Reviews tagging Toxic friendship

Giovanni’s Room, by James Baldwin

6 reviews

missbrookss's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

ocean's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Homophobia, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Transphobia, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol

Moderate: Bullying and Violence

lucykateburns's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Homophobia, Death, Sexism, Sexual content, and Self harm

Moderate: Abandonment, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Injury/injury detail, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic friendship

chloebethx_'s review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.25

James Baldwin really created a short masterpiece in this book, the emotions and struggles with sexual identity and finding your place in society were so well articulated and written out on the page that it took my breath away. Other reviews have put it in much better terms than I could, but this book is truly beautiful!

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Alcoholism, Car accident, Child death, Classism, Confinement, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Grief, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

kimveach's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

This is the first book I've read by James Baldwin.  I'll definitely be reading more.  His writing is beautiful and elegant without being difficult to read.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Bullying, Homophobia, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Death, Grief, Murder, Outing, Rape, and Toxic friendship

hannahmcd94's review

dark sad medium-paced

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

2.5

I feel like I’m in the minority when I read other reviews on this, even though this was a short read it felt like a slog to get through. I do appreciate that for its time it was probably a hugely important book for the depiction of gay men and how so many of them had to hide and couldn’t lead their true life. But it all just felt a little disjointed, the timeline whilst not chronological, just didn’t work me in building suspense, and whilst we know Giovanni dies the reveal fell rather flat for me. I also didn’t totally buy into the relationship with Giovanni and David, but then again I didn’t buy into David’s relationships with anyone, he was a hard narrator to connect with. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol

Moderate: Death, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Homophobia

Minor: Death of parent