Reviews with content warning for Suicide - The Bell Jar

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Reviews tagging 'Suicide'

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

2210 reviews

kirstieanya's review against another edition

4.25

challenging dark emotional sad slow-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

Content Warnings

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

Content Warnings

mars_forest's review against another edition

4.5

challenging 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

Content Warnings

balex_annister's review against another edition

4.5

dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

Content Warnings

julialandis727's review against another edition

4.0

reflective sad medium-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

Beautiful, poetic telling of a woman’s descent into madness. Plath’s self insert of Esther through the story makes it a very interesting story to dissect, especially the rejection of marriage and children despite Plath going on to have both herself. Quite terrible descriptions of racism and homophobia told in the main characters voice— if we believe that the main character is Plath’s own voice this shows her racist and homophobic beliefs.

Content Warnings

mcbadger's review against another edition

3.5

challenging dark emotional slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: N/A

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Esther is very analytical and reflective
Had to keep reminding myself that it was published in the 60s, set in the 50s, as there were some uncomfortable phrases for a modern audience. Notably the n word is used a few times.
It was interesting and very different from what I usually read. occasionally I'd think I know where a certain scene is headed and then it doesn't. Made me realize how reliant on tropes and modern cultural assumptions I am.
I'd say Esther wasn't necessarily a lovable narrator but she offered a point of view I both related to some moments and then found utterly incomprehensible the next.
Towards the end, I had trouble following what was happening, though that was probably due to the time period.
So obviously this is Sylvia Plath, and it wouldn't be Sylvia Plath without a giant content warning regarding depression, suicide and self-harm.
It describes very well what it feels like to be depressed, with this sense of analytical distance that you get with suicidality. She does spend a good part of the book discussing and considering the different ways she could kill herself.
Definitely not a happy book, nor is it really hopeful for most of it, but that's to be expected from Sylvia Plath. I just prefer a hopeful book.

Content Warnings