Esther Greenwood is smart, I mean the kind of smart where she’s done exceptionally well in school and none of her classes represent that big of a challenge. Her goal is to become a writer and when she’s invited to join a group of young women to be guest editors for a girl’s magazine in New York City, Esther jumps at the opportunity. Unfortunately, the experience falls deeply short of so many expectations, inviting in a level of disillusionment and despair that was elevated when she was later turned down from a college summer writing program that she’d pinned her hopes upon attending. We get her first person narrative point of view of her descent into depression and mental illness.
What makes this so compelling is Esther’s brilliant mind. Her thoughts sometimes seemed like a glimpse into madness but her intelligence and insights connected with me in a way that’s hard to define. I understood how her dashed hopes and dreams left her rudderless, making the world seem without luster as she had no visible view of a direction. If you’ve ever been there, you also understand how scary it can be to see it played out through someone else.
I can’t remember not knowing of Sylvia Plath and this book. However, I wasn’t aware that this was semi-autographical nor that she died a couple of months after its publication, which she released under a pseudonym and only in the United Kingdom. It’s clear, at least to this reader, that Plath was inviting us into her own mind. If you’ve ever experienced clinical depression or any variation of that, you’ll recognize so much of Esther’s thoughts and feelings, uncomfortably so and the view of the psychiatric community in the early 1960s was troublesome.
At the last minute, I opted to listen to the book when the audiobook became available at my library and that was a great decision because the narrator, Maggie Gyllenhaal was magnificent. This is a disturbing piece of genius that’s not easy to absorb but Esther’s wit and humor is peppered throughout her chronicle. The writing is just extraordinary, nothing like I’ve ever read and a sad reminder of the talent we lost too soon.
Book Info
- Release Date: February 2, 2016 (originally issued January 1963)
- Narrator: Maggie Gyllenhaal
- Audio Length: 7 hours, 24 minutes
- Publisher: HarperAudio
Blue Mood Café 
I’ve always meant to read this one but never did. I really need to catch up on my classics. I need to see if the local library can get this one for me.
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Alexandra, I put this off for years! It was a tough read but if you’re the least bit familiar with depression, it will strike a nerve and won’t let you go.
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I think we’re all familiar, this year alone, with how depression creeps up on us and affects us all. But yes, I’ve always put this one off but now, I think it’s a good time to read and understand.
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Great review, Jonetta. I have heard of this book a lot, but, honestly, I try not to read somber books. It just pulls me down with so much already going on in life. Thanks for sharing.
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Thanks, Debjani💜 It’s one of the reasons I put it off.
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I will need to try this one on audio when I do a reread. I love Maggie Gyllenhall. Fab review as always.
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Thank you, Kris💜 You’ll love her narration!
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Fab review! I’ve not read this and must admit I’m not sure if it’s for me, but I love the clip you shared and can see why you enjoyed the audiobook.
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Disturbing is a good word. It was so depressing….both because of the treatment she receives and knowing that soon she will be successful in ending her life. But It’s definitely a realistic depiction of what a mind experiences. 💔💔💔
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Indeed a very disturbing book. I read this book many years ago but with the times as they are it deserves a reread. I feel many of us are slipping into depression if not already there. Amazing review, Jonetta!
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Wow I’ve heard of both the book and the author but have never really known what it was about. But, my word, it sounds like exactly the kind of thing I devour! Disturbing pieces of genius always catch my attention! Thank you for sharing your fab review 😊
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Thank you so much💜 That description was the first thing that popped in my head so I wrote it down before I even started writing my review.
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