Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin

6 reviews

midnightmarauder's review

dark emotional informative sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

If Beale Street Could Talk is a novel that follows the two protagonists, Fonny, a young man who is currently in jail for rape, and his girlfriend, Tish, who finds out that she is pregnant while Fonny is serving his sentence. The book mainly follows Tish as she and her family attempt to get Fonny out of jail. 

The book is a romance novel through and through. The love that Tish has for Fonny and vice versa is constantly put on display. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Grief, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

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

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 against another edition

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

antonique_reads's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Violence, and Police brutality

Minor: Rape

trinidad_gondi's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Suicide, Police brutality, Grief, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

Moderate: Addiction, Domestic abuse, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Miscarriage, Slavery, and Abortion