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greta_macionyte's review against another edition
3.0
A short time ago, I read Didion’s “The Year of Magical Thinking,” and it is hard not to compare the two books because of the known circumstances. From the description, I expected “Blue Nights” to be an examination of “thoughts, fears, and doubts regarding having children, illness, and growing old.” In my opinion, it lacks any substantial meditation on any of these topics. Instead, it presents us with small bits and pieces from a trip down a memory lane. It started strong. Very strong. Some parts give some food for thought, but, again, compared to “The Year of Magical Thinking,” it is repetitive and somewhat inconsistent. I wished she leaned in examined some of those topics in her signature style. I love Didion’s writing style, and I look forward to reading more of her work.
andotherworlds's review against another edition
5.0
5 // currently weeping rtc hopefully
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Check out my blog pour les details regarding how I felt besides the weeping (kind of):
https://andotherworlds.medium.com/may-2022-reading-wrap-up-2c70c00bdc68
—————————
Check out my blog pour les details regarding how I felt besides the weeping (kind of):
https://andotherworlds.medium.com/may-2022-reading-wrap-up-2c70c00bdc68
carlomartinez__'s review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death and Death
samiyaosman96's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
3.5
bittersweet_symphony's review against another edition
2.0
Chalk it up to a generational gap, but I struggled to connect with Didion. Or was it due to a cultural divide?
I almost willed myself into connecting to Didion's inner life, but found Blue Nights shockingly tedious for such a short read. She swam in culturally elite circles, among important literary and media figures, which added to the distance I felt from her as a writer. She seemed to drop names of presumably weighty people I was supposed to know, but cared little for, leaving me to doubt whether they added much emotional significance to her writing.
In what ways do these people matter to her?!?
For being a memior about the death of her daughter, Blue Nights felt oddly nihilistic. Didion's own admitted inability to create new stories or explanations for these events wins out in a way that won't reward many readers. I'm sure I'm not the only one placating the author for ways that others might make sense of a child's death or other acutely painful parts of parenthood.
I almost willed myself into connecting to Didion's inner life, but found Blue Nights shockingly tedious for such a short read. She swam in culturally elite circles, among important literary and media figures, which added to the distance I felt from her as a writer. She seemed to drop names of presumably weighty people I was supposed to know, but cared little for, leaving me to doubt whether they added much emotional significance to her writing.
In what ways do these people matter to her?!?
For being a memior about the death of her daughter, Blue Nights felt oddly nihilistic. Didion's own admitted inability to create new stories or explanations for these events wins out in a way that won't reward many readers. I'm sure I'm not the only one placating the author for ways that others might make sense of a child's death or other acutely painful parts of parenthood.
chiaralovespink's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
5.0
emegallego's review against another edition
3.0
More than a book about the loss of a child, it is about aging (which ultimately leads to illness and loss). I always enjoy Didion's writing style, but overall, this book felt less cohesive than "The year of magical thinking". Maybe it was the intention, to make the reader feel as lost as Didion felt during those terrible times, to give you a glimpse into how the mind of a person under such sadness works.