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  4-star review

  This novel has been described as semi autobiography in the sense that it mirrors many of the events that took place in Plath's own life.

  The story is narrated by a young girl named Esther who seemingly has the academic world at her feet. She is intelligent, well connected and given all of the advantages that she could ever wish for. The one thing that escapes her however is happiness and whilst in New York on an internship at a highly regarded magazine, she suffers from a break down. Once she arrives back home her life spirals into a dark depression that dramatically results in a suicide attempt. Sent to a mental institution, Esther struggles to find a way back to herself and finds new traumas at the hands of electric shock therapy.

  The book is made all the more shocking by the fact that author committed suicide only a month after the book was originally published. A completely haunting novel that draws you in and doesn't let go for a very long time.

  Review by Vicki Goodwin on 14:04, 04 Apr 2008

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