Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

52 reviews

sergiogt's review

challenging dark reflective medium-paced

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

3.75

I really liked the story overall, even if it had me heart-broken throughout. It feels realisticly painful and manages to cover what drove Esther to her situations well. An open ending however felt a bit anticlimactic even if a bit more interesting due to the different interpretations.

The beginning was really confusing for me, not sure where the story was headed to be honest. I appreciate adjectives to better picture what the characters are seeing/living but the comparisons and descriptions felt a tad too overcomplicated in style.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Eating disorder, Death, Medical trauma, Suicide, Mental illness, Vomit, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Self harm, Drug use, Emotional abuse, and Blood

dragonflyyzzi's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Mental illness, Eating disorder, Self harm, and Suicide attempt

lumiix's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Alcoholism, Sexual violence, Rape, Drug use, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Racism, Suicide, Self harm, Misogyny, Mental illness, Medical content, Death, Alcohol, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Racial slurs, and Fatphobia

maddognews's review against another edition

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? Yes

3.0

I give this book a 3 out of 5 because while the book was an easy read I couldn’t really get into the main character story. While I felt bad for her I was turned off from her berating people who looked different than her.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Death, Suicide, Drug use, Racism, and Suicidal thoughts

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

---

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

r_bridie_e's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective slow-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

3.5

I really didn’t take to the story during the first third because the character can be very unlikeable and the writing can be racist at times; however, the tellings of what mental health and asylums were like at the time were super powerful. I grew to appreciate this book so much more by the end.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Racism, Mental illness, Violence, Vomit, Medical trauma, Fatphobia, Xenophobia, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, and Drug use

tessjx's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Misogyny, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, and Medical content

Moderate: Excrement, Vomit, Body shaming, Forced institutionalization, Death, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Drug use, Racial slurs, and Racism

lowri_'s review against another edition

dark sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

although i’ve always known the intro line set up the tone of violence for the rest of the book i was somehow really not expecting it. extremely well written too (which i was not expecting), i’m happy i went into this sort of blind without an idea of the plot but wished i’d read some TWings before. not a book i’d really recommend to anyone but glad to have finally read it.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Death, Suicide, Misogyny, Hate crime, Grief, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Mental illness

natbooks_'s review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness

Moderate: Self harm, Drug use, Suicide attempt, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: 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. 

---

Content Warnings

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