Reviews tagging 'Confinement'

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

58 reviews

linblythe_pub22's review against another edition

dark emotional funny sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, and Drug use

Moderate: Suicide, Toxic friendship, Sexism, Blood, Fatphobia, Sexual violence, Self harm, Pregnancy, Misogyny, and Confinement

Minor: Body shaming, Lesbophobia, and Racism

jneverland's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Misogyny, Sexual content, Death, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Violence, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Alcohol, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Confinement, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, and Physical abuse

lindsey_bear's review against another edition

dark reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Plath’s writing style is easy and timeless. That being said, the topics in The Bell Jar are anything but easy. The story was hard to get through as much of it surrounds the main character’s thoughts of suicide. I found the descriptions of the asylum to be extremely interesting and it shed a lot of light on how mental disorders used to be dealt with decades ago. The metaphor of the bell jar as intermittent depression was relatable and evergreen. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Confinement, Suicide, Death, Mental illness, Classism, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Racial slurs, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts

alexandrabelze's review against another edition

dark emotional sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

sylvia plath. wow. her poetic imagery fits wonderfully in this novel. it’s so personal and real that i don’t even feel like i have a right to critique it on anything. it was a beautiful read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Vomit

Moderate: Racial slurs and Racism

Minor: Sexual content, Alcohol, and Death of parent

livvynelson22's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Vomit, Pregnancy, Confinement, Self harm, Rape, Death of parent, and Forced institutionalization

unicornjessie4's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Suicide, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Grief, Confinement, and Panic attacks/disorders

h0neybear's review

challenging dark funny hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I really enjoyed it. Preferred the second half. Definitely a very clever book, but I think I was a bit too dumb to understand some of it. I reckon I will at some point though. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Sexism, Confinement, Suicide attempt, and Mental illness

Moderate: Medical content, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, and Racism

Minor: Alcohol, Incest, and Sexual content

livruther's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

i understand why this book is a classic, but it is very difficult to read because some parts of it are very upsetting. however, it is no doubt very well written and full of literary merit. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Confinement, Drug use, Racism, Body horror, and Death

lucymoosie's review

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Confinement, Mental illness, Grief, Suicide, Self harm, Death, Suicide attempt, and Panic attacks/disorders

plantdog30's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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? It's complicated

4.5

I really enjoyed this book as someone whose had mental health struggles, but even in a normal state there are things I relate to. It's easy to empathize with the emotions Esther feels because the writing is so immersive. Generally, this book is interesting as it has insight into how mental health was treated at the time as well as simply the experience of a young woman faced with an undetermined future. I would've given this book 5 stars but there are times the main character is just irritating and plain racist, with the n word being said numerous times in a single chapter. Overall though, it was definitely intriguing and captivating, especially with such great writing.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Confinement, and Mental illness

Minor: Alcohol, Lesbophobia, Racism, and Fatphobia