A review by nihilisk
A Book of Common Prayer by Joan Didion

2.0

I was liking this book, until I realized that I was reading the same chapter, over and over. The characters here are all despicable, truly loathsome. Warren’s toxicity is beyond the realm of belief. Charlotte has no agency whatsoever and seems complicit in all the ‘tragedies’ befalling her. In fact, they don’t feel like tragedies, because everyone in this novel feels absolutely numb and hollow. Maybe that’s the point. The most fascinating thing about this book is its title. How does it fit? Prayers are very repetitive, and perhaps this is evidence of intent, behind the relentless lack of imagination of each chapter and the characters therein. I shudder to think that people like Charlotte and Warren exist, but I’m sure they must, somewhere. Actually, I don’t shudder; I don’t even care.