A review by wildflowercrypt
Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin

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

4.0

 man, i’m having a hard time digesting this one. a sobering look at the pain and self-hatred queer people lived with and internalized, even in places like mid-1950s France where homosexuality was no longer criminalized but still came with massive social stigma.

    David was hardly a likeable protagonist, and yet part of me still felt such compassion for him even as i watched his self-loathing destroy, not only himself, but everyone around him. a complex, tragic story of a man unable to accept himself, or the love he desires. Baldwin is a masterful writer; looking forward to reading more of his works. 
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