Reviews

O Quarto de Giovanni by James Baldwin, Paulo Henriques Britto

sriccardi's review against another edition

3.0

Me, sleepy everytime I to to Europe: "Americans should never come to Europe [...] it means they can never be happy again. What's the good of an American who isn't happy? Happiness was all we had."

solene_l's review against another edition

sad slow-paced

3.0

annaknight241's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad fast-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

4.5

iillianne's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

Second time reading this book for a friend but for myself as well bc I forgot what happens in it. Very heavy & intense story but I love it w all my being. It’s a scary yet truthful display of how complicated love can be

whatchapterareyouon's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad tense 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

flamingo_and_owl_books's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-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

4.0

marshzz's review against another edition

5.0

absolutely stunning - kept me hooked and flipping through the pages with fervour. probably one of the best literary texts i’ve ever read, and james baldwins prose is unmatched.

ahoots17's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

5.0

meghanhines's review against another edition

4.5

baldwin’s writing is nothing short of exquisite. the way he captures despair and melancholy and atmosphere and a borderline sense of unknowing in this book is so well done. this is a sad book, a complex book, an extremely fascinating book. it completely sweeps the reader up in its fog, rarely allowing them to come up for air. there are countless gut-punch lines in here - and i’m sure there will be even more i discover on a reread. 

it’s a story about queerness, and i love
how complicated it is in this book - it is never necessarily good or bad, it just is. it’s a story about obsession and infatuation, about masculinity and violence, and above all else, about love. how all-encompassing and dangerous it can be, how desperately we crave it, how scary it can also be

god this is truly an immaculate novel 

jana1's review against another edition

emotional informative medium-paced

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

4.0