Reviews with content warning for Police brutality - If Beale Street Could Talk

Reviews tagging 'Police brutality'

If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin

61 reviews

fictionalfrank's review

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dark reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

4.75

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tlaynejones's review against another edition

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fast-paced

4.0

This is my first of Baldwin’s books, and it is easy to see why his work stand as modern classics. For the most part I thought this was a compelling and engaging novel. The sense of time, the love between Fonny and Tish, the examination of racist and unjust ’justice’ system were all very well done. I was however really dissatisfied and frustrated with the layers of sexism and misogyny that permeate every aspect of the writing. It will forever challenge me to understand how the ‘great thinkers’ who have worked so hard to shine a light of the reality of prejudice, power dynamics, systemic injustice, and biased social assumptions - in relationship to race - can be so blind to how all of these impact and influence gender as well. I’m glad to have read this, so I have the cultural knowledge, but it leaves me wanting to go back and reread An American Marriage by Tayari Jones, to reexperience and to compare a novel that examines some of the same social injustices, but from the perspective of a contemporary woman.
Very cautiously recommended, check CW

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mauricekofi's review

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challenging emotional reflective sad 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? Yes

5.0

This is my first Baldwin book, and now I understand why he's one of the greatest authors of time. The sorrow I feel from the story he creates is sobering, a reminder that the romance of people of color differs so far from what white people may imagine. His call out to Romeo and Juliet represents how this a tragedy like none other, not one of faults of the characters themselves, but from the evil and darkness that is America, the way it murders and cannibalizes it's citizens so it can call itself "great"

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eve81's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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haileyeh's review

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emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

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sarabrogan's review

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emotional sad tense slow-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

3.75

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mookiana's review against another edition

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dark emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

An engrossing read that tugs you between love and fear for the characters trapped within the clutches of the racist US carceral system and struggling to get out, literally and figuratively.

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brianareads's review

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emotional 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? No

5.0

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nairijan's review

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emotional 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

5.0

I think Baldwin is becoming one of my favorite novels. This book captures dialogue in such an authentic way that I am always going to think about it. It was really nice to read this and see how Baldwin’s writing had changed from his first novel and with what ease he wrote gut punching scenes.

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serendipitysbooks's review against another edition

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emotional 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

4.75

If Beale Street Could Talk - A young Black couple have their future thrown into doubt thanks to police vengeance coupled with an unsound and unjust identification system. And racism of course. It’s authored by James Baldwin so it’s as searing and unflinching as you’d hope and expect. Some readers may be frustrated by the ending but I thought it was effective and realistic. Although first published nearly 50 years ago this book unfortunately still feels fresh and relevant today.

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