Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

The Bell Jar, by Sylvia Plath

51 reviews

esimplicity's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Alcohol, Blood, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Chronic illness, Medical content, Pregnancy, Death, Sexual content, and Racism

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

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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

catherinedsharp's review against another edition

DISCLAIMER -  I read this text as a set text for university meaning I did not pick this up for myself. It does not fit my usual reading selection so my review may be rather biased. 

Despite enjoying this book, it was slow at times and I found it too triggering to read at this point in my life, despite checking the trigger warnings. Additionally, I also ran out of time to read it as I could not finish it with all of my other university texts.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, Fatphobia, Self harm, Suicide, 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

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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

lleuad's review against another edition

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

4.0

feels like a book version of that game where one person draws a head and then folds the paper over and someone else draws a torso and folds that over until you've got a really bizarre miss-matching person

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Racial slurs, Alcohol, Eating disorder, and Racism

Minor: Vomit

alexisgarcia's review against another edition

dark sad tense fast-paced

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

3.0

i really wanted to love this. however, some parts of the book felt unnecessary to the story and Esther was just not a good person which made this so unenjoyable for me. despite her mental illness there was no reason for her to be so incredibly nasty to everyone around her. and her character targeting and physically abusing the only person of color and calling them slurs… for what? there was absolutely no reason for all of her rude actions especially considering how privileged she was. it did adequately portray the mental unraveling of a women in her early adulthood but it outshined by how awful her character was in my opinion. i was so disappointed :((( 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Cursing, Alcohol, Classism, Death, Grief, Medical content, Medical trauma, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Blood, Drug abuse, Dysphoria, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts

insidious_toxins's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Dysphoria, Injury/injury detail, Suicide, and Self harm

Moderate: Alcohol, Rape, Confinement, Death, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Blood, and Grief

Minor: Racial slurs

bugsanddirt's review against another edition

dark emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Addiction and Alcohol

karol99's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny reflective 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

I am really glad I finally read this book! I enjoyed that way it was written, there have been multiple sections of the book that I have underlined because the way Plath worded things was so eloquently done. I really enjoyed the way she tackled different forms of mysogyny as well as mental health all while the reader has to keep in mind that this book as well as the character is from the 60's - which is also clearly evident in the cultural/societal response to women and mental health at the time.

I specifically had a moment of reflection where I had to jot down my thoughts on mirrors and it's role in the story (Plath, p. 168): 

[Esther asked to see a mirror, and the nurse ignored her]
'Why can't I?'
'Because you better not.' The nurse shut the lid of the overnight case with a little snap. 
'Why?' 
'Because you don't look very pretty.' 

I also had a discussion with my mum about it. All the different factors and layers that were held in such a short line:  'Because you don't look very pretty.'  

I will leave at 4.75, and see how the book will further impact me - and if it does, now that I have finished it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Death

Moderate: Sexual content, Religious bigotry, Racism, Physical abuse, Blood, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, Grief, Fatphobia, Eating disorder, Classism, Bullying, and Body shaming

siannn's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

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

1.0

Anti-Semitic mess. Not a book to be adored, it gets its lone star for the unfortunate realsism of suicidal thoughts. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Antisemitism, Blood, Racial slurs, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Death, Bullying, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Injury/injury detail, Suicide, Medical content, Misogyny, Mental illness, and Racism

Minor: Body shaming