The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

*spoiler-free*

The Bell Jar is about Esther Greenwood, who wins an internship at a New York fashion magazine in 1953 and is elated, believing she will make her dream of becoming a writer. But in between the cocktail parties and piles of manuscripts, Esther’s life begins to slide out of control. She finds herself spiralling into serious depression as she grapples with difficult relationships and a society which refuses to take her aspirations seriously.

The novel is partially based on Plath’s own life and descent into mental illness and has become a modern classic. It’s the first classic I’ve read, and unfortunately, it wasn’t a massive hit for me. The writing is quite easy to read, but I didn’t feel a huge plot existed, so I struggled to maintain interest throughout. It reminded me a bit of What a Shame by Abigail Bergstrom, which I also wasn’t the biggest fan of.

The plot did get more interesting in the second half of the book when we learned more about Esther’s mental health struggles and the treatment she went through. However, on the whole, I found the pacing of the book odd and a bit all over the place. Whilst more intriguing to read, the latter part of the book was very depressing and, in my opinion, focused on unnecessary details and unpleasant events. It opened my eyes as to how women with mental illness were dealt with in the 50s, especially in terms of formal treatment, but I wish we had seen Esther’s outcome at the end of the book.

The Bell Jar took me several attempts to read despite its short length due to an unlikeable main character whom I didn’t connect with and a lacking plot. Ultimately, I think this is a love/hate book, and as it didn’t resonate with me, it’s not one I’d read again, but I am glad I persevered through the story.

2/5 stars