A review by questionablereads
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

dark emotional 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

2.75

I get that this is a Classic but I would also like to add for me this is Classic White Feminism, where depression and mania are highlighted in a time where men are dominant in the medical field, adding an unnecessary sense of unease for Esther - who tries to check out early, has zero will to live, but that racism of hers is alive and well. 

I get that this book was written in 1963, and I don’t diminish the vulnerability and power The Bell Jar held (and still does) when speaking on societal pressures of being a young woman, and its correlation to depression. 

In the same way, I can not dismiss that this book has a lot of gross racist moments. 
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