Reviews with content warning for Death - The Bell Jar

Reviews tagging 'Death'

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

476 reviews

ahhu's review against another edition

3.5

dark reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I found The Bell Jar to be a very gripping read. It was most beautifully written, with themes I recognize to be very relevant to this day. Ether's life is plateauing. Her school achievements don't add up in real life, at the same time she cannot obtain or grasp what she herself truly want out of life. Combined with the societal pressure of women, it seems like her life is only heading one direction - the condition of passivity of the stay at-homemother. And so, Ether is drifting. In this manner, the book was quite a bit forward thinking (I believe).

Yet the book also hit a few backwards notes. It contains more than a few depictions of racism and homophobia. Which really soured my mood while reading. Except for this, I get why people like this book so much.

Content Warnings

juliabaldwin's review against another edition

3.25

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I went into this read really wanting to love it, but it fell flat for me. It was hard to follow half the time, and I had a hard time keeping track of the timeline. Sylvia Plath is a great writer and is very good at complex metaphors, which is something I usually love in books, but The Bell Jar specifically was just okay, nothing spectacular. I felt as though other writers have tackled very similar subject matter in books that spoke to me significantly more than this one. Overall, it had its good points and fully earned the 3.25 I gave it, but I was left disappointed.

Content Warnings

lottselgar's review against another edition

4.25

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

this was like reading someone’s intrusive thoughts but in a deep, emotional way

Content Warnings

emmalynallan's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark hopeful slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

avocadotoastbee's review against another edition

4.0

dark reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

The Bell Jar really hit me in the face.

[...], and I felt now that all the uncomfortable suspicions I had about myself were coming true, and I couldn't hide the truth much longer. After nineteen years of running after good marks and prizes and grants of one sort and another, I was letting up, slowing down, dropping clean out of the race.

As a burned-out gifted kid, currently in university, trying to find any purpose, I was hooked after reading these lines. I didn't know the story would take such turns, but ended up loving it, mostly because I could relate to the main character, Esther.
I started reading this novel knowing nothing about Sylvia Plath as a person. Later, I found out The Bell Jar is based on her own experiences. This makes sense because the descriptions of depression and suicide are accurate and detailed.
All in all I enjoyed The Bell Jar. However, it is recommended to read the book with caution if you are easily triggered by several explicit descriptions of suicide.

Content Warnings

daisy_may's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional hopeful 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

Content Warnings

rhea_elsa's review against another edition

4.25

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful sad fast-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

emwinters's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional funny reflective sad tense 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

_danicortes's review against another edition

4.75

challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Es una historia difícil de leer. Tuve que parar en varias ocasiones. Me resulta inimaginable el dolor de Sylvia Plath. Creo que el primer párrafo del texto transmite exactamente lo que será el resto del libro

Content Warnings

clare072's review against another edition

4.0

dark emotional reflective sad fast-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

More...