Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin

21 reviews

meganfletcher's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Death, and Sexual content

steveatwaywords's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-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

4.25

It is not enough to say that this book is worthy of its status as a classic, not just of black literature, but of literature. A structure of overlapping stories in time and relationships unpacks a cacophony of messages, none cleanly suited to be called "justice" or "faith" or "love." Just when you believe the story will turn to a conventional concept of goodness or sin, the character turns about; when you believe a matter settled, it rises again years later. It's how lives work; life-affirming without any of the naïve optimism or simple closures. 

More, though, I am compelled by the beauty of Baldwin's prose. His internal dialogues pulse with blood and belief, with characters who often think or act from a rich river of motivations. No shallow staples of literature here. Read passages aloud to feel this fully. I know I did.

Too, there is a great deal in the story which is sublimated, left unspoken and seemingly untested. For every character who takes their turn at a "prayer," three others reveal their equal tenacity, equal clamor, for story. For every action we believe we understand, three less-articulated causes presume themselves. And later influence. The social circumstances of race are only one background which unsettles itself into these lives. 

This is not a fast read. Baldwin's prose compels us to labor a bit, to digest carefully. Had I not, I might have wondered why any of these characters really matter. It is, perhaps, because no character here exists as a prop or a literary guise. We experience an intimacy of happenings from which we cannot turn away.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Racism, and Sexual content

annablume's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.5

impeccable writing, the first part was hard to get through for me

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Violence, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Child abuse, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, and Suicide

Moderate: Death, Infidelity, and Infertility

Minor: Pregnancy

bookbuyingwithkatie's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective slow-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Racism, Death, and Suicide

Moderate: Rape, Police brutality, Infidelity, Infertility, and Misogyny

lynxpardinus's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Death, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Racism, Child abuse, Violence, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Slavery, Rape, Alcohol, Sexual content, Self harm, Suicide, Grief, Police brutality, Confinement, Hate crime, Death of parent, and Blood

Minor: Vomit and War

jotimarino's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Sexual assault, Racism, and Sexual violence

maria_winther's review against another edition

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse

Moderate: Death, Suicide, Racism, and Violence

aloy's review against another edition

challenging 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Pregnancy, Infidelity, Infertility, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Death, Physical abuse, Suicide, Violence, Child abuse, Grief, Domestic abuse, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, and Misogyny

Minor: Racism and Slavery

menomica's review against another edition

challenging dark informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

This book is so tense and at times emotionally demanding, and I mean that in a good way. The way the story unfolds is so incredible. There were moments where I had to put the book down because I was just getting flashbacks of growing up in church 😵‍💫.

I thought we were gonna get a John-gay-awakening arch, but that did not happen

Gabriel is a total bitch, and I love that Florence was there to clear his ass. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Racial slurs, Racism, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Child abuse, Death of parent, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racism, Suicide, and Violence

Minor: Infertility, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and War

davyjones's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring reflective tense slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Blood, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Hate crime, Murder, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Rape, Sexual content, Violence, Infidelity, and Infertility