Play It as It Lays: A Novel (FSG Classics)

This is the first book I have read by Joan Didion and it is, in essence, a story we have all heard before. The main character is a washed up actress named Maria Wyeth. This was published in 1970 and really has a sense of that tail-end of the Sixties. The party is over and, beneath the excitement, glitter and glitz of Hollywoood, is the real, dirty truth... Maria's husband, Carter, is still hot in Hollywood, as well as literally hot while filming in the desert. Maria, who has starred in two films, now spends her time melancholy, depressed, listless and aimless. She drives all day, drinks too much, takes drugs, is ageing and aware that she is no longer as beautiful as she once was, nor as famous or desired. Out of work, she is labelled as difficult and often relies on her long-suffering agent to help her. Her daughter has an unnamed disability and her husband holds her as a sort of threat, so she is forced, in the novel, to undertake certain actions in order to continue to see her. With the (fairly recent) Harvey Weinstein revelations, this novel realistically highlights that seedy side of Hollywood, where women are used for casual sex and are the casual victims of violence. Although the novel drifts through scenes, rather than taking the usual linear route, this works well in the sense that it links to the film industry and the way those involved are used, often abused, thrown out and can easily fall out of favour, as well as highlighting the lack of control women have in Hollywood. I thought it a brilliant book and will certainly be exploring more by Joan Didion.

Didion's beautiful, smoky, stylish thriller invites you to paddle. Before the deep, dark current pulls you under. Deceptive and intoxicating.

The first and only JD book I will read. It is not written in a style I like but others may like it. Very impressive cover though.

Bought for my daughter. She loved it.

I found this to be a very mellowing story. It manages to communicate the flatness and isolation of a person suffering with depression, without being at all self pitying or depressing in itself, which is both and insightful. A good read, I enjoyed it.

Often when one reads a book that addresses profound topics such as 'What's the point of it all?' one can end up auditioning for Pseuds Corner. This novel is undoubtedly idiosyncratic in style and content, yet steered well clear of such pretension. It is a painful, melancholic and challenging read yet one I would want to re-visit (and there aren't too many books one can say that about). Packed with imagery yet a short-ish book with over 80 chapters that allows easy digestion.

Pretty easy to read. Captures the dissatisfaction this woman has with her life in a subtle way. By the end you really understand her pain and her broken relationship despite not knowing what caused it or if anything in particular caused it. That's perhaps the point. Just the constant dissatisfaction some people feel, self destructive and numb to life. Alive but not living. I'd say it's worth a read

beautiful book incredibly riveting and and didion captures the story line beautifully