Reviews tagging 'Death'

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

337 reviews

jastasticxoxo's review

dark emotional funny reflective sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

This book is excellent. I see why it is a modern classic. I connect so deeply with Esther and Sylvia Plath has always spoken to me in a way no other author or poet has. Esther is such a deeply timeless and relatable character and I love the frankness, honesty and bluntness Sylvia Plath wrote with. Men have been acting with the same violent wilful idiocy for all of time and it’s insane how many of the experiences plath writes about here I and every single afab person I know have experienced. I love this book so much. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Mental illness

Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcoholism, Mental illness, Misogyny, Abandonment, Blood, Confinement, Medical content, Medical trauma, Forced institutionalization, Alcohol, Death, and Physical abuse

elmgg's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Suicidal thoughts

caitlin_cain's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Minor: Sexual content, Self harm, Medical content, Forced institutionalization, Death, Mental illness, Racism, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

cturn's review against another edition

dark reflective 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

3.0

Characters- 8
Atmosphere- 6
Writing- 9
Plot- 8
Intrigue- 4
Logic- 7
Enjoyment- 6

CAWPILE score: 6.8

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Death, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Infidelity, Pregnancy, and Blood

Minor: Death of parent

meagwhalen's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

This is a gorgeous, gorgeous book. It was a tough read for me mentally and emotionally, but a truly superb novel. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Medical trauma, Death, Grief, Self harm, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Mental illness, and Emotional abuse

chelseeaa's review

challenging emotional reflective sad 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Racism, Sexual assault, Sexism, Rape, Mental illness, Death, and Vomit

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

emmalinallap's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Death, Domestic abuse, and Suicide

katharinaamaliae's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

I was really looking forward to reading this book for a long time, so my expectations were high. Mostly, I wasn't disappointed. The writing was, of course, amazing and will always kind of stick with me, I think. Especially the fig tree analogy. That and a lot of other parts were just something I could relate to so much, and Sylvia Plath put it into words better than probably anybody else ever could. However, it still wasn't five stars for me, mostly because, even though I could relate to the main character, Esther, a lot she could also be insufferable and, of course, it were different times, but it's impossible for me to just overlook the racism and fat phobia in this book. 
I also want to add that it's really important to check trigger warnings before reading this and that it's definitely not an easy read, that can really impact your mental health.

I took a deep breath and listened to the old brag of my heart.
I am, I am, I am.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Racial slurs, Suicide, Racism, Death, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, and Fatphobia

k8tpie's review

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

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