Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

1172 reviews

mackenziebh's review against another edition

3.5

dark emotional reflective sad slow-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: Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt

Moderate: Suicide

froggpogg's review against another edition

3.75

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

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

frdz's review against another edition

4.25

dark emotional funny reflective sad fast-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: Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt

Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Death of parent

lizziealiceb's review against another edition

4.0

dark sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Self harm, Suicide

haleiyoung's review against another edition

5.0

emotional hopeful reflective 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

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I can't say more good things about this book. It was truly one of the best books I have read in a while. I love the way the story was told between flashbacks of specific moments in her life that corresponded to what was happening presently, to how she described her daily life and feelings. It was bleak, realistic, and so enthralling to read. And since I want to be a therapist one day, this book gave some first account insight to what I could look like to someone struggling and the kind of impression I want to give off to make them comfortable, as well as the kinds of things they are going through themselves in the most vulnerable light. Sylvia Plath has a great ability to make the most mundane things interesting to read about, and I loved reading every second of the book. 
I will say reading the parts about her attempted suicides and suicidal ideations made me deeply uncomfortable, but I think that's when I knew it was an important read. It was ugly to read, it was horrible at times to read, but that's what made it so great because this was like reading a real person's diary. These were Esther's deepest thoughts and it is a book that has made me think a lot since reading it. I would recommend it to anyone who wasn't triggered by the material. 

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Content Warnings

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

alyssams884's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional slow-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: Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt

Moderate: Body shaming, Death, Racism, Sexism, Blood

Minor: Homophobia, Sexual content, Vomit, Medical content, Death of parent

salmayngist's review against another edition

4.0

dark emotional 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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt

Minor: Racism

elmyhelmos's review against another edition

3.25

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

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

Moderate: Misogyny, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt

_meganrose's review against another edition

4.0

dark emotional 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

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The fig tree analogy is one of the most beautifully depicted things I have ever read.

Beautifully written and to know this was heavily inspired by her life is absolutely chilling - probably why she was able to paint such painful things so accurately.

Could have done without the blatant racism in this and the fatphobia. In many ways, this book was ahead of its time. But in those ways? It absolutely was not.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship

minou_noir's review against another edition

3.0

dark hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Um...Idk. It's a classic obviously, but I'm not particularly a fan...

The main character was a little annoying, but I kind of like her as well. It was a difficult read tho.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Suicide attempt

Moderate: Self harm, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship

Minor: Vomit