Reviews tagging 'Eating disorder'

The Bell Jar, by Sylvia Plath

36 reviews

maddycdraper's review against another edition

dark 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Suicide, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Racial slurs

Minor: Eating disorder

tessjx's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Misogyny, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, and Medical content

Moderate: Excrement, Vomit, Body shaming, Forced institutionalization, Death, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Drug use, Racial slurs, and Racism

kianga_black's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective relaxing sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Racism, Medical trauma, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Blood, Death of parent, Mental illness, Death, Eating disorder, and Lesbophobia

_lara_'s review against another edition

dark reflective medium-paced

4.0

This is an upsetting book, and one that makes you reflect on your own perception of mental health. How should a person with mental health struggles act? And what does the way you interpret Esther’s own journey with her mental health struggles say about you? 

In terms of the writing, I thought that the story unfolded rather quickly at times. Certain events (the diamond guy at the party) never get mentioned again. And it wasn’t as introspective of a piece as I thought. Rather, it dealt with the perception of mental health, both as it concerns the main character and people in her life. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide and Mental illness

Moderate: Antisemitism, Racism, and Eating disorder

bennoyb'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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Drug abuse, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Eating disorder, and Sexual content

_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

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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

anemonemona's review against another edition

dark 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Misogyny, Chronic illness, Racism, Body shaming, Medical content, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Antisemitism, Suicide, Drug use, Eating disorder, and Mental illness

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!

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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

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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

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

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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