3/3.5 stars

Sometimes required reading is good, and this was the case for "The Bell Jar"! I really enjoyed the raw, honest approach to Esther's story and was able to identify with her struggles, which brought me even closer to the character. The writing style is also beautiful - I had never read anything by Sylvia Plath before (save for "Cinderella", which our teacher showed us in class) and I was pleasantly surprised by how easy to read and connect with the story was! Maybe part of it was the fact that I was listening along on audiobook while I was reading (Maggie Gyllenhaal is a fantastic narrator), but I thoroughly enjoyed it.