Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

506 reviews

hannahethomson's review against another edition

challenging dark sad medium-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

4.0

I struggled to read this at points, as someone who has depression. This book does speak about mental health but not in the way that’s positive so trigger warning to those who do struggle mentally. I did like the book and the way it was written. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Vomit, Violence, Mental illness, Cultural appropriation, and Emotional abuse

tatianna03's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts

4ndy's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual assault

sharosuza's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Sexual violence, Racial slurs, Blood, Sexual assault, Self harm, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Suicide attempt, Rape, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Eating disorder

yeolliesutr's review against another edition

dark reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Misogyny, Forced institutionalization, Sexual assault, and Racial slurs

hannahwilliams90's review against another edition

dark 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault

abbivaux's review against another edition

emotional informative sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Self harm, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Sexual assault, Racial slurs, and Racism

Minor: Violence and Alcohol

philosophermyarse's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Mental illness, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Vomit, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, and Blood

Minor: Forced institutionalization and Injury/Injury detail

urfavoritebug's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

4.0

it shatters my heart we couldn't get to see her style as a novelist develop, this was brilliantly written and easily one of the most relatable books i've read, i am literally her (minus the weird racist comments)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Suicide, Mental illness, Sexual content, Blood, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Suicide attempt

brotestantethic's review against another edition

dark reflective sad fast-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? It's complicated

4.5

People really aren’t lying when they call this a modern classic. It’s easy to get lost in the world of The Bell Jar, and to slip into the mind of Esther Greenwood. Esther is the master of unreliable narrators; the narration reflects her experience rather than a linear plot. As a result, it’s hard to tell what is actually happening, especially near the middle of the novel.

The ending is a lot to digest.

It’s optimistic, but only just. Esther starts to heal, but it’s as a result of shock therapies she didn’t want and therefore is tainted by that experience. At one point, a woman at the institution appears to her as a misshapen shadow, and she seemingly heavily exaggerates complications after sex (pools of blood filling her shoes, etc.). Even though the bell jar is lifted, she still has to deal with the horrors of everyday life.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Racism

Moderate: Forced institutionalization

Minor: Sexual assault