A review by jedore
The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion

inspiring reflective slow-paced

3.0

"Grief has no distance. Grief comes in waves, paroxysms, sudden apprehensions that weaken the knees and blind the eyes and obliterate the dailiness of life."

This is a raw, deeply introspective memoir about grief. Written after her husband’s sudden death and her daughter’s grave illness (who died after the book was published), it chronicles her attempt to process unimaginable loss while confronting the fragility of life.

Joan Didion is celebrated for her literary analysis of societal and personal crises. Before her fame as a memoirist and novelist, she worked as an editor at Vogue and was part of the "New Journalism" movement, blending literary techniques with traditional reporting, which cemented her reputation as one of America’s most important literary figures.  

To me, the title of this book was a bit misleading. I anticipated a narrative about how Didion used “magical thinking” to pull herself through grief—a kind of personal empowerment story. Instead, I found the book to be a harrowing descent into her sorrow. I later learned that her “magical thinking” was actually her desperate belief that she could somehow control or reverse these events.

Didion’s typical New York literary style often alienated me. The text is sprinkled with niche cultural references and name-drops that even well-read people might struggle to grasp. These, combined with too much focus on the minutiae of her daily life, pulled me away from her grief and left me feeling a bit annoyed. 

I had hoped this book would offer insights into grief that would resonate even with those who hadn’t experienced the loss of a loved one—perhaps those grieving other life changes or struggles. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the case for me. The book felt too specific and too personal to Didion’s experience to offer me much comfort or perspective.  

Although this book is a poignant exploration of loss, it’s not for everyone. It's not going to uplift you or deliver much accessible wisdom on grieving. I think it might resonate more with intellectuals who have lost someone close to them and who appreciate a more cerebral exploration of grief.  
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