The Bird's Nest

by Shirley Jackson

First published 1954

Elizabeth, a shy museum worker, lives a quiet life with her neurotic aunt. But when debilitating migraines and pains strike, her aunt insists on psychiatric treatment. As the examination progresses, a dark truth emerges: Elizabeth's body is host to not one, but four distinct personalities, each craving dominance. As the separate selves clash, Elizabeth's fragile sense of self unravels, leading to a shocking climax that lays bare the complex dance between mind and identity.

Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, 20th-century, contemporary, adult-fiction, psychological-thriller

Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking

Tropes: found-family, unreliable-narrator

22 pages · Paperback · Nabu Press

Content warnings: mental-illness

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