Reviews tagging 'Chronic illness'

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

39 reviews

shaleen64's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

3.5

This book skilfully covers the issues of patriarchy, mental health and bodily autonomy.

The book follows the main characters decent into madness in a direct manner without any dramatics. It is particularly enjoyable how the writing style changes to reflect this.

The analogy of both the Fig Tree and the Bell Jar are both relatable and affirming. 

However, it’s impossible to ignore the blatant racism within the book, and whilst consideration has to be given to the time period in which it was wrote, the comments made just feel like a way for Plath to voice her own prejudices. For this reason alone I wouldn’t actively recommend this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Mental illness, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Fatphobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Pregnancy

seana02's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Lesbophobia

Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, Sexual violence, and Grief

Minor: Fatphobia, Homophobia, and Lesbophobia

bobblehead456's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated

5.0

Sublime 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness

mysafe_place's review against another edition

challenging 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

2.5

Considering this book is partially based on Plaths own life it would feel wrong to bash this book in any way. Though I have to say that it was less than I expected. The first hundred pages were simply a dull retelling of Esther's daily life and just when we started to get a more profound view into her emotions and current mental state it switched to the most mundane occurrence again. I definitely enjoyed a great part of the book, yet it was not as philosophical (if I may say so) as I expected it to be. Good alliterations and some allusions, but rhetorically placed in a questionable way. Still a good book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug use, Blood, and Cultural appropriation

courtmckenz's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Vomit, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, and Gaslighting

emeryreadsalot's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Grief, Medical trauma, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Body horror, Blood, and Alcohol

oscarwildewhore's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

sapphicsav's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

The Bell Jar’s stomach-turning, exacting prose and descriptions of the depths and cyclical nature of mental illness are unparalleled. I was struck by Esther’s body horror around pregnancy, womanhood, and fatness, but most of all by the eerie sense that the treatment she receives and feelings she describes do not feel like artifacts of the past in a world that has barely updated its understanding of mental illness since the 1950s. This is a different kind of coming of age story. It accurately details the uncertain and enduring nature of life with depression, and leaves Esther, so aptly, facing life itself.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Chronic illness, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Racism, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Lesbophobia, and Toxic friendship

sashabaker177's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

This book lulls you into a false sense of security. Esther initially seems sardonic, judgemental and disconnected as she spends the summer in New York, but her thoughts become increasingly dark and her narration appears ever less reliable. The final act is a terrifying and viscerally detailed portrayal of mid-century mental healthcare. Knowing the author's fate the ending feels ominous rather than hopeful. My only criticism of the book would be that at times the character expresses racist and homophobic sentiments, which later on in the book feel integrated with her break with reality, but earlier on at times feel like the author's prejudices seeping through. To be expected with a book this old, but nonetheless a little jarring.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Self harm, Vomit, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Death, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, and Medical trauma

Minor: Chronic illness, Gore, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Grief, and Lesbophobia

mblanke's review against another edition

dark funny sad fast-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: Chronic illness, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Body shaming, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Alcohol

Minor: Vomit and Alcohol