Reviews

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

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chiaramasciari's review against another edition

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dark 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

3.75

umerfaruk1's review against another edition

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5.0

Humorous at the beginning.
A subtle analysis of a neurotic from a psychologically distressed writer. I recognised myself as Miss Esther Greenwood and sympathised with her.
Masterpiece of American English literature.
Loved it.
Open-ending, open for any interpretations and expectations is beautifully done staying in line with the general mood of the 2nd half of the novel. 100/100.

meganvanmilo's review against another edition

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4.0

shes just like me fr

aesthetic: 4/5
entertainment: 4.5/5
emotion-evoking: 4.5/5

i'm not sure how to deal with the homophobia and racism in this

dkwaye's review against another edition

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dark reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

kccool12255's review

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I’m so confused. This literally makes no sense, it’s just a bunch of stuff happening and there’s no rhyme or reason to any of it. At this point, I think classic novels just aren’t for me. I don’t get why this is a classic anyhow.

bergsteiger's review against another edition

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4.0

Let me start by saying the language is exquisite in this book. I imagine that some poets have a hard time pivoting from creating beauty through a paucity of words to developing a lengthier, broader narrative, but Mrs. Plath did not have this issue.

The story itself was quite good too. This is often mentioned, but the descent into insanity is done so well, that Esther seems quite normal. But then again, is she insane? There is a strong existentialist thread here that draws me in, much like in The Awakening. Esther's observations about the ridiculousness of the world around her, probably resonate with anyone who takes a step back in the "Modern Era" and truly questions society.

Which leads me into my biggest hang-up with the book. I have a hard time following people into insanity simply based on their views of the world. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance comes to mind. I understand there are mental health issues in play here, with clinically identifiable problems, so perhaps my views are neither kind nor logical. That said, I just don't fully understand the why here? Why does noting that many of the things that humanity holds dear are actually quite trivial and ludicrous, lead to a complete breakdown? Laughing at them, I get. Rebelling against them, I also get. Losing your grip on reality, because of them? Needless to say, I have a hard time identifying with characters in books like this.

At the end of the day though, I don't need to understand the why here. This is a beautifully written book that I believe will draw in most people. If you haven't read it yet, I would definitely recommend taking it off the shelf.