A review by taintedfunk
Play It as It Lays by Joan Didion

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book has my favorite depiction of depression it truly slapped my inner loathing at my face, Maria’s descended into nothingness reels me into her life and all of her shortcomings invokes an understanding into her reasoning, that it is meaningless. There are a lot of reading in between the lines with this book, Maria’s avoidance of grief creates for an unpredictable narrative. We are led into an upsetting perspective of her abusive relationships, Maria is constantly being dehumanized and the exploitative world of show business ceases to help her condition. Although I had to give myself few breaks while reading, I love this authors writing style!