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Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Suicide attempt, Alcohol
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Suicide attempt
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Dysphoria
Graphic: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt
Moderate: Death, Misogyny, Rape, Blood
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt
Moderate: Drug use, Racial slurs, Self harm, Sexual assault, Grief, Sexual harassment
Personally, I don’t find Esther a very likeable character but that didn’t stop me from sympathising with her throughout the book. Perhaps this was the case because I recognised some of her thoughts and thinking patterns as my own when I was in my late teens, and I’m not particularly fond of that version of myself either. She can be judgemental and cruel, but part of this is because of what she’s going through. Her character taught me a lot about myself and how mental health can affect other people, not just the person suffering.
Plath also challenges sexist notions of women’s place in society and how alienating it could be as a woman to feel like you didn’t “fit the mould” of what a woman “should” be, e.g if you were a woman that didn’t want children or didn’t want to get married. I think the importance of these themes is somewhat lost reading this book now (depending on where in the world you are, of course) which perhaps explains why some readers may not engage with or enjoy it as much. Knowing what happened to Plath just three weeks after this book was published, it feels like she was documenting all of her grievances with the world before she left it behind.
All of this said, there are occasional racist passages and characterisations in the book. Where non-white characters are introduced, they are not depicted in a favourable light. Esther often refers to herself as being of another ethnicity when she’s sick or tired, which seems to suggest she views other ethnicities as uglier or less than her. Whilst this isn’t necessarily surprising for the time it’s obviously not excusable, so I’m changing my review from 5⭐️ to 4⭐️.
Overall, still a hard-hitting book 5 years after I originally read it. Scarily relatable, sometimes upsetting, and an insight into the way mental illness can take ahold and affect someone so deeply and profoundly.
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt
Moderate: Death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Sexual harassment
Minor: Racial slurs, Racism, Lesbophobia
Moderate: Death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting
There are obvious content and trigger warnings in this book, read with caution. Sylvia does not sugar coat, the vivid account of Esther’s slow destruction isn’t for the faint of heart. However, it is tragic, uncomfortable and exactly what depression looks, sounds and FEELS like on a daily basis.
Esther had everything and felt she had nothing. She’s a strong, quick witted and methodical. It’s incredible how Plath doesn’t hold back as I, myself, would have no courage to write the way she does.
This book is art. This book is pain. This book is the greatest works of art. I do not say this lightly. This book needs to be on your bucket list.
Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Vomit, Suicide attempt
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis