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greatexpectations77's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.75
I'm a little embarrassed that this was my first James Baldwin book, but I'm so glad that I read it. What beautiful writing and such a tragic story. I feel like it's rare that a male writer has such incredible insight into a female character, but I thought it was such an amazing story about women. I would love to write an essay about it. And how horrifying that 50 years later, the exact same story could happen today in this racist country built on stolen land.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Police brutality, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Classism
Minor: Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Suicide, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, Abortion, and Abandonment
missbrookss's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Suicide
tabear's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Suicide, Police brutality, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
Moderate: Miscarriage and Antisemitism
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: Hate crime, Miscarriage, Racism, Xenophobia, and Alcohol
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
0.25
I realize that this book is a masterful portrayal of how violent the criminal justice system was towards Black men in America, but Baldwin's blatant misogyny completely ruined it for me. I have zero patience for a book that sympathizes with a rapist, or for an author that so deeply and so obviously sees women as subhuman. The part where Tish's mom travels to Puerto Rico to harass a woman who was a victim of both rape *and* the United States' immigration policy into returning to the US to recant her testimony is unfathomably cruel, and just one of many scenes where violence against women and rape are treated not as hate crimes or injustices, but as acceptable facts of life. Baldwin is a brilliant writer, but there is no redeeming this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Mental illness and Police brutality
Minor: Suicide
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: Confinement, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Body shaming, Drug use, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Torture, Forced institutionalization, and Blood
sofipitch's review against another edition
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
Graphic: Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Sexual content, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Rape and Suicide
elliejhnsn's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
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? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Police brutality, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
kn0tp0rk's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
If Beale Street Could Talk is one that ends on a cliffhanger, and I think that appropriately mirrors reality. Those dealing with falsely accused loved ones in jail/prison don't know if they'll get them out, just like we don't really know what will become of the characters in Beale Street. There's some excessive use of the f-slur in this work, and I have a feeling that advocates of the fictionalized "buck breaking" phenomenon may latch onto things written of here. It's very true that M/M sexual assault happens in jails/prisons. But some of the commentary about Officer Bell such as "I'm going to fuck you, boy" may be read in a sexual manner alongside Tish saying she feels as though he wishes to sexually assault her. That may have been Baldwin's intentions, but let's not go accusing the gays (a violently oppressed minority) of wanting to sexually assault all of society.
🔸Fonny is jailed, and Tish feels as though she can't speak to anyone, that no one can understand her. / Yeah, I think young people who have lovers incarcerated are often called foolish. Maybe they are foolish sometimes, but that can't always be the case. There are prejudices thrown at women who are pregnant or have children and also have significant others incarcerated.
🔸Tish and Fonny become friends after fighting. People don't believe in their friendship. / It's unfortunate that boys and girls can't just be good friends. That everything is seen as sexual. I've experienced this prejudice even around my lesbian, bisexual, pansexual friends. A mistrust from others. We must be trying to have sex!
🔸Fonny describes how his mother's faith in God turned into a fetish with her husband. She would cry out about saving his soul and they'd have sex like it was all just a game. It shows how performative some believers are.
🔸Mrs. Hunt is a colorist. She and her daughters benefit from being light-skinned. She looks down on Fonny for being darker and Tish for being even moreso.
🔸I like that Tish's family is happy about her pregnancy. They were very wholesome and supportive.
🔸Mrs. Hunt says she hopes Fonny's jail time turns him to Jesus. Sharon answers sarcastically that the Lord works in mysterious ways. / Always looking on the bright side is one thing that disgusts me about Christianity in particular. You can't ever have any time that is bad. You always have to think about the good. That is toxic positivity and not healthy. Sometimes life is shit and you don't need to be thankful that you're still breathing. God needing to force you into unspeakable turmoils to convert you should make you question the validity of God's power and existence.
🔸Mrs. Hunt and her daughters inveigh against the news of Tish's pregnancy. Mrs. Hunt hides behind her religion to criticize Tish and the unborn child. Frank slaps Mrs. Hunt. / I don't condone domestic violence, but even Mrs. Hunt's behavior is a form of emotional domestic violence. Using your religion to say that everyone is sinning when they do something you dislike is nasty and exhausting.
🔸Tish is weary of the lawyer's, Hayward, intention, because he is white and asking for more money, but she softens up when she notices how he gently speaks to her and how he has a distaste for racism. / I like that the lawyer was humanized. All too often we are quick to think that lawyers are vain disgusting people.
🔸Man, Sharon's mission in Puerto Rico really failed and I wasn't ready for that emotional impact.
🔸Sharon is shook from her trip. She realizes that POC in North America have it bad no matter where they are. / This has its truths, but let's not hold onto this believing that it's pointless to try to escape any nation's hardships. I have designs to leave the States myself, and I'm often met with this criticism. No, there really are other countries that have it more together. Even Baldwin recognized that life had its improvements when he moved to Paris (obviously not North America, though).
🔸Even though the jail/prison system is rife with sexual assault and violence, Fonny learns to humanize the detainees around him. Some of them are in his same position, after all.
🔸Adrienne, one of Fonny's sisters, doesn't have the best attitude, but she's not a one-dimensional hateful husk. Frank hates her because she looks like her spiteful mother, and she resents this. She's very worried when Frank goes missing. / Adrienne's situation is unfortunate. She can only learn from those around her. She and her sister have been damaged by society and their parents, and I feel bad for them both.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Antisemitism, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment
the_vegan_bookworm's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Police brutality, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Suicide