Take a photo of a barcode or cover
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
tense
slow-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Sylvia Plath really captures a feeling of apathy and depression in this book and the way Esther experiences the world . Lots of dark humour and unexpected twists as well
Thought it was interesting comparison talking about the rosenbergs at the start, almost a premonition of her psychiatric treatment. I also thought Joan was a hallucination for a while. Kind of a bleak but hopeful book, a bit like Eleanor Oliphant but more bitter and less hopeful
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt
Moderate: Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I finished this book in one day and loved it so much. I related very deeply to the character of Esther, something that definitely allowed me to see the realities of what Plath was trying to depict within this book. The symbolism and stream-of-conscience writing style did exactly what Plath was trying to accomplish and allowed me to fully comprehend the emotions and turmoil that Esther was experiencing. However, there is an extremely racist scene that felt disjointed and took me out of the book for a period of time. Was Plath simply a "product of her time"? Yes. Was she also probably racist herself? Yes. I think this is important to note while thinking about the novel because I think the rest of the book is an incredible depiction of the influence of mental health on our worldview and well-being and yet there is this intrinsic flaw within the novel. However, overall, I loved the book and will most likely be re-reading and deeply annotating in the future.
I am still wondering why she was hemorrhaging after having sex with Irwin? Did she have the diaphragm in incorrectly? It seems like there was a cause other than it just being her first time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Blood
Moderate: Racism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Homophobia, Vomit