Reviews tagging 'Miscarriage'

If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin

30 reviews

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.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Grief, Pregnancy, Forced institutionalization, and Racism

Moderate: Classism, Hate crime, Police brutality, Rape, Sexual content, Racial slurs, Drug use, Addiction, Alcohol, Bullying, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Religious bigotry, Body shaming, Suicide, Domestic abuse, Abandonment, Abortion, and Antisemitism

tabear's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad fast-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Death of parent, Hate crime, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexism, Suicide, Racism, and Racial slurs

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Xenophobia, Miscarriage, Racism, and Hate crime

Moderate: Rape

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.

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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

marjolainegenot's review against another edition

funny hopeful sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

Beautiful prose. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Rape, Racial slurs, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Homophobia, Racism, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Police brutality, and Pregnancy

kenzim's review against another edition

emotional reflective tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide, Police brutality, Miscarriage, Racism, Racial slurs, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Rape

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

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

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

teamstarburger's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.75

Extremely well written. I listened to the audiobook and felt that it had the emotion of a play. It was beautiful, sad, and I know I will be thinking about it for a long time.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Police brutality and Violence

Minor: Rape and Miscarriage