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thecatsgrave's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- 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
5.0
everybody get gay right now!!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, and Suicide
ladydewinter's review against another edition
5.0
That book. What a book.
It’s been a while since I’ve been this blown away by a book. I just finished reading it and I’m stunned. It contains so much wisdom and insight!
If I were still a bookseller and someone asked me to recommend a book about love in all its aspects, in all its beauty and terror, I’d give them this book.
(It’s about more than love, though, but the way these characters love and think about love, it did something to me.)
I loved this. Truly one of the best books I’ve read.
It’s been a while since I’ve been this blown away by a book. I just finished reading it and I’m stunned. It contains so much wisdom and insight!
If I were still a bookseller and someone asked me to recommend a book about love in all its aspects, in all its beauty and terror, I’d give them this book.
(It’s about more than love, though, but the way these characters love and think about love, it did something to me.)
I loved this. Truly one of the best books I’ve read.
kristenpoel's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
ahenrard's review against another edition
5.0
This is an incredible piece. Dark and not for the faint hearted but a beautiful exploration of love and hate.
torivendell's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
1_and_owenly's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- 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
James Baldwin's descriptions are poetry. His characters are full and rich and fully flawed humans. This book feels like a snapshot, a slice of late 50s/ early 60s NYC and Paris. And yet, some things are the same. Depressingly the same. And so, this book remains relevant.
markludmon's review against another edition
4.0
An intense and intimate look at the lives of a group of artistic types in Manhattan in the early 1960s. It explores race and racial identity through Black siblings, musician Rufus and singer Ida, and their relationships with white lovers and friends including Italian American would-be novelist Vivaldo, gay white American actor Eric, and Cass, a white woman in a long-time marriage to novelist Richard. The book portrays a world of social isolation, in a harsh urban landscape, where connection is a challenge except in rare instances of love. It is densely, beautifully written, filled with ideas and discussions around race, sexuality, identity and relationships.
pebbles65's review against another edition
4.0
powerful, passionate, raw, delicious, superbly crafted
mcluley's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Enjoyable book, but I kind of lost interest after the first part of the book. It has definitely made me want to read more of Baldwin’s work though!
nomadjg's review against another edition
5.0
Love is political and spiritual and politics have perhaps never been more beautiful than with Baldwin. Sex could happen between anyone and sometimes it's about hate. You can really despise most of his characters while empathizing with them because you could so easily be them. They are so believable in their blindness.
The only person I didn't care about was Richard and he is probably the character closest to the average American white male. He and Cass showed how enabling, in a codependent way, marriage can be. The most psychologically healthy people with love that improves their lover are Yves and Eric. It is significant (as well as political) that they accept who they love and themselves as queer more than any of the people who choose to live as heterosexuals.
It was very daring to kill off the most lovable character within the first 100 pages of the book, but it worked out OK for him. The books most clear and gorgeous manifesto comes from Ida when she explains things to Cass, and in the next scene, Cass can really see what's going on, observing and going below the surface of appearances.
"What you people don't know," she said, "is that life is a bitch, baby. It's the biggest hype going."
I felt the strangeness of America from the perspective of Eric and Yves - a feeling I am acquainted with. I'm dealing with it now because I am living in the USA again after 9 years. Being away, however, was never exile to me.
The line that sticks with me:
"Vivaldo, you haven't got to talk about what's happening to know what's happening."
Finally, I love the call and response between jazz and blues records and characters' thoughts and dialogue.
The only person I didn't care about was Richard and he is probably the character closest to the average American white male. He and Cass showed how enabling, in a codependent way, marriage can be. The most psychologically healthy people with love that improves their lover are Yves and Eric. It is significant (as well as political) that they accept who they love and themselves as queer more than any of the people who choose to live as heterosexuals.
It was very daring to kill off the most lovable character within the first 100 pages of the book, but it worked out OK for him. The books most clear and gorgeous manifesto comes from Ida when she explains things to Cass, and in the next scene, Cass can really see what's going on, observing and going below the surface of appearances.
"What you people don't know," she said, "is that life is a bitch, baby. It's the biggest hype going."
I felt the strangeness of America from the perspective of Eric and Yves - a feeling I am acquainted with. I'm dealing with it now because I am living in the USA again after 9 years. Being away, however, was never exile to me.
The line that sticks with me:
"Vivaldo, you haven't got to talk about what's happening to know what's happening."
Finally, I love the call and response between jazz and blues records and characters' thoughts and dialogue.