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yaminipant's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
slow-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
thechanelmuse's review against another edition
5.0
James Baldwin once said, "Mountain is the book I had to write if I was ever going to write anything else. I had to deal with what hurt me most. I had to deal, above all, with my father. He was my model; I learned a lot from him. Nobody's ever frightened me since.”
Go Tell It on the Mountain is a semi-autobiographical, coming-of-age novel that largely centers on John Grimes (Baldwin) and three members of his family (his father, aunt, and mother) during the evening of his fourteenth birthday at a storefront church in 1930s Harlem. The story unfolds with John's contemplation of following in his father's path to become a preacher. But his internal tug-of-war with ideals of the church opposed with those of "the world" signals shifts throughout the novel, in which the footsteps of his family members travels back in time.
“There are people in the world for whom 'coming along' is a perpetual process, people who are destined never to arrive.”
Unveiling their complexities as individuals and as a family unit as a whole, Baldwin ties their present-day internal struggles into biblical allusions before artfully sweeping to and fro through memory, addressing generational parent/guardian-child relationships, morality versus immorality (sex) per the church, gender, race, and other themes.
Baldwin was truly a master of the pen.
Go Tell It on the Mountain is a semi-autobiographical, coming-of-age novel that largely centers on John Grimes (Baldwin) and three members of his family (his father, aunt, and mother) during the evening of his fourteenth birthday at a storefront church in 1930s Harlem. The story unfolds with John's contemplation of following in his father's path to become a preacher. But his internal tug-of-war with ideals of the church opposed with those of "the world" signals shifts throughout the novel, in which the footsteps of his family members travels back in time.
“There are people in the world for whom 'coming along' is a perpetual process, people who are destined never to arrive.”
Unveiling their complexities as individuals and as a family unit as a whole, Baldwin ties their present-day internal struggles into biblical allusions before artfully sweeping to and fro through memory, addressing generational parent/guardian-child relationships, morality versus immorality (sex) per the church, gender, race, and other themes.
Baldwin was truly a master of the pen.
bittersweet_symphony's review against another edition
3.0
One of those rare books that portray religion from the perspective of how it's actually lived, rather than from a detached or condescending perch. We see how it informs the language, social norms, and life choices the characters make.
It's refreshing to have a tale of American religion that isn't voyeuristic or belittling of religion (or reductive of its complexities).
It's refreshing to have a tale of American religion that isn't voyeuristic or belittling of religion (or reductive of its complexities).
avabevs's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.5
zerofactorial's review against another edition
5.0
Absolutely devastating beautiful in every way. The prose, the people, the plot. Achieves sanctity by remaining faithful while offering some very hard truths about the life of faith.
samlikestoreadbooks's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.5
superpraskova's review against another edition
dark
informative
tense
slow-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
3.0
I know this a literary piece of art but the amount of church and religion talk was just too much for me, I was so tired of sermons and prayers and Jesus and who knows what else. The deep story was extremely interesting and touching though. I’m looking forward to read other works from Baldwin.
re_reader's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
wellreadrebel's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
- 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? It's complicated
3.5
franwyyazg's review against another edition
emotional
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5