Reviews tagging 'Blood'

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

366 reviews

nick_karr's review

challenging dark emotional 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Suicide, and Mental illness

withlivjones's review

dark 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

I get the hype with this book, it’s a very powerful and well-written read and the quintessential sad girl novel. Plath’s writing voice was truly ahead of its time in the way the she is able to so clearly describe the experience of being on the brink of leaving education and not knowing what to do with one’s life. As a fairly recent graduate with no life plans, I related to Esther a lot. 

There were definitely some parts of the book that dragged a little; just from hearing about the plot I wasn’t expecting Esther’s trip to New York to end so early into the book. Furthermore, there is So Much casual racism just thrown in, and I get that the book was written decades ago but it was still unnecessary and disruptive to the reading experience. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Medical content, Suicide, Medical trauma, and Mental illness

Moderate: Sexism, Fatphobia, Blood, and Homophobia

ella43688's review against another edition

dark reflective sad 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Death, Blood, Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Mental illness, and Suicide attempt

samugranjo's review

dark emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

When I was younger I had a very hard time with depression, now almost 10 years later I still have intense depressive episodes with terrifying thoughts but it's much more manageable. This book has probably the best depiction of depression, suicidal thoughts and burnout that I have ever read. I have never felt so understood, and at the same time so glad about how many things that I would have related to in the past are no longer part of my everyday experience. On top of this, the fig analysis has been a guide and a help through the last years of my life, making me remind myself that not taking action in making decisions is also a choice itself with its own consequences.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Medical trauma, Sexual violence, Blood, and Mental illness

Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicide, Death, and Sexual content

Minor: Alcohol, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Racial slurs, and Death of parent

There's descriptions of bad medical practices with mentally ill patients, including a detailed shock treatment session. There's also a reference to a lobotomy.

jmackus3698's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring reflective fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Blood

aisid's review against another edition

dark reflective sad slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Misogyny, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Violence, Sexual violence, and Racial slurs

Minor: Racism and Vomit

veliana's review against another edition

dark reflective slow-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Mental illness, and Blood

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Death, Infidelity, Medical content, Toxic friendship, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Medical trauma, and Pregnancy

Minor: Sexual content, Sexism, and Misogyny

ilarian's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Suicide attempt, and Mental illness

idonoteatchairs's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny inspiring sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Medical trauma, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Self harm, Sexual violence, and Mental illness

cobainity's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense 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

5.0

this was such a wonderful read - i have rarely read anything quite like this. despite there not being any "big" events, i could barely put this book down. plath's writing is enthralling and i loved every second of it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Suicide attempt, Blood, Medical trauma, and Suicidal thoughts