A review by inlaraland
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I've picked up The Bell Jar many times since I first bought the book, but I never actually finished it. I decided to finally complete this work, and I'm so glad that I waited because I fully appreciate this novel for what it is.
I could not put this book down, and devoured it over these last few days.
Our protagonist's identity is tangled up with the social politics of the 1950's. I loved the deep analysis Esther makes while discussing womanhood, relationships, and her career. Reading this today makes me grateful that the world has moved away from her experiences, but there were still small parts to her story that stand true, and that one can find relatable. Plath's writing is poetic, and knowing that this book was inspired by her actual experiences in her early twenties makes the writing all the more vulnerable and organic.
You really go through every wave of emotion while reading about the fragmenting of Esther's sense of self
I could not put this book down, and devoured it over these last few days.
Our protagonist's identity is tangled up with the social politics of the 1950's. I loved the deep analysis Esther makes while discussing womanhood, relationships, and her career. Reading this today makes me grateful that the world has moved away from her experiences, but there were still small parts to her story that stand true, and that one can find relatable. Plath's writing is poetic, and knowing that this book was inspired by her actual experiences in her early twenties makes the writing all the more vulnerable and organic.
You really go through every wave of emotion while reading about the fragmenting of Esther's sense of self
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Suicide