Reviews tagging 'Panic attacks/disorders'

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

74 reviews

cinnamingsley's review against another edition

challenging 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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Sexual assault, Racial slurs, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Death, and Chronic illness

snartyhasgottheskills's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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? It's complicated

3.0

. so- this book is incredibly relatable, sad and the emotional nature of the book makes you empathise with the main character, which sucks because sylvia plath uses racist remarks throughout and sometimes disregards the priveledges given to her/the main character due to disadvantages she faces within sexism, homophobia and ableism. The beginning of the novel is basically a recount of plath’s life and written in a lighter tone even when exploring dark themes, the rest of the novel however is written within an incredibly dark headspace and kind of glorifies suicide and other harmful ideas which may be harmful to some readers and isn’t really explained anywhere on blurbs or covers which isn’t needed but i think is necessary 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Death, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, and Vomit

literally all the tw tbh

willow04's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts

tropical_depression's review against another edition

dark sad 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

3.0

It was sad, not that I was expecting anything else. But it was sadder than I had anticipated. It was just tragedy after tragedy and it truly got me into the character's headspace. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Self harm, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Panic attacks/disorders, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Blood, Vomit, Violence, Toxic friendship, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Self harm, Medical trauma, and Emotional abuse

paperknotbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

Edit 01.2023: originally read this after I left college in the early aughts. I only recall this feeling of rigidity and heartlessness. This was harder approaching the book now, especially after having read Red Comet, by Heather Clark. So haunting and gutting, Esther’s collapse was so much more raw than I recalled.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Body shaming, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide attempt, and Forced institutionalization

mollywoods18's review against another edition

challenging dark sad 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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical trauma, and Chronic illness

spthomas's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny reflective medium-paced

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

4.75

A very interesting narrative of a lady slowly losing her mind, lots of jumping back and forth in the story, very funny but also very dark at times

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Suicide

cameronrouse's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

haunting. new favourite. omg all i want to do is think and talk about it right now. i want to get a bell jar tattoo and sit in a bell jar themed room and raise my copy of the bell jar out from a bell jar and listen to the audio book as i read it. ob•sesed.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Self harm, Sexual violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Death, and Alcohol

franeg's review against another edition

dark reflective 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

Moderate: Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Panic attacks/disorders, and Mental illness

sydneysouza's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective fast-paced

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

4.5

I have never quite read a novel where the depiction of depression—and mental illness in general—is so realistic and, unfortunately, relatable. Plath made me feel like I wasn’t alone for having the same thoughts & feelings that Esther has; I’d always thought I was some sort of freak, but this novel assured me that I’m not the only one who’s had those specific feelings & thoughts. Ironically, I was falling into a depression of my own when I started this book and somehow I feel much better after I’ve finished it. Time to go read all of her poetry & short stories

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Sexual assault and Vomit