Reviews with content warning for Suicide attempt - La campana de cristal

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 Even though its a kinda outdated 2nd wave feminist vibe, it is still a snapshot of an era that shows what kind of rules and expectations were placed on young (white) women, and the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.

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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?

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