The Bell Jar has been on my wish list since 2008, before I acquired it earlier this year.
Registered in Paris, France.

Backcovertext:

When Esther Greenwood wins an internship on a New York fashion magazine in 1953, she is elated, believing she will finally realise her dream to become 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 depression and eventually a suicide attempt, as she grapples with difficult relationships and a society which refuses to take women's aspirations seriously.

The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath's only novel, was originally published in 1963 under the pseudonym Victoria Lucas. The novel is partially based on Plath's own life and has become a modern classic. The Bell Jar has been celebrated for its darkly funny and razor sharp portrait of 1950s society and has sold millions of copies worldwide.

The blurb should be enough to warn any potential reader of trigger elements regarding to mental health (e.g., depression, self harm).
The novel was a good read while dealing with a head ache. The writing style is easy to follow, although I didn’t catch all references. Some racial references remind us painfully about the social realities, not only of women but also for anyone who is not a white male. There are descriptions of self harm or envisioned self harm that were difficult to read (and some I read only in diagonal).
I’m not sure what I’m taking away from the novel, but it struck something within me, albeit it is in no way a fun read. I’m curious to see whether it will leave a lasting impression.

During our MBC

A book brought to the MBC-meeting in Paris by the lovely Bluemchenblatt.
I took it from the ‘bench of temptations’ and I’ll take it with me to the Netherlands for reading for the 1001-books-list challenge.
Afterwards it will travel onward either in our street library or as a wild release.