Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin

48 reviews

samcanuel's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

James Baldwin is an extremely talented writer and in this book he tackled many difficult themes. I truly disliked almost every character, but I still found myself completely invested in their stories. I really liked the structure of the plot itself, going back and forth between the current time and the flashbacks to give context. This story is heartbreaking, but Baldwin’s telling of it is perfection.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Murder, Infidelity, Death, and Alcohol

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Death of parent

dugfromthedirt's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

This took me soo many attempts to read with there being so much about both the characters and the happenings that was uncomfortable, often without reprieve, but god. The way it was all drawn out was beautiful. I wish I had the language for and practice at literary crit needed to delve into this the way I want to.

Before Giovanni's Room I was only familiar with James Baldwin's work as a political thinker/speaker, and his way with words in that context has always captured me. It's so interesting to find the same ring true in such a different place, such a different way.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Death, and Infidelity

Moderate: Misogyny, Abandonment, Gaslighting, Homophobia, and Violence

Minor: Miscarriage

charming_killerqueen's review against another edition

adventurous funny inspiring reflective tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia

Moderate: Violence, Death, and Biphobia

Minor: Transphobia

iris_mari's review against another edition

dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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: Transphobia, Sexism, Death, Misogyny, Homophobia, Violence, and Suicidal thoughts

fleen's review against another edition

• 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol

Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Minor: Misogyny

miller8d's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

2.5

I like James Baldwin’s poetic language and poignant emotional description but

I found the ending of this book quite disappointing and I really wish there had been more plot to this book. It felt like nothing really happened in comparison to how much of the book was spent explaining— it was a lot of telling and not a lot of showing, which isn’t bad, it’s just not my preference. James Baldwin is incredible and brilliant and this book is historically significant, but I did not enjoy it very much.

Note: I pictured James Baldwin as Giovanni, and Hugh Dennis as Jacques.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Homophobia, Sexual violence, Suicide, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Classism, Outing, Sexual harassment, Violence, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, Sexual content, Domestic abuse, Grief, and Sexism

imnotarke's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.25

this was an experience. a true depiction about the process of escape, acceptance, and grief. the characters were problematic, but real, and you are left wishing the best outcomes for them despite the flaws and distaste. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Child death, Violence, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Misogyny, Homophobia, and Death

nzmerchant's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

Beautifully written study of a very flawed main character and his journey with internalised homophobia. The book kinda lost me at the 30% mark but once I powered through it, I simply could not put it down! Overall, a very miserable read with some rather transphobic parts (but I understand this is part of the character’s internal monologue?) and i really felt for the characters and the unfortunate fates they were met with. Hella deserves better - I gotta say that…

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Transphobia, Misogyny, Homophobia, Miscarriage, and Violence

edgaranjapoe's review against another edition

challenging emotional 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Infidelity, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Alcohol, Grief, Misogyny, and Sexual content

Minor: Car accident, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Murder, Rape, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Abandonment, Death, War, Transphobia, Violence, Classism, Bullying, Death of parent, Alcoholism, Child death, and Injury/Injury detail

lyrapollock's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Violence, Toxic relationship, Sexism, and Homophobia

Moderate: Sexual violence, Homophobia, Drug abuse, Car accident, Alcoholism, and Alcohol