Reviews with content warning for Self harm - The Bell Jar

Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

1177 reviews

violet03's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark reflective sad tense fast-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

I really loved this book, it truly shows you the inner thoughts of someone with a profound mental illness. Although many dated terms, it is a book of its times and it does show the heartbreaking treatment of the mentally ill in the 50s/60s. What makes this book so devastating is the fact that’s it is loosely based on sylvia’s life,

with the ending showing esther’s road to recovery, something sylvia never got. Over all it’s a phenomenal novel and one of the classics for a reason!

Content Warnings

offendedskeleton's review against another edition

4.75

dark hopeful reflective sad 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

hmr607's review against another edition

3.5

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

This was a good depiction of a mental decline. Some signs of this decline were evident very early in the book, but symptoms got worse quickly after a traumatic event. I also think that this is an important report on how women's mental health was treated in the 60's, and a reflection on the fact that women's health is still not taken as seriously as it should be.

The down side of this book is that it is a product of its time. Racism, homophobia, misogyny, and hatred of all non-white, non-skinny people made it hard to read. I understand that a lot of "classic literature" has these problems, but I don't like that.

Content Warnings