Reviews tagging 'Medical trauma'

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

276 reviews

star_lost_fairy's review against another edition

dark emotional sad fast-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

2.75

It reads very easily but I did't get the intention behind the book, to me it felt very empty. Had it been more of a social commentary I think I wiuld have liked it more but it was cery supwrficial on a lot topics so I don't know what to think about it. For me it's not a memorable book. 

Also there is a very long list of trigger warning, I put all the ones I remembered in my post.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Dysphoria, Medical trauma, Blood, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Medical content, Sexism, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, and Alcohol

roouija's review against another edition

dark emotional sad fast-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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Ableism, Grief, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Death, Lesbophobia, Medical trauma, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Sexism, Alcohol, Confinement, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, and Injury/Injury detail

hannahcstocks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective 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: Medical trauma, Misogyny, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual harassment, Forced institutionalization, Alcohol, Confinement, Death, Dysphoria, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Classism, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Medical content, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

giulidrago's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

5.0

"Lo sai che cos'è una poesia, Esther?"
"No, che cos'è?"
"Polvere."
"Anche i cadaveri che tagliuzzi tu. Anche la gente che credi di curare: polvere sono, polvere, nient'altro che polvere. E una vera poesia dura molto ma molto più a lungo di cento dei tuoi pazienti messi insieme."

Mi arrendo di fronte alla consapevolezza di non essere riuscita a mantenere il distacco necessario a soppesare, tagliare e disporre ordinatamente i brandelli di questo romanzo per tirarne fuori qualcosa di razionale. 
La protagonista si sgretola piano piano davanti agli occhi impotenti del lettore e non c'è cura, manicomio, elettroshock, terapia che possa salvarla. Le tematiche della depressione e del suicidio sono raccontate con agghicciante tranquillità, e tutto il romanzo è pervaso da un cinismo e un'ironia cupa che toglie il respiro. La scrittura è immaginifica, e così bella che sebbene leggere questo libro ferisca in profondità, invoglia a volerne ancora e ancora.
La campana di vetro ha affondato le unghie nella mia pelle e rifiuta di lasciare la presa, e dubito che il tempo diluirà l'impressione ricevuta. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Medical trauma, Medical content, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Racial slurs, and Mental illness

grey_writes_love's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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

3.25

I would not have finished this book if it was not assigned to me. I never had any reason to root for Esther, or even to like her, save that the alternative was her death. Also, the consistent racism was a huge turnoff.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Medical trauma, Sexual content, Racial slurs, Drug abuse, and Suicide

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Medical content, Death of parent, Death, Sexism, Sexual violence, and Racism

Minor: Incest, Violence, Vomit, Alcohol, Child death, and Pregnancy

litliz's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Pregnancy, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Death, Dysphoria, Body horror, Blood, Body shaming, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Medical trauma, Fatphobia, Forced institutionalization, and Mental illness

Minor: Racism, Sexual violence, Bullying, Sexual assault, Sexism, Pregnancy, Gun violence, Medical content, Incest, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Religious bigotry, Rape, Racial slurs, Misogyny, Death of parent, and Sexual content

jastasticxoxo's review against another edition

dark emotional funny reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

This book is excellent. I see why it is a modern classic. I connect so deeply with Esther and Sylvia Plath has always spoken to me in a way no other author or poet has. Esther is such a deeply timeless and relatable character and I love the frankness, honesty and bluntness Sylvia Plath wrote with. Men have been acting with the same violent wilful idiocy for all of time and it’s insane how many of the experiences plath writes about here I and every single afab person I know have experienced. I love this book so much. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Mental illness

Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcoholism, Mental illness, Misogyny, Abandonment, Blood, Confinement, Medical content, Medical trauma, Forced institutionalization, Alcohol, Death, and Physical abuse

lillianreads's review against another edition

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

I had to read this for my uni class on American 1960s literature and I genuinely enjoyed it. Our professor warned us that it's a depressing read and it definitely is that but it doesn't feel overly emotional. Sylvia Plath makes the world feel very removed and far away which captures mental illness very well in my opinion. The main character does things that seem to make no sense and at points you want to kind of scream at her. But that portrayal of the mc and her actions fit very well into the world of depression Plath has created.
 I loved the metaphors of the fig tree and the bell jar and the overall writing style felt very accessible. 
If you want to get into reading classics The Bell Jar definitely is a good place to start. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Medical trauma, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Rape, Vomit, and Suicide

Minor: Racial slurs

wrennova123's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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

5.0

I think that Sylvia Plath’s portrayal of the struggle with mental illness was beautifully done. Her writing is blunt, straightforward and hard-hitting, and thus the novel expresses sensitive topics very directly. 
I particularly loved the fig analogy and the symbol of the bell jar to represent the experience of mental illness. 

---

Content Warnings

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

meagwhalen's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

This is a gorgeous, gorgeous book. It was a tough read for me mentally and emotionally, but a truly superb novel. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Medical trauma, Death, Grief, Self harm, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Mental illness, and Emotional abuse