Scan barcode
man_duh's review
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
My long overdue introduction to Joan Didion didn't disappoint. From the first page, I felt swept up by the intricate sentences she weaves, carried off into the fictional country she had created. It was gems like "student of delusion" and "make conversation by day and avoid it in the dark" that kept me entranced with the slow pace of the first part of the book, but once let into the mysterious backstory of Charlotte I was absorbed. Brilliantly written to feel like you knew just enough about the characters as Grace, the narrator, did and ending with the perfect closing line to encapsulate that feeling.
Didion's style and repetition of phrases play out like the inner working of the mind, holding onto what the narrator wants to hold onto and contemplating the rest.
A great introduction the author's work.
Didion's style and repetition of phrases play out like the inner working of the mind, holding onto what the narrator wants to hold onto and contemplating the rest.
A great introduction the author's work.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Cancer, and Gun violence
Minor: Antisemitism and Homophobia
ccreadz's review
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I feel like this book didn't age very well. There's nothing wrong with enjoying older stories that are obviously set in the past but this story ages like milk instead of wine really
I find it hard to enjoy stories that have a mainly POC setting yet choose to have priviledged white people as the main characters I honestly would be more interested in reading the perspective of the boca grande locals and how their lives were affected by colonization and war
I find it hard to enjoy stories that have a mainly POC setting yet choose to have priviledged white people as the main characters I honestly would be more interested in reading the perspective of the boca grande locals and how their lives were affected by colonization and war
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Misogyny, Child death, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Colonisation, Cancer, Chronic illness, Racism, and Terminal illness
zenoutta10's review
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Oof. Ouch. Ow. Owie! Another incredible Joan Didion piece that left me teary-eyed and heartbroken.
It never ceases to amaze me how well written both her fiction and non-fiction is. Her words flow with a special rhythm that has the ability to hypnotize you then BAM she hits you with a perfectly-crafted sentence that causes you to set down the book and take a giant, deep breath.
While I didn’t find this to be as tight as Play It As It Lays, it was still an outstanding and engaging novel I feel I could recommend to anyone! A bit slow to start, but once you get through about the first 30ish pages — strap in! (In particular, Parts Two & Three were absolutely *chefs kiss*… and I cried quite a bit.)
And the characters! While the story is told to us through Grace, the true centerpiece of this story is Charlotte Douglas and boy did I want to just rip her out of the pages to give her a big hug. And on the opposite side of the spectrum, the absolute scum that is Warren Bogart — completely hatable and a perfect villain in the story.
Joan, you absolute, freaking genius!
It never ceases to amaze me how well written both her fiction and non-fiction is. Her words flow with a special rhythm that has the ability to hypnotize you then BAM she hits you with a perfectly-crafted sentence that causes you to set down the book and take a giant, deep breath.
While I didn’t find this to be as tight as Play It As It Lays, it was still an outstanding and engaging novel I feel I could recommend to anyone! A bit slow to start, but once you get through about the first 30ish pages — strap in! (In particular, Parts Two & Three were absolutely *chefs kiss*… and I cried quite a bit.)
And the characters! While the story is told to us through Grace, the true centerpiece of this story is Charlotte Douglas and boy did I want to just rip her out of the pages to give her a big hug. And on the opposite side of the spectrum, the absolute scum that is Warren Bogart — completely hatable and a perfect villain in the story.
Joan, you absolute, freaking genius!
Content Warnings
Minor: Child death
More...