Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

1782 reviews

museumonfire's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Racial slurs and Racism

fleuronterrobang's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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

4.5

It is important you understand that reading the Bell Jar was a heavy experience. Sylvia Plath is a brilliant writer and her visceral descriptions in this book kept me glued to the page through its most difficult scenes, but indeed these scenes were dark. You will feel uncomfortable, but it is meant to be uncomfortable; you will be confronted with the bleakness of depression and the unfairness of society towards women, and sometimes the unexpected show of Plath's wit. But I do think that it will have been worth it.

From a personal perspective -- I'm not even Esther's age yet. It feels silly of me to talk about myself here because whatever suffering I've ever gone through has never been as despairing as hers, but even then I felt like I could have felt and said the very things happening on paper. Will I too find myself feeling pulled apart by the expectations of others and lost in what exactly I want to do? Will I too find that I can't approach my life with whatever enthusiasm I once had? It certainly feels like that sometimes. The Bell Jar is a reminder that I am not alone. 

I'm honestly not sure what to rate this book (it's really my first time rating books) but I'll say I loved it. Overall, a great read. 

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Content Warnings

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

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

thequack'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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Medical content

Minor: Medical trauma

dlknee's review against another edition

reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Fatphobia, Forced institutionalization, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Mental illness

feisaile's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Suicide

marinaxanna's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

idk i liked it but it aged poorly. it was interesting and profound at times but the problematic racist themes were a Big Yikes TM

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Medical content, Racism, Racial slurs, and Suicide

mockingjayx16's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, and Sexual content

Minor: Ableism and Xenophobia

bronwyningoldsby's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

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

callmeash's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

5.0

This book holds an incredibly special place in my heart. If you’ve never read anything by Plath, make sure you read this book. So much of what Esther was going through, I either went through myself or watched others close to me experience something similar. To me, this book felt like a warm hug, we are not alone in this world and we are all more alike than we seem. It’s incredible to me that this book came out so long ago and bravo to Plath for shedding light on such a topic. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt and Suicide

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Sexual violence

aimeevictoriap's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad fast-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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Self harm