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adrreads's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Rape
tabear's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Death of parent, Hate crime, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexism, Suicide, Racism, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Miscarriage and Antisemitism
alexvb's review against another edition
After being so impressed by Giovanni's Room, I was so excited to read another book by him, but sadly this was a completely miss and a DNF.
DNF'd at 47% because the first sex scene between Fonny and Tish knocked me sick. I understand "back in the day" sex was just a "man shoves in, man shoves out, done" situation. But in today's society where everyone (I am hoping) knows A LOT more about women's anatomy, prepping/foreplay (because it's important!), consent, and being careful (and not just the first time because everyone is different); the scene was disgusting to read.
DNF'd at 47% because the first sex scene between Fonny and Tish knocked me sick. I understand "back in the day" sex was just a "man shoves in, man shoves out, done" situation. But in today's society where everyone (I am hoping) knows A LOT more about women's anatomy, prepping/foreplay (because it's important!), consent, and being careful (and not just the first time because everyone is different); the scene was disgusting to read.
[Context: just before they have sex for the first time and Tish is a virgin:]
I knew what he was doing, and I didn't know.
'Just remember that I wouldn’t hurt you for nothing in this world. You just going to have to get used to me'
he moved down and his sex moved against my opening. ‘Don’t be scared,’ he said again, ‘hold on to me.’..I held on to him, in an agony...
thrust in with all his might and something broke in me. Something broke and a scream rose up in me but he covered my lips with his lips, he strangled my scream with his tongue.
That is rape by today's standards. Fonny raped TIsh. This entire passage was disgusting to read on so many levels.
And to top it off, it's very obvious Baldwin has no idea how periods, vaginas, or hymens work, with a:
There was blood, quite a lot of it – or it seemed like a lot to me
No Baldwin, no woman would be freaked out by the amount of blood produced from her hyman breaking. Our periods are WAY worse, I promise you. Tish would not be freaked out by this.
Furthermore, the writing isn't the same at all. As well as, the story is focusing on characters and a romance that I don't care about (for example: page one we learn Tish is pregnant and it takes 40% of the book for that plot point of telling her fam to finally move forwar). We learn right at the beginning that Fonny is in prison falsely accused -- almost 50% in and the story still hasn't explained what (turns out he's in prison for Rape, which is quite ironic to say I DNF'd because I feel Fonny was raping Tish). That should've been the main plot of the story. And it's not, so I was unfortuntely bored.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
Moderate: Rape
krsnris's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Xenophobia, Miscarriage, Racism, and Hate crime
Moderate: Rape
Minor: Suicide
luckyonesoph's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
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? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual violence, and Violence
Moderate: Mental illness and Police brutality
Minor: Suicide
kelsrock's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse and Alcohol
Moderate: Sexual assault and Rape
slintangel's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Classism, Rape, Hate crime, Police brutality, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Misogyny
Minor: Addiction
abbyschafer's review against another edition
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Rape and Violence
theuncannydani's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Baldwin wrote this is such a poetic way, but I was still able to follow it. That was great.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Abandonment, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Confinement, Rape, Police brutality, and Racism
Moderate: Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Hate crime, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Sexual violence, Religious bigotry, Suicide, and Sexual assault
Minor: Homophobia, Torture, Racial slurs, Blood, Body shaming, Miscarriage, Drug use, and Forced institutionalization
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.
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
Graphic: Police brutality, Rape, Sexual assault, Racial slurs, Antisemitism, Racism, Domestic abuse, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Minor: Cancer