A review by beatrizveigaaa
Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin

4.5

an achingly intimate, tragic and raw short story that reads and feels like heartbreak. it is a portrait of a repressed, fragile and temporary affair between two men in 1950 paris. despite the quick escalation of their romance, the emotional distance between the protagonists is clear since the beginning, with a sense of doom surrounding the narrative immediately. we know even before starting the book that their romance will inevitably end in tragedy (it’s in the blurb) but every step closer still felt like a punch to the gut. james baldwin has a soul stirring, powerful, addictive prose that invites readers to experience what the characters are going through and i found myself not only doing that, but also unable to stop thinking about it. david struggles deeply with his identity, sexuality and masculinity and consequently is unable to love anyone, he even grows to despise the affection he receives. baldwin describes david’s actions in a way that makes you sympathize with him, despite him doing/saying some questionable and hurtful things. there is fear, vulnerability, shame and denial in him. giovanni on the other side loves so freely and cares so little about everything that could possibly refrain his affections that it is impossible to not feel for him, although i do wish he hadn’t spoken so lowly of women throughout the book :D

this is a poignant depiction of the struggles of queer people in an oppressive society. not an easy book, but a crucial one

and history will call them roommates

“It is cruel to have made me want to live only to make my death more bloody.”