A review by ethanzo
Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin

dark emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.5

I would like to preface that everyone has their own opinions, and I realize mine is not the majority in regard to this book. That being said, beyond a shadow of a doubt, this book was not for me.

I'm giving this a 2 star rating in good faith because the prose itself was good, and it's undeniable that Baldwin was a good writer. However, I think this is perhaps the worst reading experience I've ever had. Not only was it very triggering for me, but I felt actual disdain towards every single character. David, the mc, is perhaps the most spineless, self-centered, uncaring, misogynistic, and internalized homophobic character I've ever read about. My dislike for him begins with the fact that the entire plot of the book is, in essence, his cheating on his mistress with a man who he emotionally and physically abandons and ruins. David is so concerned with his "morality" (which is another thing that bothers me. I know this book was written around 75 years ago, but the way in which homosexuality is bashed and made to seem lesser and dirty really rubbed me the wrong way) that he not only cheats on one person physically and emotionally but cheats on the person he was cheating on with another person. I absolutely hate the self-loathing gay trope, where authors write characters to internalize their feelings and hate themselves. Queerness is and can be so much more than self hatred. Also, how hard is it to not sleep with someone? He ruined the lives of at least 3 people because he was a coward, and in the end, he ultimately has no repercussions, and everyone else is worse off because of him.

This felt like such an outdated take (because it is inherently due to its age), and I enjoyed not a single part of it. Perhaps this was progressive for the time, but I don't see how a narrative like this does anything but perpetuate stereotypes and ill feelings towards the queer community. This wasn't sad to me in any way because it felt disingenuous and the characters clearly didn't care enough about one another for anything other than a depressing ending to happen, just for the sake of being depressing. I don't know that a character has ever made me so angry while reading a book. 

All this to say, I know my opinion is not what the clear majority feels. I don't judge anyone for liking this, and I do think that despite how much I hated the narrative, the actual writing itself was well done. Maybe I got something out of the book that others did not, but I truly wish I had not taken time out of my life to read this.