Reviews tagging 'Vomit'

Play It as It Lays by Joan Didion

6 reviews

aliceintheuk4's review against another edition

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dark reflective sad 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

4.5

Really groundbreaking story of the realities of mental illness and being ‘broken’ as a person. As the character moves from one scene to another in an instant without any control, you begin to feel at least some of the confusing and terrifying effect that having a broken brain beyond your control. 

TW: homophobic and anti-Semitic language (commonly used at the time this novel was set and written). 
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emilycm's review against another edition

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

5.0

this was everything i could have wanted it to be and more. and instant new favorite in life and of didion's work. she gets the heat of california so well, and i felt that this novel elevated that intensity in the heat in the dynamics between her characters even more than in her essays. maria was a tricky character, but after a few chapters, i was hooked into who she was and what the game she was playing was. the secondary characters (of which i think california itself acts as a character in this and all of didion's work) too got me intrigued, and i thought their complexities to be chilling. i can see why this leaves people with mixed feelings, but for me, it was the right amount of ambiguity and tension that i felt committed. this is so raw in its nature, and it comes at you full force if you let it. i really loved this, and i'm still digesting all my feelings, but this...this was delicious.
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okkinu's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective tense slow-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

4.25

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harleysmiller's review against another edition

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challenging dark 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

3.0

I have no idea if I liked this book or not. I actually enjoy books with unlikeable characters because it feels real (not everyone you meet is completely likable but everyone has at least one good quality). I feel like it’s possible that I just didn’t really understand the book that well and I need to reread it again. I liked the writing and I get the gist of the book and the deeper meanings, etc. I just feel like I missed something. this book feels like a fever dream. 
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laurabarrett's review against another edition

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dark sad 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

2.75

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clem's review against another edition

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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

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