Reviews tagging 'Suicide'

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

1604 reviews

alipp's review against another edition

challenging dark sad slow-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

2.75

There were parts that I got in the flow of this book but honestly in the second half when her mental health was deteriorating so much it was really hard to read. 
It’s sad to see that this is how mental health care was in the 50s. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide

c_bee15's review against another edition

dark emotional sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt

Moderate: Suicide

meccles_'s review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Racism

veposve's review against another edition

dark emotional fast-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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Vomit, Confinement, Self harm, and Suicide

hannahnwalding's review against another edition

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

2.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Blood, Sexual violence, Death, Self harm, Sexual content, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Vomit

hello_lovely13's review against another edition

dark 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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Racism, and Ableism

lilawsahar'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

3.0

Follows a young woman who deals with depression and suicidal thoughts.

After a suicidal attempt, she finds herself in a mental institution to help her cope with her feelings including shock treatment. It’s good that she ends on a happy note. But after reading the life of the author, you realize the experience of the character ties closely to the experience of the author. And the author ends up killing herself, which you can probably assume the character in the book does as well later on like Joan. I really hope that mental health services are better than they were back then.

---

Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Grief, Racism, Racial slurs, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Death

sarareadsxxx13's review against another edition

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

4.0

I've read this in two days and while I like the first half more than the second half, it's overall just a very good book. Heartbreaking to think about Sylvia really feeling this way, and heartbreaking that this was her only novel. I think the reason why this is such a classic and simply timeless is because to some extent very relatable for a lot of people. I'm also very surprised how well it handles the topic of mental illness. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Blood and Sexual assault

fruitsaladsk's review against another edition

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.

---

Content Warnings

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

maddyhavranek's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective tense slow-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

4.0

This book was very interesting and I had to constantly remind myself that the time period of this book was so different from modern day -- as such, many of the topics discussed were novel for the time. I thought this book was really interesting and took an interesting look into the roles of women in society and I appreciated that.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Mental illness, and Suicide attempt