Customer Reviews
Enter a damaged mind... - By: IJ, 14 May 2004 
My experience of this book is that it divides opinion; you either find it depressing/irritating, or for some inexplicable reason...uplifting rather than disturning & I'm in the latter category.
But there's no escaping the fact that this novel has an incredibly hollow centre- the exploration of Hollywood & the drug culture of the 1960's won't make many readers feel alll fuzzy inside, but there is something brutallly refreshing about the heroine Maria's experiences, as we follow her on her journey. As a central character she's very unusual, quite possibly because she's in a permamant catatonic state & as a result she wades through the monotony of her life, observing events with a detachment that makes for surprisingly absorbing reading.
The point of view is very narrow in this story, it's a flow-of-conciousness novel (i.e. quite confusing at times), which may in itself put people off & the fact that the narrator has had an emotional bypass may also discourage those considering picking up this book, but I found Maria's story convincing & interesting. *But be warned, you'll need a good supply of coca-cola to consume whilst reading.
Depressing but good (!) - By: , 05 Nov 2002 Probably one of the more depressing books I've read, this is one long tale of misery, centred around a has-been actress whose life slowly goes off the rails into a miasma of pointlessness, abortion, failed relationships & murder. But this is essentiallly where the book's power lies; in it's ability to disturb the reader & force them to reassess themselves & give thanks that their life isn't quite this bad. Didion writes the book in a spare, deadpan style that is brutallly appropriate to the subject matter.
Those of a depressive disposition would probably be better off with a Harry Potter.
