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haveyseentis's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Racial slurs, Domestic abuse, Racism, and Rape
lmwanak's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I'm floored by the relationships and the tensions and the friendships and the jealousy. The moments of rage, the moments of tenderness, in some cases directed towards the same person. And although Rufus only appears in the first quarter of the book, his presence lingers after his death. and while there was times I felt the story wandered, Baldwin's writing kept me fully engaged.
This was the first James Baldwin book I've ever read, and it definitely won't be the last.
Graphic: Racism, Suicide, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Hate crime, Racial slurs, Misogyny, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, and Physical abuse
Minor: Sexual harassment
maree_k's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Misogyny, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Suicide
Mostly set in the late 1950s/early 1960s USA so a lot of racism & sexismsofipitch's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Infidelity
Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, and Racial slurs
k_a_lund's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Rape, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Racism, and Racial slurs
aliannavelezzzz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit
rins0lia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual violence, and Domestic abuse
whatisrubyreading's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Violence
writtenontheflyleaves's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Another Country by James Baldwin
🌟🌟🌟🌟✨
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I was told to read this by one of my professors in my master’s and I’m so glad I finally got round to it! CW for mention of suicide in this review.
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🌃 The plot: Rufus Scott is a Harlem jazz musician adrift in New York after his destructive tendencies irreparably harm his girlfriend and shipwreck his life. His sister and his friends attempt to get through to him, but he ultimately dies by suicide in the Hudson river. The rest of the novel charts the fallout—for his white friends whom he saw on the night of his death and whom he had relationships with in the past, and for his sister Ida who nurses a burning anger over his passing.
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This novel is an unbelievable achievement. For starters, the writing is beautiful—if you like Fitzgerald’s prose style, you’ll love Baldwin’s descriptions of New York. However, what Fitzgerald lacks in clarity around the nuance and complexities of privilege and race in America, Baldwin has in spades. This is a novel about the traps we find ourselves in, and whether we can ever really connect to each other across the gaps in our experiences—particularly when those experiences diverge so wildly when it comes to race. It contrasts the experiences of each of the characters expertly and this gives the novel a depth of humanity that is really amazing. I’m SO glad I read this and I can’t wait to read more from Baldwin.
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🌃 Read it if you like Fitzgerald (I thought the delicacy of the prose was similar) but like novels to explore in more complexity issues like race, gender, and sexuality.
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🚫 Avoid it if you’re avoiding stories about suicide, grief, sexual assault, and perhaps especially racism and violence against women. Violence is treated somewhat as part of women’s lot in this book, and it animates much of the story without leaving much of a mark on many of the main male characters. There are women in this story, but I would say this is still a novel about men - take that how you will!
Graphic: Sexual content, Death, Sexism, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Racial slurs, Racism, and Grief
namizaela's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This was a beautiful book. James Baldwin is an amazing writer and I feel like I can't appreciate him enough, like it would take multiple rereads to discover how wonderfully he crafted this novel. He handles the theme of racism without shielding the reader from the flaws of the white liberals in the book, and without painting the black characters as people who can do no wrong. Each character interacts with their race, gender, and sexuality in their own unique way.
His writing style is also really beautiful, as shown by the quote above. Baldwin makes his prose poetic and lyrical, while still communicating his messages clearly. This book is incredible, and the only reason why I didn't give it 5 stars is because of the slow, meandering pace.
Graphic: Suicide, Racism, Death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Ableism, Domestic abuse, and Physical abuse