Kindle
$9.99
Available instantly
Audible Logo Audiobook
$0.00
with membership trial
Hardcover
$15.05
Paperback
$9.69
Buy new:
-19% $9.69
FREE delivery Friday, May 17 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Ships from: Amazon.com
Sold by: Amazon.com
$9.69 with 19 percent savings
List Price: $11.99

The List Price is the suggested retail price of a new product as provided by a manufacturer, supplier, or seller. Except for books, Amazon will display a List Price if the product was purchased by customers on Amazon or offered by other retailers at or above the List Price in at least the past 90 days. List prices may not necessarily reflect the product's prevailing market price.
Learn more
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery Friday, May 17 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or fastest delivery Thursday, May 16. Order within 15 hrs 46 mins
Only 13 left in stock (more on the way).
$$9.69 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$9.69
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon.com
Ships from
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Returns
30-day easy returns
30-day easy returns
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Returns
30-day easy returns
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
$9.17
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery Friday, May 17 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35. Order within 15 hrs 46 mins
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
$$9.69 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$9.69
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Sylvia Plath
+ Follow
More books from this author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Mary Ventura and the Ninth Kingdom: A Story Paperback – January 22, 2019

by Sylvia Plath (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 450 ratings
See all formats and editions
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$9.69","priceAmount":9.69,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"9","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"69","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"0fhhVKtqtlC9%2B5uwblv2ZGdHoBk440W%2B289yis6FkGcCIb0O1OTQdafXxK7BB3j7lxFBa9ZUYWBe8Ngnk3Bw7EPjWEasxNPLKMrKRM67twTJAqycp799pbvn5AmMsxG0LANwHqP8nv8A13n6t88Tyg%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$9.17","priceAmount":9.17,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"9","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"17","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"0fhhVKtqtlC9%2B5uwblv2ZGdHoBk440W%2BWZOsvm6aAfcSpcZ%2F7RG5zsvcDr%2Bne0EBbISKmCG7H%2B5HQwGmYWYe1bYdNjc%2BXRPMjH3mqBa0awRnu%2FKs5KgeegMg9whopZus2gvZNxj06ZyS6jn9GSRvqTTzyU7niqhpPs00aYfyEQMD8RZYgGMbyNKMqpi%2FFgj3","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

“[Plath’s] story is stirring, in sneaky, unexpected ways. . . . Look carefully and there’s a new angle here — on how, and why, we read Plath today.”— Parul Sehgal, New York Times

Never before published, this newly discovered story by literary legend Sylvia Plath stands on its own and is remarkable for its symbolic, allegorical approach to a young woman’s rebellion against convention and forceful taking control of her own life. 

Written while Sylvia Plath was a student at Smith College in 1952, Mary Ventura and The Ninth Kingdom tells the story of a young woman’s fateful train journey.

Lips the color of blood, the sun an unprecedented orange, train wheels that sound like “guilt, and guilt, and guilt”: these are just some of the things Mary Ventura begins to notice on her journey to the ninth kingdom.

“But what is the ninth kingdom?” she asks a kind-seeming lady in her carriage. “It is the kingdom of the frozen will,” comes the reply. “There is no going back.”

Sylvia Plath’s strange, dark tale of female agency and independence, written not long after she herself left home, grapples with mortality in motion.

Read more Read less
Previous page
  1. Part of series
    Faber Stories
  2. Print length
    64 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Harper Perennial
  5. Publication date
    January 22, 2019
  6. Dimensions
    5 x 0.18 x 7.5 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    006294083X
  8. ISBN-13
    978-0062940834
  9. See all details
Next page
The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Frequently bought together

Mary Ventura and the Ninth Kingdom: A Story
$9.69
Get it as soon as Friday, May 17
Only 13 left in stock (more on the way).
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
The Bell Jar (Modern Classics)
$10.79
Get it as soon as Friday, May 17
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
Crossing the Water
$10.99
Get it as soon as Friday, May 17
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
Some of these items ship sooner than the others.
Show details Hide details
Choose items to buy together.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“[Plath’s] story is stirring, in sneaky, unexpected ways…Look carefully and there’s a new angle here — on how, and why, we read Plath today.” — Parul Sehgal, New York Times

From the Back Cover

A newly discovered, never-before-seen story by Sylvia Plath.

Written while Sylvia Plath was a student at Smith College in 1952, Mary Ventura and the Ninth Kingdom tells the story of a young woman’s fateful train journey.

Lips the color of blood, the sun an unprecedented orange, train wheels that sound like “guilt, and guilt, and guilt” are just some of the things Mary Ventura begins to notice on her journey to the ninth kingdom.

“But what is the ninth kingdom?” she asks a kind-seeming lady in her carriage. “It is the kingdom of the frozen will,” comes the reply. “There is no going back.”

Sylvia Plath’s strange, dark tale of female agency and independence, written not long after she herself left home, grapples with mortality in motion.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harper Perennial; First Edition (January 22, 2019)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 64 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 006294083X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0062940834
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 0.18 x 7.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 450 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Sylvia Plath

Sylvia Plath

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Sylvia Plath was born in 1932 in Massachusetts. Her books include the poetry collections The Colossus, Crossing the Water, Winter Trees, Ariel, and The Collected Poems, which won the Pulitzer Prize. Plath is credited with being a pioneer of the 20th-century style of writing called confessional poetry. Her poem "Daddy" is one of the best-known examples of this genre.

In 1963, Plath's semi-autobiographic novel The Bell Jar was published under the pseudonym "Victoria Lucas"; it was reissued in 1966 under her own name. A complete and uncut facsimile edition of Ariel was published in 2004 with her original selection and arrangement of poems. She was married to the poet Ted Hughes, with whom she had a daughter, Frieda, and a son, Nicholas. She died in London in 1963.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
450 global ratings
Excellent
5 Stars
Excellent
Very satisfied. Book was in perfect condition!
Hide
Thank you for your feedback
Sorry, there was an error
Sorry we couldn't load the review

Top reviews from the United States

Daniel Horne
5.0 out of 5 stars A very enjoyable story.
Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2021
Verified Purchase
I grew up reading everything Sylvia Plath put down & this story does not disappoint. While the description states this piece is an unfinished work, I found it to be very well-rounded & enjoyable. I read a lot of Kafka too so I always say, just because something is left unfinished does not make it any less beautiful or important. I am very happy to add this to my Plath collection.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
sylvia plath
5.0 out of 5 stars worth buying
Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2019
Verified Purchase
different from anything else plath has written...heads-up, though, that it’s a VERY short book/story, so keep that in mind before spending the money. overall, i’m glad i bought it; it’s very well-written and you can read it in one sitting.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars It could be 9th circle of hell?
Reviewed in the United States on February 5, 2019
The story starts with Mary Ventura, ready to board the train, and her parents assuring her everything is going to be alright once she gets to the end of this trip, once she gets to The Ninth Kingdom. At first, she isn't sure that she's ready to take this trip in the first place but her mother tells her that everyone has to leave sometimes, be it sooner or later, so she agreed to her words and boarded the train.
When she settled safely in her seat, she got to meet a lovely woman who will become her companion and eventually someone of great importance.
As the train goes from station to station, we learn that this is the trip a woman takes very often and knows something Mary doesn't; what is The Ninth Kingdom. At some point, when Mary asked her, she said: "You will be happier if you do not know. It is really not bad, once you get there. The trip is long down the tunnel, and the climate changes gradually. The hurt is not intense when one is hardened to the cold. Look out the window. Ice has begun to form on the subway walls, and no one has even noticed or complained." Mary seemed horrified by this tale and regrets that she took the trip she didn't know anything about and exclaim she won't go there. A woman then tells her: "There are no return trips on this line. Once you get to The Ninth Kingdom, there is no going back. It is the kingdom of negation, of the frozen will. It has many names."

The story itself is very confusing and dark, and Plath didn't offer any certainty either for her characters or readers.

This was my first read of the story which I finished within 20 minutes because there are only 64 pages and I didn't spend the time to over analyze it. I do have one thought of what The Ninth Kingdom could be. My thought is that it could possibly be the 9th circle of hell. We know that in Dante's Inferno there are 9 circles of hell. The last Ninth Circle of Hell is divided into 4 Rounds according to the seriousness of the sin. Though all residents are frozen in an icy lake. Those who committed more severe sin are deeper within the ice (just like a woman on the train described the Ninth Kingdom "The hurt is not intense when one is hardened to the cold. Look out the window. Ice has begun to form on the subway walls, and no one has even noticed or complained. It is the kingdom of negation, of the frozen will."). Then she also said The Ninth Kingdom has many names as we know the 9th circle of hell is divided into 4 rounds, according to the seriousness of the sin. Each of the 4 Rounds is named after an individual who personifies the sin so yeah, there's that.

At the end of the story, Mary managed to escape with help of a woman before she reached the Ninth Kingdom. She asks a woman to come with her but she replies that she can't, she needs to break herself but to be certain they will meet again. And I think they did meet even though Mary thought it will be impossible. Once she reached what was described as awakening from a sleep of death, she saw a woman selling flowers on the street corner. When she approached her she lifted her head and met Mary's eyes with a blue gaze of triumphant love and said she was waiting for her. At the beginning of the book, a woman from the train had blue eyes.

Anyway, the story had an interesting concept and I'm sure if this is written at the time Plath was an experienced writer, it would definitely become as great as her "The Bell Jar" novel. I really needed better character and story development which couldn't be expected from someone who is at the very beginning of a writing career I guess.
5 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
McKenzie Wallace
5.0 out of 5 stars Writing from Beyond the Grave
Reviewed in the United States on February 17, 2019
Verified Purchase
While this may be only 42 pages long, this short story didn't disappoint. Sylvia Plath's publications remind us of her talent as a writer and her abilities to use symbolism and allegorical approaches to reflect on controlling and overbearing societies that can be seen in today's world. I would recommend this to everyone to read.
4 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
arthur v neis
3.0 out of 5 stars beautiful prose, but...
Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2019
Verified Purchase
Really oversold starting with the WSJ feature. A nice story and in the context of a young girl, seeking meaning in life and never knowing the end, seeking freedom and running, running from inevitable death (foreshadowing), it was interesting. But of limited drama and arch.
2 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Kayla
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2023
Verified Purchase
Very satisfied. Book was in perfect condition!
Customer image
Kayla
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2023
Very satisfied. Book was in perfect condition!
Images in this review
Customer image
Customer image
Helpful
 Report
Cynthia M. Salemi
5.0 out of 5 stars Love the fact she wrote it so long ago..
Reviewed in the United States on July 11, 2019
Verified Purchase
This is an excellent example of “LIVE YOUR LIFE!” Very well written!
Helpful
 Report
D. J. Miller
5.0 out of 5 stars Overlooked Sylvia Plath ms
Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2019
Verified Purchase
Plath's dark side shines through in this short story from her college days. The story is evocative and contains some lovely writing, but it's also predictable and typical of college-level angst ca. 1952.
2 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
holita he comprado algo
5.0 out of 5 stars Muy bueno
Reviewed in Spain on August 8, 2023
Verified Purchase
Muy bueno el libro y muy pequeño.
Report
Didi
3.0 out of 5 stars pocket boekje
Reviewed in Belgium on May 25, 2023
Verified Purchase
Het is een leuk, maar kortverhaal. Boek is in klein pocket formaat.
Report
elis
5.0 out of 5 stars Super
Reviewed in Germany on December 1, 2020
Verified Purchase
Für alle Sylvia Plath Fans, die auch gerne im original lesen:-)
Report
Ayush Bhardwaj
4.0 out of 5 stars Gist of the story
Reviewed in India on September 26, 2019
Verified Purchase
A mysterious journey that includes a partial friendship with an enigmatic lady and ends with the experience of liberating triumph of self-effort.
Report
MK
5.0 out of 5 stars I'm a Plath superfan so I may be biased...
Reviewed in France on July 25, 2019
Verified Purchase
But I loved this little story and the way Faber designed the cover and put it together.
One person found this helpful
 Report