Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

338 reviews

lolra's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

ravenstag6's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Death, Misogyny, Sexism, and Grief

Minor: Racism, Sexual content, and Abandonment

sliceofghost's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

the girls who get it get it, and sylvia plath DEFINITELY gets it

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Death, Misogyny, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Vomit, and Medical trauma

Minor: Death of parent

veepopp's review against another edition

dark 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Eating disorder, Physical abuse, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, and Death of parent

aggie2010's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Ableism, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, and Lesbophobia

goemonxiii's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

2.75

While I can appreciate The Bell Jar for what it is and what it's done for the field of literature, feminism, and mental health... it's not for me (which is fine). I'm not particularly enthusiastic about this book, there were parts that were difficult to get through, and I doubt I'll read it again. It's not terrible, and there were in fact parts that I liked, and I do like being able to say that I've read The Bell Jar, but other than that there's not much here.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body shaming, Death, Fatphobia, Lesbophobia, Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Racism and Death of parent

several graphic suicide attempts, severe mental illness, depression, medical complication involving birth control

whatbidoureads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense 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

3.5

This book had been on my tbr for so long and I’m so glad I finally got around to reading it! 
Overall, it’s a very interesting book, very self-reflective and empowering (her will for independence is at times very inspiring), but I do think it will be a one-time read for me because some parts were just too hard to read through. The first half was very interesting for me, Esther is such a multi-faceted character who I found super odd at times, but super relatable at others. Side note, I loved Sylvia Plath’s description of food haha. 
But in the second half it got slower and a lot darker which made me step away from the book for a while because some aspects were too touching. 
Nevertheless, I feel the ending wrapped this whole book together, and made me appreciate the story and the MC. I feel like everything was wrapped well, and we get a clear ending on everything. 

I guess what I’m trying to say is although Sylvia Plath is an author I observe from afar because she triggers me, I appreciate her work so much, especially this as it is her only novel and it is considered to be semi-autobiographical.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, and Suicide attempt

gabriella_'s review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.0

Well this was depressing. I didn’t like the way Plath slid racism into the narrative so seamlessly. But her tackling of mental illness was very reachable. 

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Content Warnings

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

abicaro17's review against another edition

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

3.0

Eh. This is probably the worst of the good books on mental health i've read. As someone who has read a lot of those books I feel pretty qualified to say that. Esther is a suburban girl taking a trip to New York, after she finds out she didn't make the writing class she applied for and spirals. Conceptually this works fine I think it was just written poorly. The whole New York bit doesn't add anything story wise and Esther is pretty un likable. She doesn't learn anything and the end seems pretty loose. Just doesn't hold up against others Ive read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Eating disorder, Racial slurs, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Dysphoria

kathfoxh'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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Self harm