The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath's only novel, was originally published under a pseudonym in 1963.
Esther Greenwood is
brilliant, beautiful, enormously talented, and successful, but slowly
going under-maybe for the last time. In her acclaimed and enduring
masterwork, Sylvia Plath brilliantly draws the reader into Esther's
breakdown with such intensity that her insanity becomes palpably real,
even rational-as accessible an experience as going to the movies. A
deep penetration into the darkest and most harrowing corners of the
human psyche, The Bell Jar is an extraordinary accomplishment and a
haunting American classic
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The Bell Jar novel is about a thirty year old young lady who has spent her life over achieving. Esther has done everything right in her life, she has succeeded through school, gained scholarships and funding for her university education, won competitions that allow her to meet with people who are able to make or break her career. Yet she is unhappy. Suddenly her life is about to enter the unknown. Finishing her final years of University education means she is about enter into the world of work and 'adulthood' which is alien to her. This realization leads Esther on a downward spiral into a deep depression.
Plath wrote a very moving account of a young woman's struggle with depression. It is full of raw emotion and really gets to the heart of her character. Knowing that Plath herself suffered from depression leads me to wonder how much of this book is fiction and how much is actually drawn from her own experiences. It is a dark and sometimes cold book, which lays bare the harsh emotions and fears that Esther goes through on a daily basis.
I found the book very emotionally charged but enjoyable at the same time. It is not an easy read, the author takes you to the darkest corners of Esther's mind. At times I found it hard to read on while also having a compulsion to continue until the end. You become desperate to find out the final outcome, will Esther recover or is she destined to remain stalled in her life for the rest of her days?
I rate this book 3 out of 5 star
It is a good book especially if you enjoy stories that tug at your heart strings. This book left me guessing until the very end and I loved Esther even during her darkest moments I found her quite funny as well as strangely strong and independent despite her depression.
The Bell Jar novel is about a thirty year old young lady who has spent her life over achieving. Esther has done everything right in her life, she has succeeded through school, gained scholarships and funding for her university education, won competitions that allow her to meet with people who are able to make or break her career. Yet she is unhappy. Suddenly her life is about to enter the unknown. Finishing her final years of University education means she is about enter into the world of work and 'adulthood' which is alien to her. This realization leads Esther on a downward spiral into a deep depression.
Plath wrote a very moving account of a young woman's struggle with depression. It is full of raw emotion and really gets to the heart of her character. Knowing that Plath herself suffered from depression leads me to wonder how much of this book is fiction and how much is actually drawn from her own experiences. It is a dark and sometimes cold book, which lays bare the harsh emotions and fears that Esther goes through on a daily basis.
I found the book very emotionally charged but enjoyable at the same time. It is not an easy read, the author takes you to the darkest corners of Esther's mind. At times I found it hard to read on while also having a compulsion to continue until the end. You become desperate to find out the final outcome, will Esther recover or is she destined to remain stalled in her life for the rest of her days?
I rate this book 3 out of 5 star
It is a good book especially if you enjoy stories that tug at your heart strings. This book left me guessing until the very end and I loved Esther even during her darkest moments I found her quite funny as well as strangely strong and independent despite her depression.
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