Scan barcode
marena02's review
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-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
4.0
I don’t know how to feel about the ending, but I liked this book. I enjoyed reading about Fonny and Tish’s love story, despite its sad and open ending.
For this to be my first James Baldwin book, I think the thing that stood out most to me was his writing from Tish’s perspective. She is seen by everyone around her as naive and overly optimistic, but it’s clear that while she goes through these new and traumatizing experiences of pregnancy and helping her man who is wrongfully incarcerated get out of jail, she is willing to change her mindset with every obstacle that gets in her way. Baldwin shows this in the way she he narrates her perception on the world and how she learns to navigate it alone with Fonny who has always been by her side. Her journey throughout the book was the most interesting to read about.
Like I said, I don’t really understand what he was trying to do with the ending, but everything else I enjoyed.
For this to be my first James Baldwin book, I think the thing that stood out most to me was his writing from Tish’s perspective. She is seen by everyone around her as naive and overly optimistic, but it’s clear that while she goes through these new and traumatizing experiences of pregnancy and helping her man who is wrongfully incarcerated get out of jail, she is willing to change her mindset with every obstacle that gets in her way. Baldwin shows this in the way she he narrates her perception on the world and how she learns to navigate it alone with Fonny who has always been by her side. Her journey throughout the book was the most interesting to read about.
Like I said, I don’t really understand what he was trying to do with the ending, but everything else I enjoyed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Suicide, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Stalking, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism
lanamae's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Mental illness, Racism, and Police brutality
Moderate: Alcoholism, Religious bigotry, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Miscarriage, Rape, Suicide, Violence, and Death of parent
luckyonesoph's review
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
0.5
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