Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

508 reviews

urfavoritebug's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

it shatters my heart we couldn't get to see her style as a novelist develop, this was brilliantly written and easily one of the most relatable books i've read, i am literally her (minus the weird racist comments)

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Content Warnings

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

brotestantethic's review against another edition

dark reflective sad fast-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

4.5

People really aren’t lying when they call this a modern classic. It’s easy to get lost in the world of The Bell Jar, and to slip into the mind of Esther Greenwood. Esther is the master of unreliable narrators; the narration reflects her experience rather than a linear plot. As a result, it’s hard to tell what is actually happening, especially near the middle of the novel.

The ending is a lot to digest.

It’s optimistic, but only just. Esther starts to heal, but it’s as a result of shock therapies she didn’t want and therefore is tainted by that experience. At one point, a woman at the institution appears to her as a misshapen shadow, and she seemingly heavily exaggerates complications after sex (pools of blood filling her shoes, etc.). Even though the bell jar is lifted, she still has to deal with the horrors of everyday life.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Racism

Moderate: Forced institutionalization

Minor: Sexual assault

raeviews's review against another edition

dark medium-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

5.0

Immersive, disturbing, entertaining. Such poetic prose. Perfectly scaled book. The discussion of sexuality and relationships were particularly interesting. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Self harm

Moderate: Sexual assault

roosh's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense fast-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

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Sexual assault, and Suicide attempt

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

polar_monkeys's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad slow-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Suicide

Minor: Sexual assault

sholtie's review against another edition

challenging dark funny fast-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

What can I say? This book walked so every other piece of media i love could run

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Suicide attempt, Racism, Sexual content, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Medical trauma, Suicide, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Self harm, and Blood

lanasd's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Body shaming, Suicide, Sexual assault, and Mental illness

horrorclassics's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

Moderate: Fatphobia

Minor: Sexual assault

stefanv's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

What a book. It has been sitting in my book case for years, being a bit afraid of it after all the stories people told of it. While reading the first half I was thinking: what is everyone on about? The Bell Jar shows you an ordinary life of a young woman, but written in such a way that you are completely invested. It also reads surprisingly fast. But in the second half the story takes a turn, realistically, movingly, and oft times excruciatingly (and for some people quite triggering) portraying a descent into depression. But the writing is such that not for one moment you want to put the book down. And when you come through it, you will have evolved with the main character, towards a little bit more maturity, clarity and wisdom, and perhaps the freedom to be who you want to be. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness

Minor: Sexual assault