Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

1177 reviews

oliverrr's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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Truly amazing and filled with insightful comments on sexism and mental health and how the two often are interlinked. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Self harm, Suicide, Suicide attempt

saundale's review against another edition

5.0

dark informative reflective relaxing 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

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Depressingly beautiful. A great insight to what being a depressed woman in the 1950s and early 1960s was like and the unrealistic standards women were held to. I love and am saddened by the fact that this is a semi-autobiographical book. Her prose and poetry really shines through in this novel and also everything feels so realistic. So unfortunate that this was her first and only novel. I’d like to read her book of poetry next.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt

Moderate: Mental illness, Misogyny, Suicide

Minor: Bullying, Death, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Toxic friendship, Dysphoria

tylerluvspsychofiction's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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absolute life changer 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Infertility, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Suicide attempt

Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Misogyny, Sexism, Forced institutionalization, War

Minor: Chronic illness, Cursing, Drug abuse, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Abandonment

machinedawn's review against another edition

3.0

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

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3 stars because I hate it when Esther being annoyingly mean, racist, and homophobic. But of course, there are good things in the book as well. Some of them are relatable to this modern world.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Mental illness, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt

noahthetired's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Suicide attempt

Moderate: Eating disorder, Racism, Suicide, Vomit, Death of parent

Minor: Homophobia

izzadiah's review against another edition

4.5

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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i feel the way about this book as those guys that say their favorite book is catcher in the rye. an incredible read about esther’s descent into madness, and it’s painfully relatable. massive trigger warning for suicide and self harm. would suggest reading while in a good mental health space. minus half a star because the way she described people of other races was problematic and icky

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Medical trauma

lilacs_read's review against another edition

3.0

dark emotional sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

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At the time it was written and still now I believe the themes of mental illness are informative and relevant. I do not particularly enjoy the time jumps and lack of plot but I think it was meant to portray her mental state and lapses in time that are lost or spent in an uneventful depressive state that wouldn't be worth telling about. The book itself kinda puts you through the wringer with Esther but often times Sylvia doesn't say exactly what's happening 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, Alcohol

bresbookshelf's review against another edition

4.25

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt

j3llybee's review against another edition

4.5

dark emotional 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

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really good book! first one ive read by sylvia plath. beware shes lowkey racist in here ("as yellow as a china-man") but honestly i really enjoyed it. a must-read for girls, i must say <3

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Suicide, Suicide attempt

Minor: Self harm, Sexual assault

readwith_chris's review against another edition

4.0

dark emotional sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Self harm, Suicide

Minor: Racism