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thestoriesjar's review against another edition
inspiring
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Im Klappentext steht, der Inhalt des Buches ist, dass Ida dem Selbstmord ihres Bruders Rufus nachgeht. Dies wird aber nur in einem Bruchteil des Buches thematisiert. Nichtsdestotrotz hat mich das Buch sehr überzeugt. Es werden wichtige Themen wie Rassismus und Sexualität thematisiert (die auch heute noch aktuell und relevant sind) und aus verschiedenen Perspektiven dargestellt. Desweiteren bin ich wie auch schon bei „Giovannis Zimmer“ hin und weg von James Baldwins Art zu schreiben und Geschichten zu übermitteln. Das einzige was ich kritisieren könnte (und das ist meckern auf hohem Niveau) ist, dass die Kosenamen (Baby, Sweetie, etc.) mich genervt haben und die Kapitel ziemlich lang waren. Aber das sind einfach nur persönliche Preferenzen
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Violence, Racism, and Suicide
Moderate: Homophobia
bg_oseman_fan's review against another edition
challenging
dark
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
4.0
This book was a well written but challenging read. At times it was hard to parse the emotions of the characters, which seems so volatile. Modern readers might struggle to understand the way Baldwin writes about love and sexuality if the context of the period he is writing in is not taken into account. the human heart and mind are strange and complex creatures, and Baldwin’s writing makes clear how muddled and confusing that make our world.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide
Moderate: Addiction, Racism, Sexism, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Cursing, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Alcoholism, Death, and Misogyny
myclutteredbookshelf's review against another edition
4.0
Mr. Baldwin is quickly becoming one of my favourite authors.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Homophobia, Suicide, Racial slurs, and Infidelity
hetzjani's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide and Violence
martinj's review against another edition
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Racism
Moderate: Sexism, Forced institutionalization, and Suicide
suchsweetsorrow89's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
4.0
Took me an entire fall to read this (not intentionally, just got really busy with school and life and lost myself a bit within all of that). James Baldwin's writing is truly a blueprint— one that many nowadays try to recreate, but no one can quite capture. The authenticity, the raw naturalness of it all, and the use of songs and lyrics to enhance an experience. Another Country's beauty lies in the pure excess that makes up a lot of the book. The characters navigating new lives and settings. The exploration of bisexuality and the world. the violence that comes in heterosexual or interracial relationships. It's a beautiful book that left me thinking about so much. there are some lines that I think will never not stick with me having read them. Above all, Baldwin's talent lies in capturing the feelings of what it means to live, and what it means to feel like you haven't quite lived enough.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Suicide, Racism, Domestic abuse, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Alcoholism and Alcohol
piperclover's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
I have no idea how to rate this because I read it for class, not pleasure. I never would've picked it up for pleasure but there's a lot worth analyzing for essays
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Racism, Racial slurs, Sexism, Suicide, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Infidelity, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Suicidal thoughts
anniemlx's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Took a long time for me to get properly into, but once I did oh lawd. Had to take a moment after I finished it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual violence
Minor: Suicide
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Mental illness, Racism, Alcohol, Cursing, Death, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
signeskov's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
‘“Pray? Who, pray? I bet you, if I ever get anywhere near that white devil you call God, I’ll tear my son and my father out of his white hide! Don’t you ever say the word Pray to me again, woman, not if you want to live.”’
This novel is not for the easy-hearted, its main themes being racism and human estrangement. Sex, misogyny, toxic masculinity, and violence is the interwoven fabric of the story, and the characters are one big, unlikeable mass of suffering. Often, these elements of the book disgusted me or provoked some pretty heavy reactions in me. Despite Baldwin’s identity as a black gay man, one must announce that the book is still a product of its time - though this of course also adds to the historical depiction of racism and patriarchy, which definitely interested me. Finally, this is a novel that doesn’t say a whole lot as you’re sitting with it, but only truly revealed itself to me as I finished it and had left it to brew for some days.
What brings this novel up from a pretty standard 4 rating to a 4.25 is Baldwin’s writing. It is simply put immaculate, constantly blending love and hate into shattering contrasts of existential crisis, human loneliness, and, of course, racism. It is forceful, violent, and at once beautiful - and is sure to stay with its reader for a while as a literary shot of refreshment to the brain.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Suicide, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Drug use, Homophobia, and Alcohol