Well, to be far she gets less whiney in the second part of the book but still there is just something that grates on me, and has in everything of Plath's I have read. Just an author that I don't gel with.
Looking forward to reading what you make of it when you get around to Plath.
I liked this book but I can see where Plath's character can be annoyingly gripey & whiney. I mean, she was seriously depressed & unstable. I did find parts to be quite humorous. To me, The Bell Jar is one of those books that one has to be in just the right frame of mind to enjoy. I definitely see your POV though.
Equally, I see why it is a favourite book of many, and why it is an important milestone in literature. It is purely the voice that spoiled it for me. Even the humorous parts (mostly in the first part of the book) I found annoyingly silly rather than funny.
Yes, a very good question! When read TBJ it was also interesting to read her biography - much like that of an academic skipping from one sponsorship to another. So, it seemed to me that she may have had more appeal with the academia than with the literary scene itself. I might be wrong, just an impression.
Looking forward to reading what you make of it when you get around to Plath.