Scan barcode
ambdocksey22's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Ableism, Addiction, Alcohol, Gore, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Cursing, Sexism, Chronic illness, Forced institutionalization, Racism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Vomit, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Death of parent, Death, Dysphoria, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Misogyny, and Panic attacks/disorders
amradio's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
That being said it is actually a pretty good book I was afraid I'd find it boring as it's not the usual kind of book I read
Of course the book is old so some subject matters are quite dated in the aslyum and whatnot
But for what it's worth it's pretty good
Personally I have a few iffy feelings on the asylum parts so it's not a full 5 star read but it was really close
Graphic: Racial slurs, Ableism, Mental illness, and Racism
Moderate: Medical trauma, Self harm, Blood, Body shaming, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Physical abuse, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Xenophobia, Vomit, Suicide, and Antisemitism
Minor: Religious bigotry
hermamora's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Ableism, Forced institutionalization, and Sexism
Moderate: Body shaming, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual harassment
fatkidatheartreads's review against another edition
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The way a nervous breakdown is described and how when you are sad and depressed, all you seem to think about is sad and depressing things. It's very scary how much I relate to this character but I digress.
Okay, the bell jar, let's talk about this semi autobiographical piece of literature written by Sylvia Plath a month before she took her own life.
The bell jar follows 19 year old Esther Greenwood who is an intern in a Fashion house in New York City. From the very beginning we can tell that she is troubled. Sylvia begins the book talking about an electrocution & the main character's fascination with it.
Esther struggles with dissociation from reality , heteronormativity especially in terms of relationships with men and marriage and her morbid fascination with death and dying. The first half of the book sets her on a downward spiral which only worsens after she moves back home. She feels stuck after her internship and doesn't know what path she should be taking for her future(that fig metaphor was brilliant).
At home, her struggle with depression, suicide attempts and institutionalization is well documented. As you can tell, this is a very eerie piece of literature.
The title is a reference to her feeling of being stuck in a kind of bell jar (remember the enchanted rose in Beauty and the beast) and being left there to stew in her misery and hopelessness. Sylvia's use of symbolism to explain the character's state of mind was so well done. It's so sad that she only got to write one novel before losing her battle to mental health. She succumbed to her own bell jar. It is clear that she was a brilliant poet and novelist . Her works will continue to live on through her art.
TW: ableism, fatphobia, racism, depression and suicide.
Also, the writing was quite accessible which isn't always the case with classics.
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Fatphobia and Ableism
Minor: Racism
nefie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
second time reading: 4.5
Moderate: Racial slurs, Rape, Ableism, Blood, Fatphobia, Body shaming, and Forced institutionalization
Minor: Eating disorder, Medical content, and Medical trauma
libraryfairy's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Self harm and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Sexual violence
Minor: Sexism, Sexual content, Forced institutionalization, and Ableism
sexyslutsyndrome's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Ableism, Antisemitism, Blood, Body shaming, Death, Fatphobia, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Xenophobia, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Racism, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, and Mental illness
snartyhasgottheskills's review against another edition
- 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
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 tbhe123's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Fatphobia and Ableism
bugcollector's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
tbh at the beginning the mc seemed shallow, and with constant racist (and other bad tase) comments, i found it hard to relate to her.
it happens so many times throughout the book, that you can't just let it pass and move forward right away imo.
at about page 140 i started to get what people like about this book.
the author does have a way with describing depression, and numbness. that part i found the most heart wrenching
to sum up, if you get skip the insufferable mc at the start, i think you find good soup 👌🥣, though i still finished it feeling like something was missing and i can't put my finger on it
Graphic: Mental illness, Suicide, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Toxic friendship and Toxic relationship
Minor: Ableism, Alcoholism, Gaslighting, Racism, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Body shaming, Homophobia, and Racial slurs