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If you're visiting from the hop, hello! Today I am reviewing 2 books that I've re-read, The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath and Possessing the Secret of Joy by Alice Walker. Okay, they're both a bit depressing, but I've been wanting to revisit some of my college favorites for awhile.

First, The Bell Jar:

"The Bell Jar tells the story of a gifted young woman's mental breakdown beginning during a summer internship as a junior editor at a magazine in New York City in the early 1950s. The real Plath committed suicide in 1963 and left behind this scathingly sad, honest and perfectly-written book, which remains one of the best-told tales of a woman's descent into insanity."

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is the kind of book that impacts you for life. I first read this book in high school, and I was able to identify with some of what Esther was feeling, particularly in the beginning of the book. Now as an adult, I feel farther removed from it, namely because I haven't experienced those kind of lows in a good long while.

Nonetheless, this book resonates with me- because Esther struggles, in a way, with all women must struggle with at some point- the question of how to reconcile being an independent, strong woman and still fit into society's ideals of being a caretaker, and a good wife and mother. In some ways things have gotten better since Esther's time, but in some ways, I think we struggle with this dichotomy even more today.

For example, Esther imagines her life branching out before her, and each potential future is a different branch. She mentions how "I wanted each and every one (of the branches) but choosing one meant losing all the rest." How often I have thought about this myself- what millions of choices have I made that would have led to a different life? What adventures have I missed out on? On the other hand, what sadness have I managed to avoid? What if I want it all? Do I have to choose one path over another?

I highly recommend this book to anyone who hasn't read it. It's certainly not a happy book, but it's extremely well-written and thought-provoking.

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And next, Possessing the Secret of Joy:

"A New York Times bestseller, this is the story of Tashi Johnson, a tribal African woman now living in North America. As a young woman, a misguided loyalty to the customs of her people led her to submit to the tribal initiation rite of passage. Severely traumatized, she spends the rest of her life trying to reconcile her African heritage with her experience as a modern woman in America."

Possessing the Secret of Joy by Alice Walker


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is really quite a horrifying book. I didn't know much about this subject of female genital mutilation, but I think this book presents the material in a really gripping way- by slowly unfolding Tashi's story. The characters seem very real to me. You really feel for all of them at the end- even Adam and Lisette. The one negative that the "jumping" point-of-view isn't my favorite style- maybe if there were just two or three points of view but 6-7 gets to be a lot.

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Have you read these books? What did you think about them? What are you reading this week?