Reviews tagging 'Schizophrenia/Psychosis '

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

85 reviews

fruitsaladsk's review

challenging dark 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

4.25

The story on it’s own was good, very interesting and reflective, quite relatable. Though there were a lot of blatantly racist moments that were quite off putting.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Self harm, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide attempt, Racism, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, Mental illness, and Racial slurs

picnicatthehangingtree's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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

4.75

Docking .25 stars for the racism and homophobia. Otherwise this is a near perfect book for me, I’ll be thinking about it for a long time. I think 25 was a really good age to read it at - that feeling of not knowing what the future holds and having to make your way forward despite all the uncertainty really hit for me. This is such an incredible portrait of life with depression, but with such a hopeful ending for a path moving forward whilst holding space for it as a part of you. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexual violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Toxic friendship, Xenophobia, Ableism, Alcohol, Body shaming, Sexual content, Classism, Confinement, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Religious bigotry, Lesbophobia, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Physical abuse, and Racism

Minor: Infidelity and Pregnancy

lilymaexx's review

dark emotional inspiring reflective sad 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

Did enjoy this book but found it a challenging read at times, felt there is no proper storyline and often found myself lost about what was going on. Read this as it was recommended for my University course (mental health nursing) and found it a valuable recount of what it is like living with a mental health condition. Overall the book was very interesting and knowing what happened to the author after publishing made this a very emotive read 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis and Suicidal thoughts

hannahcstocks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Misogyny, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual harassment, Forced institutionalization, Alcohol, Confinement, Death, Dysphoria, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Classism, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Medical content, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

giulidrago's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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

"Lo sai che cos'è una poesia, Esther?"
"No, che cos'è?"
"Polvere."
"Anche i cadaveri che tagliuzzi tu. Anche la gente che credi di curare: polvere sono, polvere, nient'altro che polvere. E una vera poesia dura molto ma molto più a lungo di cento dei tuoi pazienti messi insieme."

Mi arrendo di fronte alla consapevolezza di non essere riuscita a mantenere il distacco necessario a soppesare, tagliare e disporre ordinatamente i brandelli di questo romanzo per tirarne fuori qualcosa di razionale. 
La protagonista si sgretola piano piano davanti agli occhi impotenti del lettore e non c'è cura, manicomio, elettroshock, terapia che possa salvarla. Le tematiche della depressione e del suicidio sono raccontate con agghicciante tranquillità, e tutto il romanzo è pervaso da un cinismo e un'ironia cupa che toglie il respiro. La scrittura è immaginifica, e così bella che sebbene leggere questo libro ferisca in profondità, invoglia a volerne ancora e ancora.
La campana di vetro ha affondato le unghie nella mia pelle e rifiuta di lasciare la presa, e dubito che il tempo diluirà l'impressione ricevuta. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Medical trauma, Medical content, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Racial slurs, and Mental illness

litliz'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

iamjudgedredd's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring 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

5.0

I know this was compulsory reading for many people at school, but I missed the boat on this one. I think it's very polarizing simply because it was compulsory. The book is an arresting window into mental health. You've never read a portrait of the complexity of mental well-being quite like this before. There were parts where I almost dropped the physical book it's so accurate. The Bell Jar contains a lot of truth, and whilst there's a lot of awful things and people in it, there's also a theme of hope, healing, freedom, and joy. I'm so glad I read this later in life, as a more mature reader. I feel like if I'd read this as a teen I too might have missed a lot of the depth and richness of it. Outstanding novel.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Rape, Racial slurs, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Suicide, and Panic attacks/disorders

iantbullock's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

4.0

Very strange but engaging and dark. A book that I’ll think about for a while. 3 out of 5 on the amount of therapy I need after reading this.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Self harm, Mental illness, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Sexism and Suicide

rhiannonmohar's review

dark emotional reflective sad slow-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Eating disorder, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Addiction, Suicide, Rape, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Drug use, Homophobia, Forced institutionalization, Suicidal thoughts, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis