Reviews tagging 'Rape'

Herbergi Giovanni by James Baldwin

38 reviews

tbrnichols's review against another edition

3.0

dark sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I didn't really like this book very much. All the characters feel very same-y to me, they're all sad, ashamed gay men who mistreat each other's because they think they deserve it and are afraid to be happy. I don't think it helped that David and Hella had so little observed chemistry, I think if the conflict had been a bit more about the pulls of the heart and less about self-hatred and internalized homophobia it could have been more interesting. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia

Moderate: Murder

Minor: Rape

jennazim's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Misogyny, Rape, Transphobia

maess's review against another edition

4.0

reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Murder, Outing, Sexual harassment

Minor: Racism, Suicide

hanna_hllqvist's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Misogyny

Moderate: Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment

mariyah's review against another edition

4.5

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Murder

Moderate: Alcoholism, Homophobia, Rape, Abortion, Alcohol

omemlette's review against another edition

4.0

dark reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Abandonment

Moderate: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Grief, Murder, Sexual harassment

kimveach's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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This is the first book I've read by James Baldwin.  I'll definitely be reading more.  His writing is beautiful and elegant without being difficult to read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Homophobia, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Alcohol

Moderate: Death, Rape, Grief, Murder, Outing, Toxic friendship

curatoriallyyours's review against another edition

3.75

challenging dark reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Although this book is, in many respects, about the tragic relationship between the narrator, David, and Giovanni, I think it’s more about the anguish within David as he tries to navigate who he truly is without bearing the burden of making decisions. I know I have been in the situation of not wanting to hurt someone but doing so anyway through my apathy and unwillingness to take decisive action - of allowing life to happen to me because I didn’t really know what I wanted.

I don’t really see this as a love story either - Giovanni is manipulative and David is in no place within himself to be able to love anyone. I think the relationship is more of an awakening for David - his realisation that he is gay and he cannot keep running from it. He’s driven by guilt in all things and that guilt is a reflection of the time in history and the realities of being homosexual in a world that tells you it’s wrong.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Alcohol

Minor: Bullying, Child death, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Xenophobia, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Outing

I was not a fan of the casual sexism and transphobia, and I can’t decide if it’s a deliberate airing of questionable ideas by the author to prompt reflection in the reader (this book would have been a shock at the time it was published), a mirror of the values of the time or the genuine feeling of the author.