Reviews tagging 'Blood'

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

356 reviews

nichtsoschnelli's review

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Blood, and Sexual content

avrilamber's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

4.0

Worth mentioning before I start my review that I would not recommend reading this if you’re struggling with your mental health as it is a difficult read. Please see content warnings.

I feel this book is going to become very important to me over my life. I felt like this book swallowed me up as well as gave me a warm hug.

I found Sylvia’s musings as Esther about life, death, womanhood, mental health incredibly relatable, which is surprising considering that this was published 60 years ago. It’s equally harrowing and comforting.

I saw so much of myself in the protagonist, Esther, her perfectionist ways, her criticisms of women’s role and expectations, how much her self worth derives from her achievements, and spiralling when things out of her control don’t go to plan. This book really hit home to me and it’s all the more poignant knowing the mental health problems Sylvia suffered in real life.

It’s a challenging read, but one I’m very glad I connected with. I will remember that fig tree analogy for the rest of my life.

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Blood, Medical content, and Rape

Minor: Racial slurs

torturedreadersdept's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny 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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Pregnancy, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Death, Dysphoria, Body horror, Blood, Body shaming, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Medical trauma, Fatphobia, Forced institutionalization, and Mental illness

Minor: Racism, Sexual violence, Bullying, Sexual assault, Sexism, Pregnancy, Gun violence, Medical content, Incest, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Religious bigotry, Rape, Racial slurs, Misogyny, Death of parent, and Sexual content

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

wrennova123's review

dark emotional reflective 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

5.0

I think that Sylvia Plath’s portrayal of the struggle with mental illness was beautifully done. Her writing is blunt, straightforward and hard-hitting, and thus the novel expresses sensitive topics very directly. 
I particularly loved the fig analogy and the symbol of the bell jar to represent the experience of mental illness. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, 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

saniyasyed's review

challenging dark 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Blood

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

taralouise52's review

dark emotional 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Sexual content

Moderate: Blood and Suicide

honipoems's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

it was a nice read but I don’t know how all of a sudden it became so dark talking about suicide and madness. at the beginning I was quite understanding of Ssther behavior but then she just became selfish and mean. it was a weird but nice read, I want to know more about the author life because I’m speechless

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

Moderate: Toxic relationship and Blood