Reviews tagging 'Child death'

Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin

49 reviews

breaklikeafish's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.5

Despite the fact that almost every character in this novel is morally bankrupt, relationships are toxic, and the narrative structure echoes my gripes from my review of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, I found myself utterly captivated by Giovanni's Room.

Following the escapades of David, a young American in bohemian Paris, the story revolves around his attempts to evade adult responsibilities. David is a whiny, misogynistic character with few redeeming qualities. Yet there's an odd relatability in his admirable reluctance to confront his problems.

I think most of my love for this novel comes from James Baldwin's absolutely stunning writing style. Even as David indulges in long-winded contemplations of his self-imposed suffering, Baldwin weaves prose that is breathtakingly beautiful. Somehow, the author turns David's character, who could easily be off-putting, into someone engaging rather than annoying.

Despite my appreciation for the novel, I will note that I'm sure the transphobic and mysogynistic attitudes of almost all characters can be off-putting to some. I think David's blatant hate for everything feminine fits well with his character and development in the story. However, it leads to conversations between him and Giovanni that almost made me throw my book against the wall.

Hella, David's fiancée and only relevant female character, functions to at least challenge the protagonist's views on women. In the midst of a cast filled with terrible personalities, Hella emerges as a sole beacon of reason, adding depth and a refreshing contrast. She is probably the only character I rooted for.

Giovanni's Room, with its breathtaking prose and engaging story, manages to overcome its flaws to deliver a captivating and emotionally resonant experience. Baldwin's ability to make a narrative filled with mostly unlikable characters compelling is a testament to his mastery of storytelling.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Homophobia, Death, Suicidal thoughts, and Murder

Moderate: Miscarriage, Misogyny, Child death, and Transphobia

Minor: Outing

hbocking's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Child death

clarkg's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-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

5.0

 It's hard to find the language to describe the devastation that this book wrought upon me. Achingly beautiful. I miss James Baldwin. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Toxic relationship, and Death

Moderate: Murder, Outing, Grief, Sexism, Homophobia, Violence, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Infidelity, and War

Minor: Body shaming and Xenophobia

brynalexa's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad fast-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? It's complicated

4.25

Mundane but tragic plot. The characters are beautiful painted even though there is nothing likable about them except for what they hate about themselves. Unique POV. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Alcohol, Child death, Classism, Death, Misogyny, Grief, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Murder, Outing, Sexual content, Cursing, and Homophobia

uparrowhead's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

"Nobody can stay in the Garden of Eden"

I feel like there's nothing that I can truly put into words about this book that can do justice to the experience of reading it. Traversing through the pages of sorrow and melancholy of this novel felt like an unraveling journey that was slowly breaking me apart with each turn.

A classic which I think is a necessity to read for any queer person, James Baldwin's Giovanni's Room explores the turmoiled life of David – a man who left America in search of a more free life in Paris – and the developing relationship between him and Giovanni. Through the meandering narrative of David's life and the memories which he slowly recalls of both the past and the present, you're thrust into a story of depressing beauty laced in love and pain.

Conflicting sadness between desire and disgust mixes within the incredible writing and language of this novel, creating a fantastical read that I loved from start to finish. Reading through David's hatred for his own sexuality and the perpetual limbo he seems to be in when it comes to how he feels for Giovanni makes for a truly heart wretching story that I don't think I'll ever forget.

Accelerating, tragically romantic: an incredible story that I will never recover from, which brought me to tears by the end. I can't stress enough how masterfully crafted this is, and all I can ask is for more people to read the sickeningly beautiful narrative this remarkable novel puts through.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Classism, Death, Grief, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Murder, Infidelity, Child death, Sexism, and Sexual content

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Xenophobia, Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

Minor: Cursing, Hate crime, and Pregnancy

ez_heath's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Body shaming, Child death, Classism, Death, Alcohol, Sexism, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Fatphobia, Suicidal thoughts, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, and Murder

flapjackzs_'s review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Death, and Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Child death, Murder, Rape, Sexual harassment, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Classism, Death of parent, Misogyny, Outing, and Vomit

ghast's review against another edition

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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

bro is suffering in the glass closet

Anyways, this is a tragic queer story about isolation and the fear of failing to reach the ideal American male standard, how this need to be perceived by society and to himself as sexually normal, ruins his relationships and found happiness in life.
It's sad, engaging, and made me feel empty afterwards.
pain. would recommend 👍

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Homophobia, Murder, and Sexism

Minor: Child death

zara89's review against another edition

emotional 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual content, Outing, Violence, Medical trauma, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Infidelity, Homophobia, Car accident, and Child death

Minor: Death and Death of parent

kers_tin's review against another edition

dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief, Homophobia, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Death, and Misogyny

Minor: Sexual assault, Child death, and Death of parent