Reviews tagging 'Pregnancy'

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

40 reviews

vonya45's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny inspiring reflective sad 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? Yes

4.5

A gorgeous story that is at once hard to listen to, incredibly validating and sometimes surprisingly funny. The way Plath writes with a blend of matter-of-factness and poetic imagery is a treat, made even better by Maggie Gyllenhaal's perfect reading of the audiobook. But the real heart of the novel is its depiction of depression and the image of the bell jar, suffocating its inhabitant while distorting the surrounding world. I'm sure plenty of us can see some hints of our own experiences in these descriptions. It feels like talking to someone who feels the same way, you do but they finally put the feeling into words you couldn't find. Even the non-linear structure, which can sometimes be distracting or confusing, aids the feeling of being lost in the murky grayness of a depressed person's mind, recalling memories at random and spiraling in on itself with no hold on reality. As such, it might be a really bad book choice for someone who is not doing well mentally, especially once you know how Sylvia's own life ended after the book's final warning that the bell jar may return. For me, it was a heavy read but with enough wit and humor and style to keep from getting pulled down. I'm very glad I finally read this masterpiece.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Self harm, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, and Racism

Moderate: Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Rape, Infidelity, Emotional abuse, Racism, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide, and Misogyny

Minor: Death of parent

veliana's review against another edition

dark reflective slow-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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Mental illness, and Blood

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Death, Infidelity, Medical content, Toxic friendship, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Medical trauma, and Pregnancy

Minor: Sexual content, Sexism, and Misogyny

kiran__'s review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense 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

I think it was beautifully written, discussing themes of madness and insanity. Showing that even the most promising people can have a downfall. It’s also very reflective of the time period it was written in, eg the expectations of women. Overall I absolutely love this book, it encapsulates the idea of womanhood and is relatable to some degree. 

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Pregnancy and Alcohol

alex_emilia_smith's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Confinement, Medical content, Racial slurs, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Sexism, Self harm, Body shaming, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Medical trauma, Sexual harassment, Mental illness, Lesbophobia, Homophobia, Fatphobia, Eating disorder, Death of parent, Alcohol, Vomit, Toxic relationship, and Misogyny

kanopus's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Vomit

mme_carton's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Mental illness, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Grief, Racial slurs, Racism, Blood, Medical trauma, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Suicide, Homophobia, Medical content, Sexism, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Body shaming, and Injury/Injury detail

vivvs's review against another edition

challenging dark fast-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

i am i am i am

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide attempt, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, and Mental illness

Moderate: Rape, Pregnancy, Medical trauma, and Homophobia

gilnean's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Ableism, Fatphobia, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Forced institutionalization, Confinement, Self harm, Medical trauma, Body shaming, Lesbophobia, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Mental illness, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Xenophobia, Alcohol, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, and Vomit

Minor: Child death, Terminal illness, Cancer, Cursing, Bullying, Xenophobia, Excrement, Animal death, Miscarriage, Murder, Death, Sexual content, Death of parent, and Antisemitism

valentina_d's review against another edition

dark reflective sad 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Self harm, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, and Mental illness

Minor: Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Death of parent, and Grief

bzzzzzz's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

Sylvia Plath's writing is magnetic. Yet, given her state of mind, it comes as no surprise that this book is devoid of love, hope, or joy. I think art needs touches of these things to truly be a masterpiece. Also, it has a tragically distorted view of sex.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Torture, Death, Drug abuse, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Chronic illness, Forced institutionalization, Alcohol, Grief, Infidelity, Self harm, Suicide, Blood, and Toxic relationship