Reviews with content warning for Police brutality - If Beale Street Could Talk

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If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin

61 reviews

owenwilsonbaby's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

"He laughed. "Baby. Baby. Baby. I love you. And I'm going to build us a table and a whole lot of folks going to be eating off it for a long, long time to come.""

My favourite thing about the line I've quoted above is that I've often seen it shared on social media and I've always been intrigued by it, but having just read it in its original context, it suddenly seems so much richer. This sentiment is true of the novel overall. Having only encountered Baldwin's writing in circulated snippets online and Raoul Peck's absorbing documentary I Am Not Your Negro, I was interested but ultimately uncommitted, ignorant of how truly talented and totally absorbing his narrative voice is. As I read this novel, I felt like my entire understanding of his work expanded. This development felt particularly special because I love Barry Jenkins' adaptation of this book so much and yet it now seems like a small fragment of this book's breathtaking story.

This book is so wonderful and so sad. Baldwin is fantastic with character voice. Tish is such a compelling character and her way of understanding and assessing her world was so sharp, at times both beautiful and funny. My copy was dog-eared by the end from the quotes I wanted to remember and include here. The scene near the beginning where Tish and Fonny have their first date in church and realise that "Now, we knew nobody loved us: or, now, we knew who did. Whoever loved us was not here." The way Baldwin writes about love and sex, which makes it sacred and redemptive. The insight into womanhood, gender, violation and agency was incredible. The scene where Joseph and Frank talk about raising kids despite experiencing poverty. The scene where Daniel discloses the things he endured in prison. The searing indictment of America, whiteness, capitalism and the penal system. All of it. I read this in two sittings. I want to re-read it immediately.

Content Warnings

piperclover's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective tense slow-paced

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

Read for school so I have no idea what to rate it

Content Warnings

sofipitch's review against another edition

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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? No

5.0

Every book by Baldwin absolutely knocks it out of the park and this one is no exception. But I think compared to some of his other books which are bleaker, while this book deals with heavy topics and unfair circumstances, there is such a strong love between Tish and Fonny as well as their families that shows how much love and support from others can do in the face of oppression. Comparing this love to heartless people is seen over and over again, from the difference between Tish and Fonny's family at the pregnancy announcement and even just Victoria versus Jaime's choice to help or not help Sharon in Puerto Rico. This book is just phenomenal

Content Warnings