Reviews tagging 'Pregnancy'

Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin

7 reviews

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

uparrowhead's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

"Nobody can stay in the Garden of Eden"

I feel like there's nothing that I can truly put into words about this book that can do justice to the experience of reading it. Traversing through the pages of sorrow and melancholy of this novel felt like an unraveling journey that was slowly breaking me apart with each turn.

A classic which I think is a necessity to read for any queer person, James Baldwin's Giovanni's Room explores the turmoiled life of David – a man who left America in search of a more free life in Paris – and the developing relationship between him and Giovanni. Through the meandering narrative of David's life and the memories which he slowly recalls of both the past and the present, you're thrust into a story of depressing beauty laced in love and pain.

Conflicting sadness between desire and disgust mixes within the incredible writing and language of this novel, creating a fantastical read that I loved from start to finish. Reading through David's hatred for his own sexuality and the perpetual limbo he seems to be in when it comes to how he feels for Giovanni makes for a truly heart wretching story that I don't think I'll ever forget.

Accelerating, tragically romantic: an incredible story that I will never recover from, which brought me to tears by the end. I can't stress enough how masterfully crafted this is, and all I can ask is for more people to read the sickeningly beautiful narrative this remarkable novel puts through.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Classism, Death, Grief, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Murder, Infidelity, Child death, Sexism, and Sexual content

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Xenophobia, Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

Minor: Cursing, Hate crime, and Pregnancy

deliriah's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Cursing, Drug use, Infidelity, and Homophobia

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Pregnancy, and Miscarriage

thecatconstellation's review

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Alcohol, and Homophobia

Moderate: Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Murder, Sexism, and Death

Minor: Pregnancy, Infidelity, Sexual content, Miscarriage, Xenophobia, Sexual harassment, Transphobia, and Sexual assault

lynxpardinus's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Death, Homophobia, and Infidelity

Moderate: Misogyny, Murder, Bullying, Classism, Outing, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

Minor: Blood, Child death, and Pregnancy

Not sure how to tag it, but whether it's a reflection of the author's biases or an extension of the book's core themes, this book has a lot of negativity toward effeminate/GNC gay men.

sixlimbs's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Miscarriage, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Homophobia

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, and Sexual violence

poirot's review against another edition

emotional 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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Alcohol, Death, Misogyny, Murder, Outing, Sexism, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Death of parent

Minor: Child death, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy