Reviews with content warning for Cursing - If Beale Street Could Talk

A modern classic. This is a beautiful, short read about a young couple in love and the challenges they face with their families and the law. Due to police discrimination, Fonny is wrongfully imprisoned and the book switches between modern day: when Trish goes to visit Fonny in jail, and the past: where we see scenes from their lives before. My absolute favourite part of the book is when Ernestine gives the Hunt’s a piece of her mind. There is lots of joy and sorry in this book but the theme of injustice is strong and the families frustration with the judicial system is palpable.

Content Warnings

lemenmaybe's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix

5.0

Content Warnings

candacem's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Content Warnings

rosalind's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious reflective sad 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? No

5.0

Always nerve-racking to read one of your best friends’ favourite books. Fortunately I came to a similar conclusion! Man, reading this in the shadow of the George Floyd court case is heavy. But an important heaviness, a heaviness we need to feel and respond to, be motivated to do move against. Baldwin writes so lyrically and you feel the fresh heartbreak of every despondency whilst balancing the weary sadness of inevitability. And the space, the space to fill in the gaps, to confront your own feelings, like a Biblical ‘selah’. A classic and rightfully so.

Content Warnings

mariakureads's review

Go to review page

challenging emotional 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? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

What a book! This book was fraught with so much emotion that it felt real to the touch. I could never have anticipated the realness that was in such a book.
"If Beale Street Could Talk" is my first James Baldwin book; I was unaware of everything he captured. This could have easily been a book about today's current climate and not something that he had written back in 1974 - 1974?!?

There is so much to say about this book, but I keep thinking about the families and how the MC's criminal charge and arrest affect the involved families on the outside who are wanting to do everything in their power to set him free. These are the people who get lost in such a nature, and Baldwin depicts that anger, worry, and sadness are authentic terms ad dialogue that is hard to ignore.

The book's dialogue is upfront and very in your face in its presentation and from character to character, as some are soft-spoken and others harsh as the city that this book is about. Here is an intimate look of a love that sustains through the most strenuous of times, and to read it is incredible, and no wonder I was intimidated to read this before.

This won't be my last James Baldwin just the first.

Content Warnings

readinghavoc's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional sad tense slow-paced

Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Content Warnings

More...