Reviews with content warning for Suicide - The Bell Jar

Reviews tagging 'Suicide'

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

2214 reviews

acarson455's review against another edition

3.25

challenging dark sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

emmaj127's review against another edition

4.5

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

maddielza's review against another edition

3.5

dark emotional 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

acresofwords's review against another edition

5.0

challenging emotional reflective 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

I have never had the opportunity or taken the time to read any of Sylvia Plath, and I have to apologize to her for taking so long to dive into her work. As a young adult living with Bipolar Disorder, I feel Plath has written one of the most relatable snapshots of the intricacies of life with a mental health disorder. In addition, The Bell Jar captures, in an incredibly poignant way, the abhorrent medical treatment of women and those with mental health disorders in the mid 20th century. Having this detailed, personal account of that time only informs more about today’s perspective on mental health both socially and medically.

One could view this book as a caustic novel with cynical musings, but that perspective mimics the sentiments of the 1950s and shortchanges the protagonist, the author, and all those who have the experience of living with a mental health disorder. This perspective places the protagonist and the author back in the asylum of those days with no escape other than living in the bell jar. Instead, one can look at this book as an insight into the mind of all the aforementioned characters both real and fictional.

Content Warnings

310's review against another edition

2.75

Loveable characters: No

its def ahead of its time but my god is the mc so annoying, just bc ur mentally ill doesnt give u a pass to be insufferable

Content Warnings

wldyoukndly's review against another edition

4.5

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

mxine_'s review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional informative reflective relaxing sad 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

literally me (minus the racism)

Content Warnings

literaryloquacity's review against another edition

4.25

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

peachyytyy's review against another edition

2.0

emotional sad tense slow-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

Content Warnings

mar_890's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense 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

Esther is like a tragic hero, but without the mystic or heroic element in a tragedy. The bell jar is like a reflection of feelings and thoughts surrounding womanhood, and being almost like an autobiography from Sylvia Plath. I loved this book, which I almost found so comforting and relatable lol.

Content Warnings

More...