Reviews with content warning for Murder - Giovanni's Room

Reviews tagging 'Murder'

Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin

178 reviews

ashgalwoah's review

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emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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quiettalker's review against another edition

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simplythegirl's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

This is definitely my favorite James Baldwin book. He explores questioning and denying one's sexual identity, power dynamics, class differences, citizenship, the American dream, homophobia, and racism. Racism can be seen when you decode his characters I believe if Baldwin was alive today he definitely would have made David obviously African American since he would no longer have to worry about audiences laughing him off/not taking him serious for having an African American man who questions his sexual identity as a main character. The writing is beautiful and I love the symbolism.

By the end of the book it seems like how David identifies (gay straight or bisexual) is still up for debate. His decision in the end can be seen as further denial of his true self especially during times where it wasn't accepted to be anything but straight but others can interpret his decision as ending an experimental time for David.

His decision could also be symbolic of a part of himself dying much like Giovanni died.

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emilymhb's review

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challenging dark emotional sad slow-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

Wow wow wow wow wow. Just beautiful.

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graecus_'s review against another edition

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dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

4.75

i felt so many things while reading this. i dont know when the last time a book made me want to cry in the way that this one did. the portrayal of internalized homophobia really did something to me in a way that i did not expect. amazing.

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