Reviews with content warning for Suicidal thoughts - The Bell Jar

I read this for the first time when i was 17, and i probably would have given it a 5 star rating at that time. I had only just started my own battle with depression and anxiety, and it was compelling to read such a raw depiction of how quickly someone can spiral into a horrible place. Especially when its written by an author who ended her own life at only 30. The first time i read it, it opened my eyes to how lucky i am to be a woman in the 21st centrury, where mental health struggles aren't as stigmatized, and i dont have to worry about being forcibly labotomized or institutionalized, or being denied a path to professional fulfillment, solely due to the lack of opportunities given to my gender. It also reminded me that i wasnt alone in feeling zero desire to marry some man and have kids and fall into a routine of domesticity.

Now 10 years later ive read this book again with a fully developed frontal lobe, and i cant help but read it with a more cynical attitude. There's a fair amount of racism and homophobia that i did not remember reading the first time, and theyre REALLY hard to look past for me. I recognize the era this was written, but i still dont love to read it. Its also difficult to read the stream of conciousness of someone who is completely obsessed with suicide - its exhausting to get through mentally and emotionally, and i dont know how i did it the first time as a teenager.

Overall, i can appreciate the impact this book has had on women of multiple generations. Even though its a kinda outdated 2nd wave feminist vibe, it is still a snapshot of an era that shows what kind of rules and expectations were placed on young (white) women, and the consequences for not conforming.

Content Warnings

enika's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

Content Warnings

lauryn_2's review against another edition

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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

4.25

Content Warnings

p2rteltytar's review against another edition

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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

4.5

Content Warnings

limabeans's review against another edition

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dark reflective 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

1st half - 2.5 stars
2nd half - 4.5 stars

Content Warnings

mievdk's review against another edition

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dark emotional 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? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

kingcrookback's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective medium-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

I was...unprepared for but utterly unsurprised by the racism. Plath's description of Esther's mental illness, of being trapped under the bell jar, were very striking, though. I can't articulate why at the moment, but reading certain passages felt reminiscent of what it felt like to read Virginia Woolf's The Waves.

...what in the hell kind of vibes was I giving off in senior year of high school that made my yearbook adviser--who'd known me for four years at that point--recommended this book to me?

Content Warnings

bestmonthofspring's review against another edition

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challenging dark tense slow-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? It's complicated

2.75

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