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rhiannon_ling_'s review
challenging
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
losethegirl's review
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
heed the other reviews' warnings about the writing style
jormungad's review
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
choosing the “it’s complicated” option for the last question “are the flaws of the main character(s) a main focus of the book?” every time i cannot decide if the society and patriarchy in particular can be considered characters of a story.
chrism1's review
1.0
Sontag had an interesting idea, but the dialogue is just atrocious. The dialogue feels as if it were taken from a college essay. Painful to read, and for some bizarre reason, I stuck it out to the end. I was not rewarded by Sontag's writing for doing so.
arsenic_'s review
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism
Moderate: Fatphobia
eleanorp912's review
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-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
jordantaylor's review
3.0
A very dark, whimsical play fashioned after Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland." There are references to symmetrical story-lines scattered through-out the play, at times subtle and at times obvious (for example, a Mad Tea Party).
The Alice of this book, Alice James, was an actual person related to Henry James. Sontag references Giselle and Wagner by putting their characters into her play. She also has Emily Dickinson attend Alice's tea party. The author references Virginia Woolf's "A Room of One's Own" in the after-note, which apparently greatly influenced her work.
I really wanted to like it, but I simply couldn't become interested. This play is imaginative, and the writing does resemble "Alice in Wonderland," as obviously was the point of the entire play. However, I personally did not enjoy this one.
The Alice of this book, Alice James, was an actual person related to Henry James. Sontag references Giselle and Wagner by putting their characters into her play. She also has Emily Dickinson attend Alice's tea party. The author references Virginia Woolf's "A Room of One's Own" in the after-note, which apparently greatly influenced her work.
I really wanted to like it, but I simply couldn't become interested. This play is imaginative, and the writing does resemble "Alice in Wonderland," as obviously was the point of the entire play. However, I personally did not enjoy this one.
kelexi's review
5.0
I like a short book. I like a meaningful story. And I particularly liked this analysis of the anguish of a very privileged lady, maybe because I am fighting not to be her. And I love a trippy history spinoff, so thank you Ms Didion.
skylergrace's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0