Words. Sentences. Paragraphs. White Space - these are things that Didion is really interested in. The subject her daughter's death is reflected in a number of stylized meditations from her own mortality to Sophia Loren. Only Didion can write like this. She's a much different character now than her stand in Maria in Play It As It Lays, less icy and more caring. That's sweet. This is a quick read.
Based off of Slouching Towards Bethlehem and Play It As it Lays, Blue Nights is a natural progression as the author has aged gracefully.

But she lacks the vision she had in 68. One anecdote - she had to work out as part of her physical therapy and noticed all these really fit guys and figured that working out must lead to real results. Then three weeks into it she found at those guys were the NY Yankees loosening up between games.