Reviews with content warning for Death - The Bell Jar

Reviews tagging 'Death'

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

475 reviews

joanaramosbarros's review against another edition

4.5

dark reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

hannahjuliano's review against another edition

3.75

dark emotional sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

angelinarainey's review against another edition

3.5

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

kia_y_k's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective relaxing sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

vyxbui's review against another edition

3.5

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

this is a story about freedom. as esther greenwood navigates her life, she quickly learns about her place and power as a (mentally ill) impoverished woman in the 1950s. throughout the novel, the main social commentary provided by plath was on a woman’s ambitions, future (marriage and having kids), and notion of “purity” enforced by society, as well as religion. esther uses her virginity as a weapon against societal expectations and oppression. this book was filled to the brim in literary devices, as well as social commentary, ranging from the oppressive and patriarchal system, to the societal vs. self expectations (esther has raging impostor syndrome), to education and ambition, society’s view and alienation of those suffering from mental illnesses, and the arrogance and coldness of doctors and questioning medicinal practices, especially in psychiatry.

Content Warnings

sianjkh's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

top 10 books that have shaped my being for better or for worse. I've read The Bell Jar twice now, and i have a communal copy i lend out to friends that i don't think will end up in a hospital upon reading it. Esther Greenwood just like me fr fr

Content Warnings

bookishdiya's review against another edition

2.75

dark funny sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Gave 2.75 only for the excellent representation of mental illness because the book is very racist. Very disappointed in the racism displayed by the author.

Content Warnings

imaginefishes's review against another edition

3.5

dark emotional reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

The book was enjoyable but felt like a drag nearing the end, possibly because

the main character Esther herself was quite literally stuck in the drudgery of mental institution after mental institution.

Overall, I liked the dry narrative tone of the book, but I tired of it after a while. Something interesting though was that I kept imagining Coco Chanel as Esther Greenwood, maybe due to the attention she pays to her own fashion.

Content Warnings