Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin

14 reviews

jfcoombs's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective tense fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism

Moderate: Rape and Hate crime

Minor: Death of parent

theremightbecupcakes's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• 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: Abandonment, Death of parent, Racism, Slavery, Suicide, Terminal illness, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Rape, Toxic relationship, and Violence

ohgull's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.75

I read this book for my Multicultural Lit class. It was an interesting read, definitely not something I would pick out for myself, but I'm glad I read it. I liked the main protagonist John and seeing his character growth, but it felt a little stifled. The second half of this book was basically just exposition on how the Grimes family ended up like this and why the characters are the way they are. I don't know, it had good material in it, specifically talking about religion and race, but I wish there was more plot in the present and not all of the action happening 20 years before the novel begins. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Child abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Death, Violence, and Police brutality

Minor: Rape, Pregnancy, Infertility, Blood, Death of parent, Drug use, and Suicide

jeremie's review

emotional hopeful reflective 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Death of parent, Rape, Death, Sexual assault, Racial slurs, and Suicide

grantsharpies's review

dark reflective sad 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Self harm, Domestic abuse, Grief, Racism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Death, Hate crime, Infidelity, and Religious bigotry

bookynooknook's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

4.0

Not sure if the biblical scripture was lost on me but parts of this was quite dense 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child death, Death, Racial slurs, Racism, and Death of parent

lynxpardinus's review

challenging emotional reflective

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Death, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Racism, Child abuse, Violence, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Slavery, Rape, Alcohol, Sexual content, Self harm, Suicide, Grief, Police brutality, Confinement, Hate crime, Death of parent, and Blood

Minor: Vomit and War

caribbeangirlreading's review against another edition

challenging 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

5.0

Stunning. Intense. Powerful. Go Tell It on the Mountain is full of sin and sorrow and shame. If you grew up going to church (any church, not just Pentecostal) this book hits you hard. I can’t stop thinking about how the characters in this novel were supposed to be full of the love of the Lord but were so lacking in joy and forgiveness for their fellow human beings, even their brothers and sisters in the church. I’m going to need a minute to recover from this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, and Racism

Moderate: Physical abuse and Infidelity

Minor: Rape, Hate crime, and Death of parent

aloy's review

challenging 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Pregnancy, Infidelity, Infertility, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Death, Physical abuse, Suicide, Violence, Child abuse, Grief, Domestic abuse, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, and Misogyny

Minor: Racism and Slavery

anniefwrites'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? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

This was my first James Baldwin, and WOW. Moving plot, language that sucks you right in, vivid interior worlds of all the characters. What a magnificent writer. I especially loved the parts where I got to live inside the mind of such a tender, confused, emotional boy. The way the story concluded wasn’t what I expected, and it’s going to be a while until I can unravel my complex feelings about it. But all in all, Baldwin has such a strong yet delicate voice, and I’m looking forward to reading more of his work. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Suicide, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Death, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, and Rape

Moderate: Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, Blood, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Infertility, Pregnancy, Vomit, Chronic illness, Homophobia, Police brutality, and War