Reviews tagging 'Gun violence'

Play It as It Lays by Joan Didion

1 review

cjc's review against another edition

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

5.0

Play It As It Lays is such an interesting, introspective novel; it’s a challenging read not due to the sophistication of the prose, but a result of the topics covered. The main character, Maria, is simply empty: faced with hardship after hardship she finds herself devoid of feeling. In a sense, this book is reminiscent of Camus’ The Stranger but it’s almost incorrect to compare the two as they differ so distinctly. Didion’s writing style is terse and sometimes confusing but it ultimately leads to profound ideas being mused upon by the reader. The sudden and persistent switch  from first person to a third person narrator closely intertwined and entangled in Maria’s thoughts is confusing at first. In an interview, Didion cited her lack of skill for this shift, however; as it shifts the reader’s perception of the novel so profoundly, it’s hard to accept it as mere fate not impacted by any literary decision. The alteration in point of view allows the reader to not emphasize with Maria per se, but rather sympathize with her. Just as one would observe a friend, the reader observes Maria as an outside party. It would be nonsense if I claimed to understand the novel in its entirety, if there is even meaning to be found, so I look forward to reading Didion’s work in the future.
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