Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

1166 reviews

elysianemily's review against another edition

4.5

challenging dark emotional sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fatphobia, Mental illness, Blood, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt

Moderate: Death, Misogyny, Racism, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicide

Minor: Racial slurs, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis

y_mouse's review against another edition

4.0

dark emotional reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness

Minor: Fatphobia, Homophobia, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide

astrobri's review against another edition

4.5

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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The bell jar… Esther is so relatable to anyone that has depression. Each piece of this book resonated so strongly with me. It portrays mental illness in such a raw real way. Also the way trauma is stored in the body and how it leaks out in many different ways. I loved this book so much and it’s one of my favorite books. Due to the time of this book it has racism and fat phobia which is the main turn off of this book. I think it’s possible to love a book while at the same time holding it accountable. Other than that it is a perfect book for me. 

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Content Warnings

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

lillelow's review against another edition

4.5

challenging dark funny informative mysterious reflective tense 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Suicide attempt

Moderate: Ableism, Body shaming, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Torture, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail

abbywriwri's review against another edition

5.0

dark mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault

oneeyedsky's review against another edition

4.5

dark emotional sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

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: Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt

Moderate: Suicide

Minor: Death

_viola__'s review against another edition

4.0

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

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Content Warnings

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

tmayfld's review against another edition

5.0

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

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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. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt

Moderate: Self harm, Vomit

hi_its_micah's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Suicide, Suicide attempt

Moderate: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Blood

littlebeereads's review against another edition

4.5

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: Yes

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This book felt like a truly real account of what it feels like to fall into mental illness. It’s a book that I feel depicts it the best and without a slow and simple plot still reads fantastically and beautifully. It almost feels like a diary of the main character so you feel very connected to her. 

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Content Warnings

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