Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Otro país by James Baldwin

14 reviews

dizzzybrook's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Physical abuse, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Violence

mayze's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Cursing, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Biphobia, Classism, Death, Drug use, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexism, Suicide, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Hate crime, Sexual content, Grief, Homophobia, Racism, Rape, Alcohol, Forced institutionalization, and Physical abuse

Another amazing book by James Baldwin. Another Country tells the story of a social circle of NYC bohemians in the 1950s. Rufus a black jazz musician, Vivaldo an Irish-Italian write, Cass a wealthy liberal housewife, Ida a singer and Rufus' younger sister and Eric, an actor who just returned from some time off in France. While reading this book it's easy to understand why it's held in such high regard. The gripping writing and its clever way to interweaving different themes (racism, sexism, homosexuality/bissexuality) was decades ahead of its time and still does it better than the average book who tries to connect themes today. The characters were well written, they all have clear faults (some of them heinous) and even though none of them were overall likeable, I didn't find them particularly unlikeable either. They just felt like three-dimensional characters were the complexity and themes of the plot make some of their actions understandable from their POV. As usual, Baldwin's descriptions of NYC are very effective, you can easily picture Seventh Avenue, the dive bars the characters are fond of, coast towns in Southern France, and even how chaotic and smelly the characters' living quarters are. I highly recommend this, it's very uncomfortable at times but I feel that readers can learn a lot from it and easily put themselves in the characters' shoes even if they don't necessarily agree with their actions.

lazlio's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Racism, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Suicide attempt, Rape, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Violence, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Sexism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Mental illness, Infidelity, Grief, and Death

williamgideon's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

"Strangers' faces hold no secrets because the imagination does not invest them with any. But the face of a lover is an unknown precisely because it is invested with so much of oneself. It is a mystery, containing, like all mysteries, the possibility of torment."

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, Suicide, Infidelity, Drug use, Racism, Racial slurs, Homophobia, Domestic abuse, Violence, and Sexual assault

ismaymacklin's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

it took me so long to read this but i really did love it. there were times when i was like omg this is so long, but i’m so glad i read it. it’s not as digestible and attention grabbing as giovanni’s room, but it is so so so good. <i love how the first “book” is like a prequel to the other books?? like idk if you get it you get it>

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, Pedophilia, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Suicide, Adult/minor relationship, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, and Racism

slayalicious's review against another edition

challenging dark informative reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

The book is meant for a certain type of person who loves literature and can withstand the boring parts and long chapters.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Toxic friendship, Drug use, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Violence, Death, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Gaslighting, Sexual content, and Grief

amkclaes's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

this is maybe the best book ever written, it is so beautiful and gut wrenching and tender and horrifying, and each character feels so completely real, as if baldwin could know others better than they know themselves, each small tic and feeling going completely within the character's universe, it was just haunting, in the best way

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Mental illness, Racism, Alcohol, Cursing, Death, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

camimonae's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

JB knows how to write a tortured love story and sensual, yet not explicit sex/intimate scenes. 
I couldn't find much to love about this story except for the way JB delves into the realism of life experiences. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Cursing, Drug use, Infidelity, and Physical abuse

alisonbrookins's review against another edition

dark sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Violence, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, and Racism

k_a_lund's review against another edition

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Racism, and Racial slurs