Reviews tagging 'Grief'

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

87 reviews

abby_reads_books's review against another edition

dark reflective tense medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, Body shaming, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Alcohol, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Misogyny, and Sexism

aru_nika's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Grief, and Self harm

Moderate: Racial slurs

Minor: Blood, Rape, and Sexual harassment

sparroues's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective 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

4.0

Wow this book. First of all, look up the trigger warnings for it. 

A deep and intimate look into psychosis, depression, suicide, purity, virginity, and identity. 
Beautifully crafted and one of the most evocative and visceral reads I've experienced in a while. 

However, it's a 4 star rather than a 5 because of the blatant, unapologetic and pointless racism. 
I understand the argument of it being a product of its time, but it made me incredibly uncomfortable and affected my enjoyment and that is, after all, what I'm rating.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Self harm, Homophobia, Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Racial slurs, Medical content, Medical trauma, Blood, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Sexual harassment, Mental illness, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Suicide and Death

xseulgiii's review against another edition

dark reflective 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

4.5

As a young woman who held far too high expectations for myself on top of the expectations society put on me, I could feel my younger self relating to Esther. This is quite scary considering the mid-twentieth century setting of the novel. From the fig tree to the racehorse to the bell jar itself, I went through many of the same experiences and thought processes as Esther did and was lucky enough to survive. This was an amazing read, but not one I could have handled even three years ago.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Panic attacks/disorders, Misogyny, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Grief, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Sexual content, Alcohol, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Death of parent

jneverland's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective tense 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Misogyny, Sexual content, Death, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Violence, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Alcohol, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Confinement, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, and Physical abuse

balluna's review against another edition

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Eating disorder, Death, Blood, Suicide, Self harm, Sexual content, Medical content, and Misogyny

Moderate: Racial slurs and Grief

Minor: Abortion

meganhinks's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Death, Blood, Grief, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

unicornjessie4's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Suicide, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Grief, Confinement, and Panic attacks/disorders

lowri_'s review against another edition

dark sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.0

although i’ve always known the intro line set up the tone of violence for the rest of the book i was somehow really not expecting it. extremely well written too (which i was not expecting), i’m happy i went into this sort of blind without an idea of the plot but wished i’d read some TWings before. not a book i’d really recommend to anyone but glad to have finally read it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Death, Suicide, Misogyny, Hate crime, Grief, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Mental illness

aleksanski's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Gore, Racial slurs, Death of parent, Body shaming, Blood, Suicide attempt, Vomit, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Medical content, Fatphobia, Mental illness, and Death

Moderate: Rape, Sexual harassment, Grief, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship