A Book of Common Prayer

Rating:
Summary: Didion's masterpiece
Review: Arguably, this is one of a handful of great modern american novels from the last quarter of the 20th century. from its remarkable opening chapter, it weaves a hypnotic spell, with didion's characteristic romanticizing of despair and existential angst. this is a novel of sentences. sentences to be savored, and read aloud. sentences without one extraneous word; as balanced as poetry, and utterly perfect from the first syllable to the last. didion remains one of the few writers who can comment on a scene by way of description. the details she focusses upon serve to illustrate her vision in a manner only a small handful of authors can manage. it is the mark of a master, and this is, without question, her masterpiece. it is didion's reportage and essays that have made her reputation, but this very challenging and utterly flawless novel is the equal to her non fiction prose. it is not a novel for the casual reader. however, for any student of delusion, and any admirer of serious literature of the highest order, a book of common prayer is an essential text.

Rating:
Summary: Didion's masterpiece
Review: Arguably, this is one of a handful of great modern american novels from the last quarter of the 20th century. from its remarkable opening chapter, it weaves a hypnotic spell, with didion's characteristic romanticizing of despair and existential angst. this is a novel of sentences. sentences to be savored, and read aloud. sentences without one extraneous word; as balanced as poetry, and utterly perfect from the first syllable to the last. didion remains one of the few writers who can comment on a scene by way of description. the details she focusses upon serve to illustrate her vision in a manner only a small handful of authors can manage. it is the mark of a master, and this is, without question, her masterpiece. it is didion's reportage and essays that have made her reputation, but this very challenging and utterly flawless novel is the equal to her non fiction prose. it is not a novel for the casual reader. however, for any student of delusion, and any admirer of serious literature of the highest order, a book of common prayer is an essential text.

Rating:
Summary: Best Didion of All Time
Review: Didion's opening line ... "I shall be her witness" says it all.

Rating:
Summary: Best Didion of All Time
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed this book. As with all of Ms. Didion's books, I take my time with them, to truly cherish her writing style. I am a huge fan of her use of characterization, as well as her use of grammer. (Besides this book, I regularly recommend Play It As It Lays and Miami, two other great books by Ms. Didion.) Everytime I think of this book, I think of how the brave narrator, in the course of the developments of the novel, regrets, with the last line in the book, the opening statement she made in the book's lead. One of the all-time best books I've ever read, you have got to give this book a read, too.

Rating:
Summary: an obscure and unclear character
Review: This book really didn't do anything for me. It is the story of a woman on a search for her child in an alien environment, where she amazes people by killing a running chicken by grabbing its neck, allowing herself to be seduced by an ex-husband, and finally putting herself in danger. While what is happening is under-stated, it adds up to a bunch of scenes that I just found confusing and not too interesting. Didion's writing style also didn't click for me, which is perhaps personal taste.

Not recommended.

Rating:
Summary: an obscure and unclear character
Review: This book really didn't do anything for me. It is the story of a woman on a search for her child in an alien environment, where she amazes people by killing a running chicken by grabbing its neck, allowing herself to be seduced by an ex-husband, and finally putting herself in danger. While what is happening is under-stated, it adds up to a bunch of scenes that I just found confusing and not too interesting. Didion's writing style also didn't click for me, which is perhaps personal taste.

Not recommended.