Reviews tagging 'Hate crime'

Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin

15 reviews

gvstyris's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective 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

3.5

There was not, after all, a great difference between the world of the North and that of the South which she had fled; there was only this difference: the North promised more. And this similarity: what it promised it did not give, and what it gave, at length and grudgingly with one hand, it took back with the other. 

A sensitive, multi-faceted insight into the relationship between black America and religion. Each character is affected pretty differently by Christianity, and each story was well-executed and fascinating. Ultimately, I'd argue that Baldwin presents religion both as a guiding force and a tool that encourages black Americans to endure their oppression.

Go Tell It on the Mountain is absolutely deserving of its place in the literary canon, but was at times painful to parse through because of its religious jargon and (mostly) young narrator. That being said, I really liked the contrast between the sea and fire imagery, and am constantly in awe of Baldwin's female characters. 

Honestly, I probably just wasn't in the right head space for this book, but am excited to continue diving into Baldwin's works. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Racial slurs

Moderate: Gun violence, Misogyny, Rape, and Hate crime

Minor: Slavery and Police brutality

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

genstrong's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Physical abuse, Sexual content, Bullying, Chronic illness, Death, Grief, and Sexism

Minor: Murder, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Homophobia, Suicide, Hate crime, and Slavery

fatkingslug'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? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Violence, Religious bigotry, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Hate crime, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Physical abuse, Infidelity, Racism, Child abuse, and Misogyny

Moderate: Body shaming, Gore, Alcoholism, Rape, Sexual content, Pregnancy, and Police brutality

Minor: Homophobia

annablume's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

impeccable writing, the first part was hard to get through for me

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Violence, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Child abuse, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, and Suicide

Moderate: Death, Infidelity, and Infertility

Minor: Pregnancy

grantsharpies's review against another edition

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

lynxpardinus's review against another edition

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

rzh's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-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

4.25

again, i just LOVE james baldwin and he never lets me down. beautiful beautiful prose, really evocative and beautifully shapped characters, all with their own individual struggles and stories. i loved how it told the tales of the parents generations and treated them as the flawed young people they were: sometimes a difficult thing to do with older generations. i would maybe mark it down just a tad for being a bit slower paced than the other baldwin books i’ve read and maybe a little harder to follow with the abstract poetics of it but still loved it nonetheless. 4.25 stars

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Religious bigotry, Suicide, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Hate crime

Moderate: Gun violence and Rape

wordsailor's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Racism, Murder, Domestic abuse, and Hate crime

Moderate: Police brutality and Rape

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