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artemy_se's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Fascinating
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting
nneka23's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
This was a quick little short story that left me thinking about so many things. As the journal entries progress, it becomes more clear that the main character has some sort of mental illness she’s dealing with, and a husband that isn’t very supportive. It definitely had me asking various questions as I read, while also keeping me engaged in the story. The author did a great job creating a mysterious and creepy atmosphere. I think this book is a great conversation starter!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting
Moderate: Mental illness
rileyyy02's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
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? It's complicated
5.0
Lady is told she is psycho, becomes psycho. I have always loved this story. Very relatable.
Content Warnings
Minor: Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
sarathroughpages's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting
izzyreading's review
dark
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I loved this it's very interesting within itself but even more so when you consider the various metaphors and analogies it can communicate.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Confinement, and Mental illness
Moderate: Emotional abuse
Minor: Gaslighting
petty_anthropology's review
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Misogyny, and Sexism
Moderate: Gaslighting
cat12345's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
reflective
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? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Ableism, Confinement, Chronic illness, Gaslighting, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Medical trauma, Medical content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Self harm
Minor: Misogyny, Death, and Homophobia
nadiamasood's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book is dark and it ends on a chilling note.
To better appreciate this short story, one would find it helpful to have a little background on the author herself and how women's mental health was treated in the 19th century.
Charlotte Perkins Gilman was already prone to depression and suffered from severe postpartum depression after giving birth. At the time, the predominantly male medical profession was not equipped to deal with mental health. Women were considered “hysterical” beings by their very nature, their health problems were often dismissed as mere nerves.
Dr. Silas Weir Mitchell was summoned to help, who prescribed the “rest cure,” which essentially required that she give up ALL creative pursuits, such as reading and writing, keep a nurse with her at all times, avoid any activities that required mental exertions, prohibition from meeting with friends and family, and enforced sedentary lifestyle, where one must lie in bed for most of the day. Instead of curing her, these restrictions—prescribed by Miller and enforced by her husband—only made her depression worse, and she began to have suicidal thoughts.
Charlotte divorced six years later, in 1894. Her depression began to lift, and she embarked on a steady recovery. Gilman’s experience with depression and her first marriage influenced her writing heavily.
Gilman's writing in The Yellow Wallpaper is both haunting and evocative. The narrative is presented through the eyes of an unnamed woman who is prescribed a "rest cure" by her physician husband, John. We read the story as her journal entries, noting her deteriorating mental state as her obsession with the wallpaper intensifies, culminating in a disturbing and poignant climax.
The story is rich in symbolism. For example, the mansion seemed like a mental asylum: the bed is nailed to the floor and the windows are barred. She begins seeing women jumping out of the wallpaper, which suggests she could be delusional. I wonder if John was even her husband? Could he be a doctor trying out the rest cure on a patient?
It stood out to me that despite being gaslighted by her husband and dismissed as hysterical, she maintains a sense of self and ultimately asserts her agency powerfully and unforgettably!
I highly recommend this book to everyone!
To better appreciate this short story, one would find it helpful to have a little background on the author herself and how women's mental health was treated in the 19th century.
Charlotte Perkins Gilman was already prone to depression and suffered from severe postpartum depression after giving birth. At the time, the predominantly male medical profession was not equipped to deal with mental health. Women were considered “hysterical” beings by their very nature, their health problems were often dismissed as mere nerves.
Dr. Silas Weir Mitchell was summoned to help, who prescribed the “rest cure,” which essentially required that she give up ALL creative pursuits, such as reading and writing, keep a nurse with her at all times, avoid any activities that required mental exertions, prohibition from meeting with friends and family, and enforced sedentary lifestyle, where one must lie in bed for most of the day. Instead of curing her, these restrictions—prescribed by Miller and enforced by her husband—only made her depression worse, and she began to have suicidal thoughts.
Charlotte divorced six years later, in 1894. Her depression began to lift, and she embarked on a steady recovery. Gilman’s experience with depression and her first marriage influenced her writing heavily.
Gilman's writing in The Yellow Wallpaper is both haunting and evocative. The narrative is presented through the eyes of an unnamed woman who is prescribed a "rest cure" by her physician husband, John. We read the story as her journal entries, noting her deteriorating mental state as her obsession with the wallpaper intensifies, culminating in a disturbing and poignant climax.
The story is rich in symbolism. For example, the mansion seemed like a mental asylum: the bed is nailed to the floor and the windows are barred. She begins seeing women jumping out of the wallpaper, which suggests she could be delusional. I wonder if John was even her husband? Could he be a doctor trying out the rest cure on a patient?
It stood out to me that despite being gaslighted by her husband and dismissed as hysterical, she maintains a sense of self and ultimately asserts her agency powerfully and unforgettably!
I highly recommend this book to everyone!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Gaslighting
bookwormcat's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, Confinement, Emotional abuse, and Mental illness
marayzex's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-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? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Confinement, and Gaslighting
Minor: Stalking