Book Review: The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Author: Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Title: The Yellow Wallpaper

Genre: Classics, Short Story, Fiction, Horror, Gothic

Format: ebook

PagesL 63

Published: January 10, 1892

Where I Got It: Borrowed from the library

Summary: 

Diagnosed by her physician husband with a “temporary nervous depression—a slight hysterical tendency” after the birth of her child, a woman is urged to rest for the summer in an old colonial mansion. Forbidden from doing work of any kind, she spends her days in the house’s former nursery, with its barred windows, scratched floor, and peeling yellow wallpaper.

In a private journal, the woman records her growing obsession with the “horrid” wallpaper. Its strange pattern mutates in the moonlight, revealing what appears to be a human figure in the design. With nothing else to occupy her mind, the woman resolves to unlock the mystery of the wallpaper. Her quest, however, leads not to the truth, but into the darkest depths of madness.

Review:

This was a completely random book. I was looking for something else and came upon this ebook at my library. Why not...PLUS we just finished de-wallpapering our dining room SOOOOO? Yah. 

We follow a woman who is writing in her private journal. She was diagnosed by her husband with temporary nervous depression with some hysteria mixed in after she gave birth to their child. She is forced to rest the entire summer in their new home. She starts recording her growing obsession with the horrid wallpaper. It is a strange pattern that mutates in the moonlight revealing what appears to be a human figure. She decides to investigate the mystery of the wallpaper which will lead her down to find the truth, but a huge deep depth of madness. 

Okay. This was extremely weird and different. There were times I found myself very, very confused. I won't lie there....I had to research and read other reviews before I could get myself to type something up. I honestly think this needed to be longer. I think we needed more time. The ending was cool, BUT we needed more. 

Screw that husband and brother of hers. You can't help but feel bad for this lady. This does show the truth of the times....mental health was not taken seriously, especially for women. 

I'm curious about other writing from this author. I do wish this was longer to really get the point made. 

3 stars from me.