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poppysmic's review against another edition
dark
reflective
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? It's complicated
3.5
egreilly's review against another edition
4.0
the bell jar for people who use substack instead of tumblr
abuchan's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed this one! Really important subject matter that is unfortunately still relevant today. I kind of hate the Hollywood setting which kind of turned me off of most of the other stuff in the novel but i thought that Maria’s journey made the book worth the read!
rosiegruen's review against another edition
5.0
utterly brutal. maria is a pitiful character but she perfectly embodies how nihilism can still compel someone to keep moving forward, for better or for worse. maybe she’s noble for that alone. i’m left with a pit in my stomach.
wordcommando's review against another edition
5.0
A micro-chapter masterpiece. The nihilistic hollowness of superficial showbiz success so exquisitely rendered. Captures so much about this shitty town called Hollywood as well as the American West. One of my favorite novellas of all time. This and Robert Stones Children of Light are the two best novels written about filmmaking and the futility of trying to sustain the soul in a collaborative medium that has so many flawed team members.
melissamaerz's review against another edition
4.0
Joan Didion is cold in a way that few women writers are cold. And I like that.
nataliema's review against another edition
4.0
Absolutely incredible. Makes me want to obsessively read Didion, which I think is the marker of a great piece of literature...
sincerelykiwi's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
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
3.5