Reviews tagging 'Police brutality'

If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin

61 reviews

pollyflorence's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Police brutality, Misogyny, Rape, Religious bigotry, Violence, Suicide, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Racism

antonique_reads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Emotional abuse, Police brutality, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Rape

odpeppiatt's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

"The poor are always crossing the Sahara. And the lawyers and bondsmen and all that crowd circle around the poor, exactly like vultures. Of course, they're not any richer than the poor, really, that's why they've turned into vultures, scavengers, indecent garbage men." (15)

"...he looks at the others, he listens: what have they done? Not much. To do much is to have the power to place these people where they are, and keep them where they are. These captive men are the hidden price for a hidden lie: the righteous must be able to locate the damned." (274)

This story brings such a vulnerable, universal, human quality to one of the coldest, most insensitive elements of American culture that it strikes a nerve unreached by other authors. I loved his precise blending of romance and commentary on race, police brutality, family dynamics and gender roles.

4 stars bc I really wanted more Baldwin prose mixed in with all the plot.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Hate crime, and Police brutality

Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault

sarasreading's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.25

This was very good, so beautifully written, and also very heavy. The ending felt really abrupt to me. That and the explicit sexual content were the only things I personally didn't care for. But this is a classic for a reason, and the writing is so powerful.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Racism

Moderate: Police brutality, Suicide, and Rape

moonyreadsbystarlight's review against another edition

emotional reflective

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

4.75

An incredible book! He weaves back and forth through time as he tells this story. It is so beautifully written and has so much excellent social commentary. 

I will say, definitely take the SA content warning seriously. If you want specifics, it is a bit spoiler-ey:

The thing that stood out to me was the fact that the survivor was confronted and not in a delicate way. There was no victim-blaming or saying that she was lying about it happening, however she is confronted becuase she chose the wrong person in the line-up (assumably) after being manipulated. While they do take some care in how she is confronted, it still is not great. While I do think there is a reason the author chose to have the story play out like that, it seemed like something that could be potentially quite triggering.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Suicide

Moderate: Police brutality and Sexual assault

Minor: Miscarriage

shaziareads's review

emotional reflective fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

Minor: Police brutality, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, and Rape

kingcrookback's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racism, Religious bigotry, Domestic abuse, Alcohol, Confinement, Cursing, Racial slurs, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Rape, Police brutality, and Death of parent

Minor: Miscarriage

jaiari12's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Classism, Sexual assault, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Racial slurs, Pregnancy, Police brutality, and Racism

Moderate: Death and Suicide

book_perk's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

 I initially gave this book a 4.5 stars but could not stop thinking about it and, after sitting with my thoughts, can’t find a single thing to complain about. This is my first James Baldwin book and I can’t wait to read more! The writing is phenomenal and incredibly thought provoking. The ambiguous ending fits the story perfectly and really makes the reader reflect. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Racism, and Police brutality

leabhar_love's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Confinement, Police brutality, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Suicide, Pregnancy, Sexual content, and Rape