Play It as It Lays
Books

Play It as It Lays

by Joan Didion

1970•Drama•214 pages

Taste attributes: dramapsychologicalslowfresh & originalunsavouryheavyrealisticglossyemotive & stirringself destruction/implosiontroubled leadssocial commentary

See which match your taste

Boxlist takeAn original novel that is weighty, unsavoury and emotional. Best if you like surprises over comfort.

Taste details

Open Library rating

3.7 / 5

13 ratings

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About This Book

Set in a place beyond good and evil---literally in Hollywood, Las Vegas, and the barren wastes of the Mojave Desert, but figuratively in the landscape of an arid soul---it remains more than three decades after its original publication a profoundly disturbing novel, riveting in its exploration of a woman and a society in crisis and stunning in the still-startling intensity of its prose.

Description: Open Library

Characteristics

Where this book sits on each taste spectrum

SlowPACEFast
FamiliarORIGINALITYOriginal
DarkTONEWholesome
LightWEIGHTINESSHeavy
FantasyREALISMRealistic
SimpleINTRICACYIntricate
Non-LinearLINEARITYLinear
UnderstatedSTYLEStylised
IntimateSCALEEpic
RestrainedEMOTIONIntense

Genres and themes

DramaPsychologicalSelf destruction/implosionTroubled leadsSocial commentary

Subjects

ClassicsLiterary FictionContemporaryFeminismNovelsMotion picture industryWomenCalifornia

Details

Author
Joan Didion
Published
1970
Pages
214
Taste scores
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How book matches work

Books are scored on the same ten characteristics as films and matched with the same formula and your own match bands. Book scores are estimates, made from Open Library subjects and descriptions plus an AI reading.

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