Reviews

Classics like Giovanni's Room are the only classics I'm interested in reading. I simply can't be sorry about it. *waves arms dramatically* This is writing! This is literature!

In Giovanni's Room, David is a young man living in Paris in the 1950s. While his (female) fiancée is in Spain trying to figure out whether she wants to get married, he falls for Giovanni, a vivacious but troubled barman from Italy. David ultimately has to decide whether to marry his fiancée and move back to America, thereby ignoring the realizations he's made about himself, or stay in Paris with Giovanni.

Giovanni's Room is a story that goes much deeper than the plot I just described. Sexuality isn't the focus; the struggle with authenticity and perception is. It's a short book that still manages to be complex, excellent, and tragic. It's hard to believe it was originally published over 60 years ago because it holds up so well today.

James Baldwin's mastery of language is on full display in this novel, and I feel silly trying to review it. He once said, "You want to write a sentence as clean as a bone. That is the goal." He did that and then some with Giovanni's Room.

fayestrange's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

baldwin is just incredible, gorgeous book

william_gousios's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional reflective sad medium-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

4.75

undervmountain's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional reflective slow-paced

4.0

This is a incredible portrait of Queer culture in 20th century France, told from the perspective of an American man who is struggling with his beliefs of what masculinity is. Rather than a great love story as I expected, this is more an exploration of masculinity, as the protagonist struggles with his love from Giovanni and the straight persona he wants to portray.

I did struggle to figure out which decade we were in, and guessed the 60s or 70s. I was surprised to discover that it's likely set in the 50s, as the shadows of the second world war are not shown or felt here. Instead, we get a picture of France along the river Seine, and in the bars David frequents.

I think I would have had more sympathy for Giovanni, had it not been for the scene where he states he beats women because... that was weird. I wasn't invested in the relationship, which seemed toxic, but I did love Hella, I found her to be a unique, smart character and I adored her letters. I wish we could have spent more time with her.

catwingsss's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional 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

5.0

amino's review against another edition

Go to review page

reflective sad tense fast-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

3.0

More...