Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

Another Country by James Baldwin

43 reviews

haveyseentis's review against another edition

challenging tense slow-paced

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

3.25

I know this is a commentary on social stratification but I feel like other books do it a lot better. Explicit references to people being white, black and Puerto Rican come up a lot but they seem to be for shock value and any deeper meaning went right over my head, maybe because I feel like this book could have been 100 pages shorter. It follows too many characters leaving too many problems unresolved. And the setting change from NYC to Paris then back to NYC did not make sense to me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Domestic abuse, Racism, and Rape

ticianeaneane's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Domestic abuse, Racism, and Suicide

lmwanak's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.75

When my husband and I were engaged, our pastor assigned us a book to read about Black/white interracial relationships. I wish he chose this book instead, as it displayed Black/white dynamics far better than the other book. It also was talking about white privilege way before we started talking about it in this current time (which is both encouraging and discouraging). 

I'm floored by the relationships and the tensions and the friendships and the jealousy. The moments of rage, the moments of tenderness, in some cases directed towards the same person. And although Rufus only appears in the first quarter of the book, his presence lingers after his death. and while there was times I felt the story wandered, Baldwin's writing kept me fully engaged.

 This was the first James Baldwin book I've ever read, and it definitely won't be the last.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Suicide, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Hate crime, Racial slurs, Misogyny, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, and Physical abuse

Minor: Sexual harassment

maree_k's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Misogyny, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Suicide

Mostly set in the late 1950s/early 1960s USA so a lot of racism & sexism

camimonae's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

3.5

JB knows how to write a tortured love story and sensual, yet not explicit sex/intimate scenes. 
I couldn't find much to love about this story except for the way JB delves into the realism of life experiences. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Cursing, Drug use, Infidelity, and Physical abuse

alisonbrookins's review against another edition

dark sad tense 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Violence, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, and Racism

aliannavelezzzz's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit

rins0lia's review against another edition

challenging reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual violence, and Domestic abuse

ashleyjmel's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

Beautiful writing, incredible descriptions and insights; three dimensional characters working through issues so relevant today that it was hard to believe it was written in the early 60s; BUT, it was so descriptive in parts that it was tough to read because of the subject matter in places. TW's for intimate partner violence, suicide.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse

Moderate: Suicide

lemoncrumble's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Suicide, and Toxic relationship