Reviews with content warning for Suicide - The Bell Jar

Reviews tagging 'Suicide'

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

2215 reviews

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

graceiereads's review against another edition

3.75

emotional inspiring reflective slow-paced

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

i don't really get the hype but I think that might be partially because her life in the book is so similar to mine in middle school that it's just so mundane to me and I'm not shocked by literally anything that happens in the book

Content Warnings

kyrabreanne's review against another edition

4.5

challenging dark emotional reflective tense 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

Solid classic that heavily speaks on depression and other mental health issues. Didn’t except it to be as dark as it was, especially since the first half was a little more lighthearted.

It makes me sad to know this was inspired by Sylvia’s real life. May she RIP

Content Warnings

paddles1704's review against another edition

3.5

challenging dark medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I lent this book to a friend and she gave it back without finishing because it was such a difficult read. As someone who has struggled with her own mental health, it is such an accurate depiction of depression that it is painful to read at times. Although the book ends somewhat ambiguously (the main character is still alive, at least) you're reading it knowing that it is also meant to mirror the experience of Sylvia Plath, who ended her life around the time it was published. Although so much of her poetry is written about dying, and her reflections on her suicide attempts, the novel ends with this sense of soldiering on. The problem with mental illness is that hope must be renewed, day after day, long after the poem is finished and the novel is published.

Content Warnings

theshelf's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

kristenreids's review against another edition

4.0

dark emotional sad tense slow-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

Good for its time period and I understand why it/she is a classic. Although I loved the style of writing, and it was a short book, I felt it was a bit slow for me. Took a while to really pick up. Compared to more modern day works on feminism and mental health stories it just didn’t strike me like I hoped. The included racism wasn’t offensive to me because I knew it was of the time period.

Slow, but would recommend to seasoned readers.

Content Warnings

juliareste's review against another edition

4.5

I have too many thoughts about this book. In terms of a simple book review, the book is incredibly well written and what I would describe as "enjoyable to get through" had the topic not been so heartbreaking. I enjoyed the stream-of-consciousness style of writing, and it reminded me heavily of the kind of writing one would get from Sally Rooney. I mean this as a compliment to both Plath and Rooney, of course.

I write this review to caution the reader, however. It is extremely graphic and even though I used to think content warnings unnecessary when reading books, and maybe I should have expected it, I was a bit caught off guard by the descriptions of suicide.

I think maybe I shouldn't have read this book. Even though I know it will have a profound effect on me and I will think of it long after I have finished it, I think maybe it was a bit too much. Considering it is, in many ways, an autobiographical description of Plath's life, the content of the story and the events that proceeded in Plath's life broke my heart. Personally, as well, I will be going to college at a school extremely similar to the one both Esther Greenwood and Sylvia Plath went to. In fact, Sylvia graduated from high school in the town I will be attending college. It humanized the book in a way I did not think possible, as it had already been extremely personal.

I would recommend others read this book, but only after understanding the content and not considering it a lighter read.

4.5/5 stars

Content Warnings