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_viola__'s review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, and Suicide attempt
tmayfld's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The bell jar is a book that I think a lot of young adults/adults can relate to. Esther is a person who starts to crack under the pressures that we all face. What type of career do you want? When will you have children? And just more broadly where do you see yourself. She’s a high achiever who is trying to navigate all of these things and it was painfully relatable at times.
She’s not a perfect character by any means but she continues to try her best to push through her anxieties.
She’s not a perfect character by any means but she continues to try her best to push through her anxieties.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Self harm and Vomit
the_reading_italian's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
4.25
I loved this book. You could see the slow descent into madness - and then the slow recovery. Although quite disturbing at times, this was an incredible story. Esther Greenwood finds her independence and once again takes control of herself and, instead of forgetting her troubles, takes accountability and makes a conscious decision to remember what has happened to her and the people around her. I think it really showed the amazing change she made in her life. My only complaint is that I believe the book could've been slightly longer - I think it deserved a better ending.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Terminal illness, Blood, and Medical trauma
ladystardust1979's review against another edition
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Suicide attempt
giavalfre's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
Sylvia Plath has a true calling for beautiful, graceful writing despite the dark topics of this novel. Our protagonist, Esther, was faced with many challenges while navigating her youth and societal standards. I particularly enjoyed the concepts related to misogyny (marriage, motherhood, etc.) especially in relation to the time period in which this book was written.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide and Suicide attempt
mariasdn's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
squibbers_stox'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The book can be slow and at times plain unlikable. However, Plath is a great writer & the historical context of this book (& its subject matter) make it a powerful and transcendent read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Suicide, Medical trauma, and Suicide attempt
steimerr's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
I commend Sylvia Plath for writing such a meaningful and personal novel to share with others. This was the only novel she ever wrote and it definitely deserves the recognition it has received.
Being a classic, it certainly reads like one.
This is the type of book you not only have to read, but also read IN to, to fully grasp the message the author is seeking to convey.
Therefore, I could reread it and have an entirely different experience in doing so since I have now read and analyzed it once before.
The storyline itself was very true to reality as it is strongly autobiographical. We follow Esther through her mental breakdown and hospitalization while exploring themes of womanhood in the 50s, mind vs body and personal ambition.
I do wish she would have included some insight on Esther's life after being hospitalized. Especially since the narrator, which seems to be Esther a few years removed from the story timeline, mentions a baby in the first chapter. Yet we never get another mention of the baby she is referring to or her present day life.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and the reality it depicts of mental illness. Plath has a unique way of writing beautifully and descriptively, which does not surprise me considering she is a poet. It is medium paced and mainly character driven, but pretty dreary and unvarying. I do feel as though the time I spent analyzing this book, took away some of my enjoyment when reading it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Mental illness
hi_its_micah's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
fast-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Mental illness and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Blood
syndierella's review against another edition
dark
reflective
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
3.0
Interestingly written (with a slightly weird narrative which I got used to and made it different and you never really knew where it was going next) but very depressing and deals with theme of suicide and the book didn’t leave me with any particular feeling good or bad
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt