Reviews tagging 'Death'

O Quarto de Giovanni by James Baldwin, Paulo Henriques Britto

203 reviews

hilaryreadsbooks's review against another edition

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5.0

It was about time I read a book by James Baldwin. In GIOVANNI’S ROOM, David, a white American expat in Paris begins a passionate relationship with a beautiful man, Giovanni, even as he struggles with his own torturous denial of his homosexuality. The way Baldwin depicts David’s interiority as he finds himself caught in the push and pull of internal desire against societal norms is devastating, and even more so for Giovanni, who is caught in the middle of David’s panic, shame, and fear. In particular, I admire the way Baldwin includes such varied depictions of constructed manhood, contrasted against both the other male and female characters, in such a short book. 
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lk3ssaf's review against another edition

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reflective sad fast-paced
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

A painful story of love and hatred between two men. Beautifully written. The novel is a witness to the main character's fear, his all consuming fear of love. 

I was so sad reading the second part. I knew how everything was going to play out, how it would all fall apart. It was heartbreaking to see how David had so many moments he could've chosen to stop it, but he could not overcome his internal struggle in time. 

Giovanni was such a beloved character to me, which made it so much harder to watch him try so hard knowing it was futile. 
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savvy999's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious sad fast-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

5.0

Solemn and exacting. The intense, beautiful prose of Baldwin unearths a yearning, a love played out on stolen time. An exploration of queer time and relationships and the tragedy of stifling morality . 
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renniewest's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective 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

4.0

“I think now that if I had had any intimation that the self I was going to find would turn out to be only the same self from which I had spent so much time in flight, I would have stayed at home.”

this novel is crushing in its depiction of the complexities of human conditions, love, mental illness, etc… it’s made me the kind of melancholy that sticks with you for a while. 
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aliciammara's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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lizziaha's review against another edition

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sad
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

4.25

This is an interesting look at masculinity, and perhaps because of that, I was put off by its rather bleak view of femininity. But the innate struggle of queerness that was woven through the story was frightening familiar and tugged at my heartstrings. 
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magicshop's review against another edition

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

4.5

And these nights were being acted out under a foreign sky, with no one to watch, no penalties attached—it was this last fact which was our undoing, for nothing is more unbearable, once one has it, than freedom.

you should read this book if... 
  •  you want to be torn apart by outstanding prose
  •  you want to be torn apart in general

the good
  • the prose. did i mention the prose. james baldwin wants me dead. james baldwin wants me BALD
  • honestly everything, despite whatever else i write in this review

the bad
  • i can't think of anything except maybe giovanni's blatant misogyny, but even that i feel serves a purpose in the story sooo. maybe. maybe not.
  • giovanni is quite caricaturely italian/mediterranean. for this, unlike the rest of the book's "flaws," there is no real explanation interwoven in the text. it's just sort of unapologetically and unfortunately there.

the complicated
  • lots and lots of internalized homophobia and misogyny from multiple characters, but that's kinda the entire point.

i'm at a bit of a loss with this one. i enjoyed it very, very much, but i've been trying to review it for 3 days and nothing substantial really seems to want to come out. i think i'll leave more complex thoughts for a reread (i already know there will be one someday), not because i have to, but because i feel like a book this well-written deserves more than i can give it right now.

if you can handle the "complicated" and the content warnings, i highly recommend giving this a try. baldwin's brain is a delight and i'll definitely be trying more of his work in the future.
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jazzy_t's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective 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? It's complicated

4.5

Good book. An influential book of its time. 

I enjoy reading about a side of lgbt+ I maybe haven't really read before. Paris in 1960s ish. 

I felt the characters had a lot of depth and you connect to them but also become angry at them. They most definitely aren't perfect. I feel the author added this to the characters beautifully. 

James Balwin the author is an amazing intreting man who deserves to be remembered more than his is currently.

Enjoyed the read, would recommend. 
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jmcampbell57's review against another edition

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

4.5

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risemini's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad tense 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? It's complicated

3.0

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