Another book also came to mind as I was reading, and that was The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Setting off a new generation of writers, styles, and people. So I guess that is why The Bell Jar is often compared to The Catcher in the Rye, with it's discussions and writings of often controversial titles. Specifically with suicide, and specifically about the virtue and pureness of women compared to men. But what else is amazing is how relevant these topics still are today. I have a feeling that this book helped women realize that they're not alone, and brought things to light that most people have commonly shoved aside women and men. It's amazing that this book was written and published over 30 years ago, really, when a new woman was coming out into the world. It spoke to me as a woman and my views on sex and the confusion I'm sure most other girls out there face. The book really spoke to me because of my own personal experiences with depression and suicide. There are a few times I was confused about the timeline, but it did not upset me. Because the Esther, the character we are following, is slowly descending into madness, time no longer matters. Strangely enough, if you remember in my last review, what bothered me most about The Good Earth did not bother me in The Bell Jar. And though Plath never really described many characters as to their personality, I began to feel I knew them all intimately.

The writing that I was a little sketchy about at first helped me visualize the setting and get to know the characters. But that only remained within the first two pages, because after that I became absorbed. I went into the novel knowing that Plath was a poet and felt that at first the book was just another form of her poetry and her showing off her writing abilities. Her descriptions were crisp and precise, often using words that one rarely hears spoken or even read. When I first started reading the book I was a little put off, feeling it was an extremely pretensious novel.

I assure you, The Bell Jar is a book all on it's own and should not be compared to any other book. I liked Catcher but I know there are many people who didn't and upon hearing that may be similar to Catcher not have the desire to read it. I was a little caught of guard when I read a few reviews of The Bell Jar comparing it to The Catcher in the Rye stating how it's the female version of it. I am gladly considering myself one of them.

There are many who have read The Bell Jar and absolutely loved it.

La campana de cristal by Sylvia Plath