A review by tbrnichols
Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin

dark sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I didn't really like this book very much. All the characters feel very same-y to me, they're all sad, ashamed gay men who mistreat each other's because they think they deserve it and are afraid to be happy. I don't think it helped that David and Hella had so little observed chemistry, I think if the conflict had been a bit more about the pulls of the heart and less about self-hatred and internalized homophobia it could have been more interesting. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings