I read this for the first time about 12 years ago and it became my all-time favorite classic. But reading it now as an adult I just didn't have the same experience unfortunately. I can absolutely see why I connected to these characters so much as a 16 year old. But not having that same connection stopped me from being as invested in the story.
There were parts of this I completely loved - insight into how mental health was handled historically, the discussion of gender roles (especially a woman's), family and societal pressures, etc. But a LOT of this just went over my head. I couldn't tell if I was missing actual details or if I was just not comprehending metaphors. But there was a number of instances of me re-reading sections not understanding what was going on or what was being referenced.
I also had to actively remind myself that this book was written over 60 years ago because the language used was really jarring - especially in reference to gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, and mental health.
I enjoyed this classic. I thought it was a difficult reminder of how mental health and women's roles were handled in the not so distant past. But it's not a top favorite for me anymore unfortunately.