Reviews tagging 'Suicide attempt'

Play It As It Lays by Joan Didion

11 reviews

wendyeldred's review against another edition

dark emotional

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion

Moderate: Sexual assault, Drug use, Suicide attempt, Forced institutionalization, Addiction, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, and Suicidal thoughts

emmahe's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny reflective sad medium-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

4.0

i struggled to keep track of the characters but i really liked the narrative voice and the story 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness

Moderate: Violence, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, and Suicide

egmamaril's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Abortion

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Mental illness

Minor: Pregnancy

mgaff57's review

dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt and Suicidal thoughts

madisoncarter's review against another edition

challenging dark sad fast-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

4.0

i tore through this book. the writing style and format was absolute catnip for me. after getting stuck on a few books that i wasn’t inspired to read, this one had me chucking in my bag everywhere the last week. everyone is terrible and i know i’m in the minority with how much i appreciated maria. she is an extremely battered woman and going through these moments with her was heartwrenching but in the end, worthy of the utmost respect.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Body horror, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Gore, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Toxic relationship

riona_y's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Alcoholism, Cancer, Car accident, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Domestic abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Addiction, Alcohol, Homophobia, and Suicide attempt

lmshearer's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad fast-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

4.0

In Play It As It Lays, Joan Didion gives us Maria Wyeth, who may be the cool, disaffected heroine of the 20th century. Dark and moody, yet strangely glamorous and chic, the novel keeps the reader at the same distance its protagonist seems to maintain from everyone in the book. Still, the book is worthy of the acclaim it continues to receive.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Abortion, Addiction, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Drug use, Domestic abuse, and Racial slurs

soradsauce's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Mental illness, Medical trauma, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault

maddiefight's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Abortion

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Infidelity, Grief, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, and Addiction

mlthomas234's review against another edition

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

3.0

I️ used to love this book in high school- actually one of my favorites. Was I️ just extremely depressed? Rereading it now makes me think so. It’s still lyrical and pretty in places that are really effective, but the rest of the time (particularly the first three quarters), the characters seem hollow. And it’s partially the point that they should seem and feel empty, but it’s odd on the page, and all the characters (especially the men) kind of blend together in a haze of bad-ness.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Abortion, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Alcohol, Death, and Gaslighting

Minor: Rape