Reviews tagging 'Drug abuse'

The Bell Jar: 50th Anniversary Edition by Sylvia Plath

61 reviews

stormykat's review against another edition

dark tense

3.5

This book is the reason behind my anxiety and fear surrounding aging, childbirth, being a woman, etc.

Sooooooo well-written, but I wouldn't recommend to anyone who isn't in a pristine headspace. Be mindful of content warnings before picking this one up, that advice is from experience.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, and Suicide attempt

halcyonkathryn's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Death, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Medical content, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Ableism, Body horror, Xenophobia, Vomit, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, and Lesbophobia

Minor: Eating disorder, Cultural appropriation, and Classism

mar1e's review against another edition

dark reflective fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Suicide attempt

i_love_swimming_and_you's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Sexual harassment

noahfence's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

overall, the bell jar is a really amazing view into the way 1950s society dealt with women’s mental health (and women in general).

i had a vague expectation of what i was going to read in the bell jar, and, of course, those expectations were easily defeated and topped.

i thought the prose was beautifully yet unforgivingly sharp and efficient, which was very successful in subtly communicating the characterisation of esther, the main character. i also thought that plath’s continuous exploration around the troubles of childbirth and maternity really came through in this book, of which i always find very poignant. the sense of despair that emanates off of esther throughout the entirety of the novel is all-consuming and very affecting… it’s very hard to not feel dragged along with esther in her tumble into darkness.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Drug abuse, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, and Alcohol

daisy_may'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? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Misogyny

Minor: Body shaming and Fatphobia

jasminn_perez's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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? Yes

3.0

i don’t understand why people rate this book so highly. it wasnt as revolutionary as its so made out to be. idk may b i am simple minded or its just pretentious bull shit. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Medical content

elisabethkatee's review against another edition

dark funny reflective sad medium-paced

• 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

loved the writing. learnt many new words. i related in some ways and then felt totally disconnected in others. i really loved it. will definitely read again it was a quick and easy (define EAsY) read !

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

greatu's review against another edition

dark sad

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Suicide attempt

vienna's review against another edition

dark emotional funny reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Drug abuse and Racism