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5.2k reviews for:

Play It as It Lays

Joan Didion

3.9 AVERAGE


Oh I got this one. I get it. Totally get it. She really did something from the top to the bottom of this one.
dark emotional sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Didn’t understand the first few pages at all , kept reading and then started getting really into it. Sometimes diffuse, still very enjoyable.
dark medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
dark sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Tough read but I believe that was the point

It made me feel disgusting.
dark emotional reflective fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: N/A
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

really got at the banal and mundane feel of depression. also her prose style feels incredibly intuitive i love it. could not put this one down.
dark reflective

This book is bleak, nihilistic, depressing, but somehow calming to read. I liked the style of writing and the descriptions but in my opinion it doesn't match up to Joan Didion's nonfiction work.
dark tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes