100,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώ

Overnight NZ-wide delivery on in-stock orders πŸš€

The Bell Jar

The Illustrated Edition
4.05 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating.
( 1,172,937 ratings, 80,395 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath delves into the life of Esther Greenwood, a young woman navigating her career aspirations in the 1950s. Struggling with societal expectations and personal identity, she faces the complexities of mental health. The novel explores themes of self-discovery and the pressure to conform, all wrapped in a poignant narrative. Please note, despite being categorised as a Children's Book, it contains mature themes.
Read More
Format: Hardback
$3799
AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 4-6 weeks

Found a better price? Request a price match

One of our hand-picked classics that no home should be without, now with Beya RebaΓ―'s beautifully atmospheric artwork.

One of our hand-picked classics that no home should be without, now with Beya RebaΓ―'s beautifully atmospheric artwork.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

I felt very still and empty, the way the eye of a tornado must feel, moving dully along in the middle of the surrounding hullabaloo.

Sylvia Plath's groundbreaking semi-autobiographical 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.

A special illustrated edition – the second book in our collection of illustrated Faber classics.

Series: Faber YA Illustrated Classics

View all
  • Maurice
    This illustrated young adult edition of a bold novel is one of defiance and bravery. As beautifully crafted as it is heartwrenching, this love story transcends time and generations. People were all around them, but with eyes that had gone intensely blue he whispered, 'I love you.' From curious schoolboy to studious scholar, Maurice Hall grows with all the confidence...
    Hardback
    $3600
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • A Room With A View
    Both a love song to Italy and a criticism of class and patriarchy in England at the time, this young adult illustrated edition is an exquisite, tumultuous romance. 'One doesn't come to Italy for niceness,' was the retort; 'one comes for life. Buon giorno! Buon giorno!' Lucy's rigid, middle-class life is meticulously mapped out for her. Boredom and monotony await,...
    Hardback
    $3600
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Bell Jar
    I felt very still and empty, the way the eye of a tornado must feel, moving dully along in the middle of the surrounding hullabaloo. Sylvia Plath's groundbreaking semi-autobiographical 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...
    Hardback
    $3799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, while categorised incorrectly here as a children's book, is actually a semi-autobiographical novel about the protagonist, Esther Greenwood's, mental health struggles. The book is often praised for its introspective and candid portrayal of mental illness and identity crisis, and it reflects Plath's own experiences. Readers commend the book's emotional depth and nuance, though the subject matter is intense and sometimes unsettling.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780571373079

Publisher: Faber & Faber

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 06 October 2022

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Faber & Faber

Edition: Main

Contributors:

  • Illustrated by Beya Rebai
  • Illustrated by Beya RebaΓ―

Audience: Children

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 21.0mm

Width: 153.0mm

Height: 234.0mm

Weight: 541g

Pages: 272

About the Author

Sylvia Plath (1932-1963) was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and studied at Smith College. In 1955 she went to Cambridge University on a Fulbright scholarship, where she met and later married Ted Hughes. She published one collection of poems in her lifetime, The Colossus (1960), and a novel, The Bell Jar (1963); Ariel was published posthumously in 1965. Her Collected Poems, which contains her poetry written from 1956 until her death, was published in 1981 and was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for poetry.

Beya Rebai is based in Paris where she's born in 1995. She studied illustration in Brussels, Belgium, during three years. She proceeded with a master degree in Paris. Fascinated by colour, especially by the artistic current of the Nabis, she builds her drawings with a narrow and carefully selected colour range. Beya always has a sketchbook during her travels with some wax pastels, she draws what she sees, but in her way, with a lot of colours.

Also by Sylvia Plath

View all
  • The Bell Jar
    The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath is a gripping semi-autobiographical novel that delves into the complexities of mental health, identity, and societal expectations. The narrative follows Esther Greenwood, an ambitious and talented young woman on the cusp of her future. Enrolled in college, she excels academically and seems to have an enviable life, complete with a prestigious internship in New...
    Paperback
    $2000
    Elsewhere:
    $2299
    (1)
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Bell Jar
    I was supposed to be having the time of my life. When Esther Greenwood wins an internship at a New York fashion magazine in 1953, she is elated, believing she will finally realise her dream of becoming a writer. But in between the cocktail parties and piles of manuscripts, Esther's life begins to slide out of control. She finds herself...
    Paperback
    $2300
    Elsewhere:
    $2499
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Bell Jar
    'I was supposed to be having the time of my life.' When Esther Greenwood wins an internship at a New York fashion magazine in 1953, she is elated, believing she will finally realise her dream of becoming a writer. However, amidst the cocktail parties and piles of manuscripts, Esther's life begins to slide out of control. She finds herself spiralling...
    Hardback
    $3400
    Elsewhere:
    $3699
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Bed Book
    From Pulitzer Prize-winning Sylvia Plath, this is the perfect bedtime read, written for her own children, exquisitely illustrated by Cindy Wume in picture book form for the first time.A Tank Bed's got cranksAnd wheels and cogsAnd levers to pullIf you're stuck in bogs.Or a Jet-Propelled Bed For visiting Mars With mosquito nets For the shooting stars. Beds come in all...
    Paperback
    $1899
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Ariel
    'The world is blood-hot and personal': in her moving and illuminating introduction, the poet Emily Berry remembers her own teenage encounters with Ariel and offers a personal way into this definitive collection. She shows us how Plath can crystallise our most volatile emotions, transforming them into images so potent and precise that they resonate with us all. Plath has been...
    Paperback
    $2799
    Elsewhere:
    $2999
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Collected Poems
    This volume contains all Sylvia Plath's mature poetry written from 1956 up to her death in 1963. The text is preceded by an introduction by Ted Hughes and followed by notes and comments on individual poems. There is also an appendix containing fifty poems from Sylvia Plath's juvenilia. For me, the most important literary event of 1981 has been the...
    Paperback
    $4699
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Ariel
    It is sixty years since Ariel was first published. This heritage edition restores Berthold Wolpe's iconic jacket and reproduces the original distinctive typesetting in celebration of the enduring importance of a collection that contains many of Sylvia Plath's best-known poems. Written in an extraordinary burst of creativity just before her death in 1963, the poems are as expressive of joy...
    Hardback
    $3999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Sylvia Plath Poems Chosen by Carol Ann Duffy
    Sylvia Plath was one of the defining voices of the twentieth century, and one of the most appealing: few other poets have introduced as many new readers to poetry. The poems in this fresh and inviting edition were chosen by Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy. 'In my selection, which is roughly chronological to shadow her progress, I have tried to...
    Paperback
    $2799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Journals of Sylvia Plath
    The complete journals of Sylvia Plath. "Everything that passes before her eyes travels down from brain to pen with shattering clarity - 1950s New England, pre-co-ed Cambridge, pre-mass tourism Benidorm, where she and Hughes honeymooned, the birth of her son Nicholas in Devon in 1962. These and other passages are so graphic that you look up from the page surprised...
    Paperback
    $5500
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Sylvia Plath
    In this series, a contemporary poet selects and introduces a poet of the past. By their choice of poems and by the personal and critical reactions they express in their prefaces, the editors offer insights into their own work as well as providing an accessible and passionate introduction to some of the greatest poets in our literature. Sylvia Plath (1932-63)...
    Paperback
    $2300
    Elsewhere:
    $2499
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Letters of Sylvia Plath Volume I
    Sylvia Plath (1932-1963) was one of the writers who defined the course of twentieth-century poetry. Her vivid, daring and complex poetry continues to captivate new generations of readers and writers. In the Letters, we discover the art of Plath's correspondence, most of which has never before been published and is here presented unabridged, without revision, so that she speaks directly...
    Paperback
    $6500
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Letters of Sylvia Plath Volume II
    Sylvia Plath (1932-1963) was one of the writers who defined the course of twentieth-century poetry. In the Letters, we discover the art of Plath's correspondence. Most has never before been published, and it is here presented unabridged, without revision, so that she speaks directly in her own words. The letters document Plath's extraordinary literary development: the genesis of many poems,...
    Paperback
    $6500
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks

More from Children's Books

View all
  • New Release
    Royalslinger
    K Pop Demon Hunters fans will love this! Graci Kim is back with the second book in her exciting and fantastical Slinger series where dragons and phoenixes roam the skies of Seoul; meals magically appear based on your mood; and dreams literally come to life. Praise forΒ Dreamslinger: β€œA mind-blowingly original fantasy adventureβ€”Graci Kim has done it again!”—Rick Riordan,Β New York TimesΒ #1...
    Paperback
    $1999
    Elsewhere:
    $2400
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    Detective Beans and the Map of Mystery
    Enjoy this new DETECTIVE BEANS adventure in the bestselling and award-winning graphic novel series by Li Chen! Your favourite kitten detective is back with a new mystery to solve . . . and treasure to find! When Captain Scuttlebeard gives Beans a treasure map, Beans is determined to find the prize at the end. The clues take him all over...
    By Li Chen
    Paperback
    $1900
    Elsewhere:
    $2200
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Mei Mei the Bunny
    New Release
    Mei Mei the Bunny
    Mei Mei the Bunny is Laufey's picture book debut about a bunny learning to believe in herself through music. Experience a heartwarming tale of self-belief in this enchanting picture book by GRAMMY Award-winning musician Laufey. Meet Mei Mei, a little bunny with a big dreamβ€”to spread joy through her music! As her debut recital at the H'Opera House draws near,...
    By Laufey
    Hardback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    Hunted: Wolf Girl 15
    Just when Wolf Girl is finally reunited with her father, he is torn away from her once more, and Gwen vows to stop at nothing to track him down. But danger is closing in: a giant snow leopard and a mysterious hooded figure are hot on their trail. As Gwen and the pack race through deep caverns to snowy peaks,...
    By Anh Do
    Paperback
    $1699
    Elsewhere:
    $1899
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    What If You Could
    From the former prime minister of New Zealand comes a guide for teens on chasing your dreams and embracing the unexpected qualities that truly make a person strong. When Jacinda Ardern became prime minister of New Zealand, she was one of the youngest people in the world leading a country. Many people thought she would never succeed β€” herself included....
    Paperback
    $2599
    Elsewhere:
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    Lonasei and the Mystery of Origin Grove
    Eleven-year-old Lonasei is lonelyΒ β€” she wishes her older sister Eva Grace wasn't so mean, and that her mum Aria didn't have to work so much. But when Aria inherits her childhood home, Lonasei discovers she can enter her late Aunt Malia's paintings and experience the memories within. Through them, she discovers that her mother had another sister, Agnes, who went...
    Paperback
    $2199
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    The Case of the Viral Video: Violet and the Velvets 3
    Violet and the Velvets can hardly believe they've come so far in the BandChamps competition with only hard work, a smidge of talent, and a whole lot of thinking outside the box. This time, they get to record their new song in a proper recording studio and star in their very own music video! But Violet is letting her perfectionism...
    Paperback
    $1600
    Elsewhere:
    $1899
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Dawn Raid: The Apology
    This sequel to Dawn Raid follows Sofia Savea’s family, 50 years later, as Sofia's grandson becomes involved in the quest for a government apology. INVERCARGILL, 2020 Wow, I thought I knew a bit about the dawn raids, but this is HUGE. It happened to my OWN family and I never knew! I had no idea that Granfia and her family...
    Paperback
    $1800
    Elsewhere:
    $2099
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Big Bang Bread
    New Release
    Big Bang Bread
    In this time-travel storybook and cookbook with a cosmic twist, take a journey through time and space to discover the secrets of baking! Did you know that bread is made from stardust? Board the rocket and blast off on an adventure through time and space to discover the secrets of a home-baked loaf! Big Bang Bread is a kids' time-travel...
    Paperback
    $1800
    Elsewhere:
    $2100
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • B is for Bird
    From award-winning artist, Lily Emo, comes a beautiful celebration of birds. Paired with a fun rhyming story, gorgeous illustrations, and fold-out pages, this book is set to be a favourite for everyone and the perfect gift. Make your way through the alphabet with this stunning book featuring a cast of familiar birds. From albatross to fantails, gannets to quail, and...
    Hardback
    $1999
    Elsewhere:
    $2499
    (1)
    Backorder
    Ships mid August
  • Signed Copy
    New Release
    The Curse of the Carnivorous Cactuses
    (Sam: Nothing could be as bad as being covered in icky purple blobs ... wait, what does carnivorous mean again?) The gang is determined to defeat Glam-Evil and her nasty curses so that they can save their park and get back for Shackleton and Amelia's very first sleepover. But Glam-Evil has a few new tricks up her ultravillainous sleeve ......
    Paperback
    $1400
    Elsewhere:
    $1499
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Bluey: Rain
    On Sale
    17% off
    New Release
    Bluey: Rain
    It's raining! Bluey is trying to dam the water in the front yard, but does she need Mum's help? Join Bluey as she plays in the water when a heavy summer rain thunders over the Heeler home. Can Mum stop Bluey from dirtying the house? Featuring: A nearly wordless picture book with visual storytelling that mimics the dialogue-free episode. A...
    By Bluey
    Hardback
    $1500
    Elsewhere:
    $2100
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.