended up being just slightly disappointed because of that. But then again I guess this book is dark for people who haven't struggled with mental illness and suicidal thoughts. For me it was just relatable 

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Racism, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Vomit

Minor: Antisemitism, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, Suicide, Self harm, and Sexual content

Attempted rape, mildly detailed labour, shock therapy

lyserature's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, Antisemitism, and Racial slurs

streetmuseums's review

emotional 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

2.5

not particularly compelling, with a side of racism 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit and Sexual assault

Moderate: Misogyny, Racism, and Antisemitism

cranedphoenix's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

I will fully admit I asked for this book because it's the book Heather Chandler reads in Heathers
That being said it is actually a pretty good book I was afraid I'd find it boring as it's not the usual kind of book I read
Of course the book is old so some subject matters are quite dated in the aslyum and whatnot
But for what it's worth it's pretty good
Personally I have a few iffy feelings on the asylum parts so it's not a full 5 star read but it was really close

fully wasn't expecting Joan to die at all and I was very shocked and a little saddened at that

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Ableism, Mental illness, and Racism

Moderate: Medical trauma, Self harm, Blood, Body shaming, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Physical abuse, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Xenophobia, Vomit, Suicide, and Antisemitism

Minor: Religious bigotry

aniasonions's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense 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? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

noawebner's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-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: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Racism and Antisemitism