Reviews tagging 'Torture'

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

16 reviews

justagirlwithbooks's review against another edition

3.75

 “If you expect nothing from somebody you are never disappointed.”

The depiction of how mental health was treated back then was very... unsettling. This book was very trippy and confusing at times, but the depiction of mental health and madness was well done. The writing is good, and it's easily accessible to read. This book surprised me in some ways, and unsettled me in others. It was a pretty decent read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Medical content, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Sexual assault and Sexual content

entre_fanon_y_weil's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

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

Sería un gran libro si no fuera por que es profundamente racista.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, and Injury/Injury detail

drawahardline's review against another edition

dark reflective

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

ankiaisreading's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective relaxing sad tense slow-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Body shaming, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

isabezza's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad medium-paced

5.0

It is astonishing that a novel about mental illness and the position of women in the 1950s spoke to me so deeply as a reader in 2023. Perhaps I should not have read this book as someone who has experienced suicide in the family and been admitted to hospital for mental illness, but ultimately I have never read a book which represents that experience so explicitly. I am grateful the systems have changed and the horrors Plath and others may have faced in the name of psychology are devastating to think of. Yet her writing described their society so eloquently that I could not put it down. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Suicide attempt

lakea's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Medical content, Dementia, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Fatphobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, and Grief

apmatteo's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Torture, and Suicide attempt

bzzzzzz's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

Sylvia Plath's writing is magnetic. Yet, given her state of mind, it comes as no surprise that this book is devoid of love, hope, or joy. I think art needs touches of these things to truly be a masterpiece. Also, it has a tragically distorted view of sex.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, and Alcohol

maess's review against another edition

dark emotional funny reflective 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

trombolive's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis