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Title: Not Much There, There
Review: I bought this novel since it was listed on Time Magazine's list of the Best 100 Novels written in English since 1923. I have no idea why Time Magazine selected it for that esteemed honor. It was mercifully short (easily finished in a couple of hours, if that), but otherwise provided modest rewards for those looking for high-quality literature. Proving a sketch of the morally-bankrupt Los Angeles drug and sex scene of the 1960s, primarily through the internal mental narrative of 31-year-old would-be actress Maria Wyeth, Play It As It Lays doesn't seem to plow any new ground in 20th century literature. Its description of Maria's poorly-performed illegal abortion is the most memorable scene in an otherwise forgettable pastiche of characters and settings. Being on Time's 100 List sets a burden of expectations, and this book certainly fell far short on that score.
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