Reviews tagging 'Religious bigotry'

If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin

9 reviews

lanamae's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Mental illness, Racism, and Police brutality

Moderate: Alcoholism, Religious bigotry, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Miscarriage, Rape, Suicide, Violence, and Death of parent

mattyvreads's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Gorgeously written and utterly haunting. One of the best books I have ever read, period. 

It’s a not-so-far-fetched fiction which is unfortunately, equally relevant today. It is so much more than a love story, although few succeed in painting as clear and honest a picture of humanity as Baldwin.

It’s hard to write a review for this book because words fail to describe it’s poignance and import. Absolutely everyone should read this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Suicide, and Police brutality

Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Violence, and Religious bigotry

greatexpectations77's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

I'm a little embarrassed that this was my first James Baldwin book, but I'm so glad that I read it. What beautiful writing and such a tragic story. I feel like it's rare that a male writer has such incredible insight into a female character, but I thought it was such an amazing story about women. I would love to write an essay about it. And how horrifying that 50 years later, the exact same story could happen today in this racist country built on stolen land.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Police brutality, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Suicide, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, Abortion, and Abandonment

theuncannydani's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

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

4.0

Baldwin wrote this is such a poetic way, but I was still able to follow it. That was great.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Body shaming, Drug use, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Torture, Forced institutionalization, and Blood

the_vegan_bookworm's review

challenging emotional sad slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Police brutality, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Suicide

pollyflorence's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Police brutality, and Religious bigotry

kingcrookback's review

emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

Moderate: Rape, Police brutality, and Death of parent

Minor: Miscarriage

mikki_9's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Police brutality, Grief, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Addiction, Death, Drug use, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicide, Violence, Antisemitism, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Miscarriage and Torture

rosalind's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

Always nerve-racking to read one of your best friends’ favourite books. Fortunately I came to a similar conclusion! Man, reading this in the shadow of the George Floyd court case is heavy. But an important heaviness, a heaviness we need to feel and respond to, be motivated to do move against. Baldwin writes so lyrically and you feel the fresh heartbreak of every despondency whilst balancing the weary sadness of inevitability. And the space, the space to fill in the gaps, to confront your own feelings, like a Biblical ‘selah’. A classic and rightfully so.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Police brutality, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, and Xenophobia

Minor: Death, Suicide, Antisemitism, and Death of parent