Reviews tagging 'Injury/injury detail'

The Bell Jar, by Sylvia Plath

65 reviews

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

imaginefishes's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective slow-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

3.5

The book was enjoyable but felt like a drag nearing the end, possibly because

Spoiler

the main character Esther herself was quite literally stuck in the drudgery of mental institution after mental institution.

Overall, I liked the dry narrative tone of the book, but I tired of it after a while. Something interesting though was that I kept imagining Coco Chanel as Esther Greenwood, maybe due to the attention she pays to her own fashion.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Misogyny, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Injury/injury detail, Death, Sexual content, and Sexual assault

Minor: Suicide

headachesince03's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Injury/injury detail, Medical content, Misogyny, Infidelity, Sexual violence, Confinement, Death, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Self harm, Blood, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Lesbophobia, Suicide attempt, Forced institutionalization, Homophobia, and Vomit

_rowan_'s review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense 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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Medical content, Racism, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Suicide, Death, Fatphobia, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Eating disorder, Violence, Injury/injury detail, Blood, and Gore

hallenoelle's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-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? Yes

4.0

I have always been deeply interested in the idea of the “mad woman” and how has society treats women with mental illnesses throughout history. The Bell Jar is a raw, disturbing, and realistic depiction of what so many women went through and why. The turn from the fun and youthful vibe at the beginning to the gut-wrenching plot twist had me captivated. I could not give this book 5 stars, however, because of the incomplete romance(ish) with Buddy Willard and because of how problematic this book is today. Not really a spoiler but warning anyway for the next sentence!

Spoiler

I hate when a character hates another character and we never find out why and that is exactly the case with Buddy and Esther

. This book has countless moments of racism that really took me out of the story and made me super uncomfortable. And lastly, please do not read this book unless you are POSITIVE you can handle it. It is full of triggers for those who have struggled with mental illness, grief, SA, EDs, and suicidal thoughts. Please read with caution - but if you are interested in women’s history and feminist literature I would recommend!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Suicide, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Medical trauma, Rape, Grief, Confinement, Eating disorder, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Racism, Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, Sexual violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/injury detail, and Sexism

fleursreads's review against another edition

dark reflective sad tense slow-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

4.5

it's a book you have to be in the right mental space to enjoy

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Mental illness, Dysphoria, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Classism, Body horror, Racial slurs, Injury/injury detail, and Suicidal thoughts

amandayounglund's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/injury detail, Racism, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Forced institutionalization, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, and Medical content

laurenwash's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful 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: Suicidal thoughts, Injury/injury detail, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicide, Medical content, Suicide attempt, and Sexual content

j4mes's review against another edition

dark reflective sad 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual assault, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Blood, Sexual violence, and Injury/injury detail

Moderate: Alcohol, Misogyny, Cursing, Self harm, Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Death, Gore, Grief, Terminal illness, and Sexism

Minor: Body shaming, Racism, and Suicide

ghoulette's review against another edition

mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Suicide, Body horror, Blood, Vomit, Violence, Suicide attempt, Racial slurs, Medical trauma, Infidelity, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Miscarriage, Medical content, Injury/injury detail, Eating disorder, Self harm, and Death