Mini Book Reviews
The Bell Jar (3/5 Stars)
This book is the only novel written by poet Sylvia Plath. It has been called semi-autobiographical, as many of the events mirror Plath’s own experiences with mental illness. It was published in 1963, just one month before Plath died by suicide. The novel follows Esther Greenwood, a college aged woman from suburban Boston. She has an internship at Ladies' Day magazine in NYC but feels disillusioned with the glamorous big city and her fancy job. After discovering that she did not get accepted into an elite writing program, Esther feels lost. Her identity has been tied to academic achievements and she has no sense of direction for life after school. Esther does not feel inspired by either motherhood or typical female career paths of the time. She becomes depressed and is prescribed electroshock therapy, which is just the beginning of her treatment journey. The book deals with themes of disillusionment, mental illness (and psychiatric medicine in the 50s and 60s), and societal roles for women. The novel offers insight into the seemingly normal thought processes of someone who is struggling with depression and is an interesting first-person perspective.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1.5/5 Stars)
This book, written by Mark Twain and published in 1884, is considered an American classic and is often required reading in high school (but not for me). I wanted to understand the cultural significance of Huck Finn and fill this apparent gap in my education. I started reading this book and hated it so much that I couldn’t get through it. The writing style and strong dialect was not enjoyable to read. I decided to start listening to the audiobook instead. I finally finished the book but definitely zoned out a few times during listening. Despite my lack of interest in the subject matter and my distaste for the writing style, I recognize the important themes highlighted in this book. The evils of slavery are highlighted by the book and the moral ambiguity that accompanies the American idea of freedom is present throughout. Unfortunately, I found that it was hard to get past the unenjoyable surface to dig deeper into these concepts. While I did not enjoy reading this book at all, it does contain some quality concepts and lessons, thus 1.5 Stars.
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