Members with This Book
Most Helpful Reviews
see all reviews
Liked It2 of 2 members found this review helpful “It is not a classic for nothing. I am a HUGE Plath fan to begin with. This book is extremely well-written, albeit heart-breakingly sad. This story is engaging and worth every minute reading and re-reading. It is the tale of one woman's journey into despair. She is extremely intelligent and witty....” see full review » see other reviews » |
Didn’t Like It1 of 1 members found this review helpful “My feeling lie right between two and three stars. I can't see what all the fuss is about, but it was a decent book. I did enjoy seeing the world through Esther Greenwood's eyes.” see full review » see other reviews » |
Newest Reviews
see all reviews-
“Once a banned book suppressed on social grounds; published in 1963.
Jaime wrote this review yesterday. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Book rejects marriage and motherhood and was deemed inappropriate b/c it talked about diaphrams and had profanity.
-The book was also one of the 1st to be an (almost) autobiography of depression and mental breakdown, dealing w/ a woman's fascination with death and suicide.
-Sylvia Plath killed herself at 30; w/ her 2 small children in the next room, she sealed up the kitchen, put her head in the stove and turned the gas on”
“I've had this book on my shelf for a long time and finally got around to reading it. I think the book received more attention because of Plath's reputation as a poet and her suicide than the fact that it's a great book. It was just OK to me. ”
Lisa D wrote this review 3 days ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“While I didn't particularly love the plot of the novel, which was semi-autobiographical and at times seemed almost fluffy, I was enthralled watching this downward spiral in which the main character was contained, her descent into this state of manic depression and her dealings with various antiquated methods of 'healing' such as electroconvulsive therapy. It's interesting to realize that the author committed suicide a month after the publication of this book. ”
Meghan B wrote this review 11 days ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Plath was an excellent poet but is known to many for this largely autobiographical novel. The Bell Jar tells the story of a gifted young woman's mental breakdown beginning during a summer internship as a junior editor at a magazine in New York City in the early 1950s. The real Plath committed suicide in 1963 and left behind this scathingly sad, honest and perfectly-written book, which remains one of the best-told tales of a woman's descent into insanity.”
North Shore Country Day School English-10 wrote this review 2 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“amazing”
Ryann F wrote this review 2 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“In the Bell Jar,a clalssic american literature, Esther has just moved to New York to embark on a new adventure. Not ever having been out of her original birthplace getting a enternship for her is a huge new chapter.Between a new romance,friends,her arguing mother, and her depression she's in for quite a ride.Esther gets turned down for her writing pieces and falls into a downward spiraling case of emotions.Not knowing how to handle her situation she swims to the ocean in hopes for drowing.When she fails at comiting suicide on her first attempt she crawls under her house to swallow a bottle of her very own sleeping pills. She is found and taken to a mental institue where she in time gets better.I thought this story was edgy and a great display of the emotions some of us feel on a day to day basis.I would recommend in to any young adult.”
Leslie H wrote this review 2 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“It's a nice view into the life of a crazy person. ”
Joe B wrote this review 3 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Reading again --- read it in college. Did not have quite the impact on me as it did in college days. I think it was more shocking and impactful in its day ... no one talked about depression, mental illness, women's conflicts, back then. Very courageous book -- I found the afterward really interesting this time around and would like to read more about Sylvia Plath, bio, etc.”
Debbie L wrote this review 3 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“Eh... not a big fan of this book.”
Lindsay F wrote this review 3 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
