My first year of college, I decided to go to community college to save up a bit before making my way to the Mount. It was one of the best financial decisions I could have made. Since I was living at home and suddenly had a lot more time on my hands (with all my friends off at their respective schools), I found myself getting back into reading more than ever. One of the books I read that year that really stuck with me was The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath.

Partially fictional but also semi-autobiographical, this novel follows a young woman reflecting on her experiences as she struggles with identity, expectations, and her mental health. There’s a heavy sense of tragic nostalgia throughout, touching on themes like loss of innocence and feeling unlucky in love. Set in 1953, it also serves as a stark look at what it meant to live with depression as a young woman in that era. For that reason, I’ve always associated it a bit with Girl, Interrupted which had a similar concept in the 1960s.

Very soon after its publication, the author tragically took her own life. Reading something that feels almost like a final window into her mind is both haunting and deeply moving. I can’t help but wish she had been able to see her own worth. She was clearly a gifted writer – this was her only novel, but she was also a widely published poet.

At that stage in my life (my late teens), like so many others, I was navigating a lot of emotions while watching the world around me change. Because of that, it felt like the right time to read a book that tapped into those feelings in such a raw and honest way.

This is one that can be difficult to read, and it won’t be a favorite for everyone. But I do think it’s worth reading at least once, especially for young women. If not for the relatability, then for the beautiful, haunting way Plath wrote. Her time on earth was far too short, but this work remains an incredible legacy.