Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin

161 reviews

tabear's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Infertility, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Gaslighting and Death

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. 

---

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

mosswood's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The emotions in this book are so thoroughly and clearly explored through the slightest observations over dialogue. I loved the exploration of gay male love and it’s translation into misogyny. It poses many questions for modern queers. Unfortunately my lack of understanding for the main characters motives sometimes led me to care less about his subsequent actions and therefore story.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Misogyny

Moderate: Murder

lettucelaugh's review against another edition

emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Alcoholism, Homophobia, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Misogyny and Murder

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.

---

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

---

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

soupsswagreads's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

2.5

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder, Misogyny, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Grief, and Emotional abuse

perleerose's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I am simply not ok after reading this. James Baldwin writes in such a poetic style, you can’t help but continue reading on. I found it to be a very enlightening story dealing with internalized homophobia and that feelings that creates in one’s own body. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Homophobia, Miscarriage, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Xenophobia and Sexism

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

---

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

zoegupta's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense 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

4.0

this made me Very Sad. in a gut punch kind of way. thank you baldwin! <3

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, Homophobia, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Rape, Sexual harassment, Grief, Misogyny, Abandonment, and Alcohol