Scan barcode
A review by katey_
Three-Martini Afternoons at the Ritz: The Rebellion of Sylvia Plath & Anne Sexton by Gail Crowther
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
2.5
I have a lot of conflicting feelings about this book!
I do like how the book is organized by topic. It’s clear the author has done deep research into these women, and while I’m less familiar with Anne Sexton’s work as I am with Sylvia Plath’s, this book would appeal to those who know their stories well and those who don’t. There’s very little actual interaction between Plath and Sexton, and where there is, it’s a lot of speculation, so readers should know that before jumping in. It’s more of a comparison of two creative, brilliant, troubled women who led very similar but at the same time very different lives, and I think the two play off each other effectively in this book.
I did have a problem with the discussion of “cancel culture” in the motherhood chapter — right after the author brought up the topic of Sexton’s sexual abuse of her daughter, it was quickly written off by a straw man “both sides” argument about how cancel culture is a form of censorship. While this was presented through the lens of Sexton’s daughter’s feelings around this abuse, it felt a little gross to read what felt like a defense of an abuser, made worse by the fact that the author repeatedly refers to this abuse as “sexual behavior toward her daughter” and hesitates before eventually calling it what it is — abuse of a child. She refers to the “pressures [Sexton] was under” and says she “was not a total monster.” Sure, the world isn’t made up of good people and monsters, but excusing and justifying Sexton’s behavior was beyond gross. I was enjoying the book up until that point so it soured the rest of the book for me.
I do like how the book is organized by topic. It’s clear the author has done deep research into these women, and while I’m less familiar with Anne Sexton’s work as I am with Sylvia Plath’s, this book would appeal to those who know their stories well and those who don’t. There’s very little actual interaction between Plath and Sexton, and where there is, it’s a lot of speculation, so readers should know that before jumping in. It’s more of a comparison of two creative, brilliant, troubled women who led very similar but at the same time very different lives, and I think the two play off each other effectively in this book.
I did have a problem with the discussion of “cancel culture” in the motherhood chapter — right after the author brought up the topic of Sexton’s sexual abuse of her daughter, it was quickly written off by a straw man “both sides” argument about how cancel culture is a form of censorship. While this was presented through the lens of Sexton’s daughter’s feelings around this abuse, it felt a little gross to read what felt like a defense of an abuser, made worse by the fact that the author repeatedly refers to this abuse as “sexual behavior toward her daughter” and hesitates before eventually calling it what it is — abuse of a child. She refers to the “pressures [Sexton] was under” and says she “was not a total monster.” Sure, the world isn’t made up of good people and monsters, but excusing and justifying Sexton’s behavior was beyond gross. I was enjoying the book up until that point so it soured the rest of the book for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Child abuse and Sexual assault