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litliz'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
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
emeryreadsalot's review
- 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
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Death, Self harm, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Body horror, Blood, and Alcohol
allydoessomereading's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Racial slurs, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Death, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Drug abuse, Grief, Suicide attempt, Racism, Rape, Drug use, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Sexism, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Suicide
Minor: Body horror, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Xenophobia, Blood, Body shaming, Bullying, Hate crime, Death of parent, Alcohol, Lesbophobia, Eating disorder, Injury/Injury detail, Fatphobia, and Homophobia
ankiaisreading'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
3.75
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Sexual violence, Body shaming, Alcohol, Body horror, Drug use, Fatphobia, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Sexual content, Confinement, Vomit, Infidelity, Death, Medical content, Sexual assault, Grief, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual harassment, Medical trauma, and Suicide
sapphicsav'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
4.75
Graphic: Medical trauma, Suicide, Self harm, Sexual assault, Racism, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Toxic friendship, Fatphobia, Lesbophobia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Medical content, Forced institutionalization, Chronic illness, and Body horror
cecilialau_'s review
4.0
Esther is a deeply real/emotional/hurt/traumatised and interesting character who is more and more obviously going through dread and is disillusioned about life, but I found it very well-done how she herself goes through the motions of her state of mind. There are glimpses here and there but she seems shut off from herself.
A few things happen I would have liked more details about (mainly later on) but they don’t affect the rating/experience. And I also want to add that I admire the way that it is implied rather than spelled out how Esther gets to where she does mentally and emotionally (bc body and mind are connected) and how the change happens gradually and inconspicuously (which is quite realistic).
The book is very well-written apart from some stereotypical language use here and there.
Graphic: Body shaming, Grief, Alcohol, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Death of parent, Body horror, Death, Fatphobia, Forced institutionalization, Homophobia, Infidelity, Medical content, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
kikalox's review
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Suicide, Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Self harm, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Body horror, Mental illness, Grief, and Sexism
Minor: Vomit
jlebon's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Sylvia Plath was a master with words and, in the novels best passages, you can tell (without prior knowledge) that she was first and foremost a poet and secondly a novelist. Her use of language is so evocative and makes you stop and reread her beautiful prose over and over again. I found myself savouring every letter printed in this book.
Narratively, this book is fundamentally very dark in places - morbid in the protagonist's (Esther's) approach to life. And yet this was strangely comforting for me in places. I would be lying if I didn't say there were points in the novel that I related to, with the book feeling as if you're contained within the character's head - much like a person contained within a bell jar you could say. Therefore it feels as if Plath is just sometimes writing what most people think but don't say. It is also nice to read about a protagonist who initially seems to all her life in order, before it slowly crumbling away before her.
A criticism could be levelled that the novel lacks depth within the plot, basically just focusing on the psychology of one individual. However, I do think this works perfectly in unifying the protagonist and reader - seeing what she sees and hearing what she thinks.
I would love to reread this book again, at a less busy period, where I can dedicate time more regularly to devour this book once more. And who knows, maybe that will increase my already high valuation of this book even further.
Up there as an all-time favourite for me!
Graphic: Medical trauma, Self harm, Sexual assault, Vomit, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Child death, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Blood, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Chronic illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, and Suicide
Minor: Body horror
ruthmoog's review against another edition
3.75
Graphic: Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Body horror, Racial slurs, Sexism, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Suicide, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Chronic illness and Infertility
Minor: Rape
livruther's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Confinement, Drug use, Racism, Body horror, and Death