A review by isabellayazici
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

dark emotional 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? Yes

3.75

Read this book in one go starting at the airport, continuing on the plane and finishing the last 3 pages in bed at home. The story did not take me where I thought it was going to, I did not realize
we would be leaving New York let alone entering an asylum. The continuous attempts of suicide were quite difficult to read, interestingly it made me almost(!) root for her to find the right way to get the job done. Had I not been able to see how many pages were left (and know its a loose memoir of Plath) I would have assumed that the sleeping pills would have been the end.

The title, the bell jar never made sense until she mentioned it in the book, which got me quite excited. I love it when authors organically mention the title in the story. 
Her sentiments around marriage and men made me smile. It was interesting to read such a perspective given that it depicts the 1950s. I do not know that I like Esther, but I appreciate her story and understand having it all then slowly not having anything at all, seeing your potential melt away. In that sense (and on a personal note) the book has given me a bit of a push to get my motivation back on track! Overall, a good read!
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