5.21k reviews for:

Play It as It Lays

Joan Didion

3.9 AVERAGE

purplevending's review against another edition

2.5

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

googooreads's review against another edition

4.25

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

kstango's review against another edition

4.0

dark reflective sad medium-paced

esnyyk's review against another edition

3.5

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

bjorkie's review against another edition

4.25

dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

lavenderhera's review against another edition

3.0

dark reflective sad 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

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sometimes i feel like maria and it’s disturbing, but the way this book ended makes me feel like in a way it’s okay to live like that just as long as i keep living.

gracenmorales's review against another edition

4.0

dark sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

hollacalla's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I am so glad that I persevered with Joan Didion. Her essays and memoirs did not resonate with me, at all. This really, really did. Her fiction might be what’s it for me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Abortion

Moderate: Addiction, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Medical trauma

Minor: Homophobia, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia

arielmanto's review against another edition

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-Dime qué importa -dijo BZ.
-Nada -dijo Maria.

elise2069's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes