A review by booksrockcal
Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

4.0

This book is as powerful as was promised. It’s the story of John Grimes, a 14 year old growing up in Harlem in the 1930s. And it’s the story of his mother and stepfather and family history in the south before coming to Harlem and then their lives in New York and part in the Great Migration. The story centers on John’s stepfather Gabriel, who is a Pentecostal preacher but also a violent and cruel father and husband. The book explores themes of identity, racism, hypocrisy in the church, and the impact of the past on the present. A powerful read- I first read Baldwin in high school - I wish I’d started with this semi- autobiographical novel.