Split-personality. How many authors managed to write a perfect plot about split-personality? This is my first and from what I can understand, its one of the weirdest I have ever read. Shirley Jackson's The Bird's Nest is not an easy read. Mostly because its very monotonous. Divided into different perspectives, I do enjoy parts of the book, especially the exchanged between the characters, which is very interesting and funny. Other times, parts of the book can be rather tedious.

As the blurb goes, Elizabeth Richmond works in a museum and one day, a part of her takes over. Not just one part of her but four and to each of the personalities, each wants to take over Elizabeth's body. Her aunt can't handle her. Her doctor just couldn't diagnose her well. In the end, what ensures is madness but with humor of course. The setting is not much but the exchange is brilliant between characters in this book. Its just the writing I had a problem with (and that is why it took so long for me to complete it; I almost gave up but in the end, I fought my way to finish) - many parts just seem unnecessary. I can't understand the point of being in such a situation and other times, the reasoning just didn't add up as to why, if one knows the other personality, didn't realize its actions. While to each of the perspective is unique, I can't help but did find this a challenge to continue reading it.

For the ending... it was a classic Shirley Jackson kind. I can say its pretty much surprising as to how it ends that not only puzzles me, but her kind of endings, much like her previous books I have read, is a norm for her style. Overall its one of those books, while better in writing the conflict of split-personalities that clashes of their needs and wants written well here, what suffers is the dullness of certain parts of the book that doesn't really pull me into it a lot. A 3.5 for me.