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The Bell Jar
- Narrated by: Maggie Gyllenhaal
- Length: 7 hrs and 24 mins
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The Bell Jar
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Summary
Read by the critically acclaimed actress Maggie Gyllenhaal.
When Esther Greenwood wins an internship at a New York fashion magazine in 1953, she is elated, believing she will finally realise her dream to become a writer. But in between the cocktail parties and piles of manuscripts, Esther's life begins to slide out of control. She finds herself spiralling into depression and eventually a suicide attempt as she grapples with difficult relationships and a society which refuses to take women's aspirations seriously.
Sylvia Plath's groundbreaking semiautobiographical novel offers an intimate, honest and often wrenching glimpse into mental illness. The Bell Jar broke the boundaries between fiction and reality and helped cement Sylvia Plath's place as an enduring feminist icon. Celebrated for its darkly humorous, razor-sharp portrait of 1950s society, it continues to resonate with readers today as a testament to the universal human struggle to claim one's rightful place in the world.
What listeners say about The Bell Jar
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Daisy
- 27-09-15
Definitely worth listening to
My first experience of this classic. It's a great story, though I was a bit disappointed there wasn't more closure in the ending. Loved Maggie Gyllenhaal's narration.
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4 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- alison farr
- 24-02-20
Grippingly Disturbing, a fascinating listen.
I've wanted to read this book for years and it was worth the wait. I didn't know what it was about, only that it was a feminist classic. I won't ruin it for anyone as clueless as me by explaining the plot, as my ignorance allowed me to unfold a surprisingly dark story.
The reading was excellent, Maggie Gyllenhaal brought Esther to life; creating slightly disturbing, but compulsive listening at bedtime.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Wolfie's Wibbles
- 22-11-20
Excellent reading of a great novel
Maggie Gyllenhall really gets across the bored, sardonic views of Esther as the bell jar lowers over her head. The tone of the reading is perfect for the material. The book itself expertly and entertainingly describes the distorted worldview of a depressed person
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Avril
- 03-01-21
fantastic! best book in years
amazing storytelling and the narrator was fabulous - I felt like I was in the story. loved it. best book Ive read/listened to in years!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mrs S.
- 20-03-16
Perfect pairing!
Amazing - please take the time to listen.
Maggie was super narrating this - perfect match.
Loved it!
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jenny Leask
- 03-03-22
Jarring!
A brilliant novel, read beautifully by Maggie Gyllenhaal, but the repetitive piano music is an unnecessary and jarring addition that pulls the listener out of the story.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 23-04-24
Exceptional writing and interpretation
Exceptional writing. Relatable. The interpretation was exquisite. What a great loss to the literary world.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- M.B.
- 30-07-15
Wonderfully performed
Where does The Bell Jar rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
One of my top audible listens so far. I have read the book as a teenager and then again at university, so I know it very well. But listening to it brought it back to life again. Maggie Gyllenhaal's performance is wonderful and does justice to Plath's vivid yet lyrical writing.
Any additional comments?
The only complaint I have is that this recording omits the opening paragraphs of The Bell Jar. Perhaps the reflective opening paragraphs were omitted to make the audiobook lively and gripping from the very first words but it is a bit of a shame for those who know this book very well.
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20 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Jenny
- 25-10-15
Interesting but depressing and irritating
It is well written and well narrated. I thought that the depiction of mental illness was extremely good. A friend of mine who went through similar experiences also thought that it was evocative of her illness. However, she did say that the fact that Sylvia Plathe committed suicide in the end after apparently making a good recovery was depressing.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Count Dulek
- 12-02-16
Superb
Fantastic reading by the narrator. I'd give it a full 5 overall, but heard its not entirely complete. So for those familiar with the book, I've taken it into account. Overall however, this is a superb production. Maggie Gyllenhaal fits Plath's voice perfectly. Highly recommend.
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1 person found this helpful