Reviews tagging 'Misogyny'

Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin

169 reviews

sanperse's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Transphobia and Misogyny

Minor: Death

caseyreadslol's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

reading this having strong repression issues and in the slow progress of unpacking them is like having a chair thrown at you every five pages. insightful 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Misogyny and Homophobia

caseyjayner's review against another edition

challenging dark tense slow-paced

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

3.0

Oof. Beautifully written but terrible to read- I didn’t understand a lot of the social things that I think were customary at the time so I felt a little lost sometimes when people were interacting with “friends”.  I think my least favorite part is thatt we everyone is described to hate each other and use each other anyway.  As adults this seems a horrible way to live and confusing.  
Idk, wasn’t for me. Misogyny and homophobia everywhere

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Homophobia, Misogyny, Violence, and Sexual violence

marissasa's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

This is my first James Baldwin book and I have always heard that he was an excellent writer who truly understood the human condition, but oof did this classic literature toxic yaoi hit even harder than expected. In all seriousness though, there is so much pain and turmoil and suffering in this book, interspersed with a few moments of tenderness and genuine human connection that will make your heart lift, only to be followed again by trauma, drama, and heartbreak that will drop it back into your stomach. The writing is beautiful and poetic in a straightforward way, and it touches on the themes of isolation, identity, homophobia, and masculinity in a very purposeful manner. The ending in particular is haunting and this book is definitely a testament to the plight of queer people throughout history  that will stick around in my mind for a while.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Outing, Sexual content, Alcohol, Infidelity, Alcoholism, Misogyny, Homophobia, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

marija_m95's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Child death, Homophobia, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual content

merlinagarance's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.0

This is an important read but let me preface by saying this is not a romance. It’s a tragedy. Baldwin’s writing is incisive and you can feel the internalised homophobia the character experiences, that leads to the tragic ending. Historically, it’s very interesting to find out what Paris was like for queer people in the 50s - more accepting that you’d think.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Transphobia, Misogyny, Death, and Homophobia

marionhoney's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Homophobia, Murder, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Biphobia, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Transphobia, Domestic abuse, Outing, Classism, Sexual violence, and Sexual content

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Fatphobia, and Rape

goddessofwhatnot's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

Far sadder than I was expecting.  If this book is any indication, the level of self-loathing experienced by queer men at this time must have been unimaginable. 
Reading this was like bobbing out on the open ocean, life vest on, but seeing nothing but wave after wave of misery and devastation coming your way

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship

Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Homophobia, Infidelity, Bullying, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexism

Minor: Death, Self harm, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Abandonment, Child death, Pregnancy, Xenophobia, and Biphobia

theprinceofdenmark's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Violence, Outing, Infidelity, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Misogyny, and Sexual assault

kendal_reads's review against another edition

reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Death, Toxic relationship, and Homophobia

Moderate: Sexual content, Misogyny, Murder, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Transphobia