Review by livlosiewicz - The Bell Jar

livlosiewicz 's review for:

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

4.5

dark emotional sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Pros:

·I really liked Esther and her narration. This book is somehow so serious and intense and painful while also being hilariously funny? Esther’s wryness was just fantastic

·The writing was relatively simple while still powerful. I’m always a little nervous that books by poets will be overwritten, and this was not at all

·The description of depression as a bell jar was really moving

Cons:

· the book sometimes jumped a bit in time without providing much of a transition or contrast, which sometimes resulted in momentary confusion for me. Were we back in time? Or how far forward? This might just be due to formatting choices for the specific edition I had, too

Recommendation: I recommend for the cultural literacy, if you like books that explore characters and ideas, especially if you like books that explore mental health. I really enjoyed this and am glad I read it. Warning that it’s heavy. Avoid if you want something cheerful or plot-driven.

Content Warnings