Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin

29 reviews

sarah_kula's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Murder

annoyedhumanoid's review against another edition

dark reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

in the last book i read, Greta & Valdin, Valdin is praised for not being "one of those gay men who says awful things about women" and reading that i was like what! which gay men are those, i'll fight them. these are those gay men.

i was expecting a tragedy of forbidden love between expats in Europe, a proto–Call Me By Your Name, but that's not what this is. rather, Giovanni's Room is a character study of two lost men who come to depend on each other for purpose, until their foundations crumble. the pacing was excellent and the journey as bleak as it was for our characters. i was going to make fun of my edition's Tortured Poets Department–ass cover (black-and-white photo of subject posed in almost cartoonish angst), but it's actually quite fitting:

David, our narrator,

is the smallest man who ever lived. they're both terrible misogynists, don't get me wrong, but this one is literally an emotional terrorist (albeit unintentional, i believe).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Moderate: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Grief, and Murder

Minor: Body shaming, Fatphobia, and Death of parent

cowardlyteaman's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Wasn't sure what I was expecting from this book, but it certainly surpassed all expectations.
I'm embarrassed to admit that I'd never heard of Baldwin until I came across this book in the shelf, but holy mother of Christ, he's an EXCELLENT author.

I really do love how realistic the characters here are. They're all atrocious human beings,  but in a natural way. They're so repressed and internalised everything, that it makes sense how they act like they do. And I must say that, as a queer guy, I was very charmed by Giovanni myself in the beginning, too. Had a strong love-hate relationship with all the characters, but Jacques especially.

The ending was very satisfactory and realistic. I'm terrible at advertising books, but this was seriously an amazing read. Not a happy one, by all means. Lost all hope in my community. But a good read nonetheless. 10/10

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Grief, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Moderate: Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, Murder, Outing, Abandonment, and Classism

Minor: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Death of parent

amy_q13'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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism

Moderate: Body shaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Murder

rionstorm's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.25

Beautifully written. I found the narrator, David, absolutely vile, and Giovanni and Hella so charming. The characters all reminded me of elements of people I have known in real life, as they feel very alive. I found parts of it challenging, particularly the intense homophobia (& transphobia?) from David himself towards the other queer people around him.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Miscarriage, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Death of parent

Minor: Domestic abuse and Murder

simplythegirl's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

This is definitely  my favorite James Baldwin book. He explores questioning and denying one's sexual identity, power dynamics, class differences,  citizenship, the American dream, homophobia, and racism. Racism can be seen when you decode his characters I believe if Baldwin was alive today he definitely  would have made David obviously African American since he would no longer have to worry about audiences laughing him off/not taking him serious for having an African American man who questions his sexual identity as a main character. The writing is beautiful and I love the symbolism.

By the end of the book it seems like how David identifies (gay straight or bisexual) is still up for debate. His decision in the end can be seen as further denial of his true self especially during times where it wasn't  accepted to be anything but straight  but others can interpret his decision as ending an experimental time for David.

 His decision could also be symbolic of  a part of himself dying  much like Giovanni died.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Murder

savanha_reads's review against another edition

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Alcohol, and Classism

marionhoney's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Murder

Moderate: Biphobia, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Outing, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Fatphobia, and Rape

anushareflects's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

A bold story to have been written in the mid 1950s. It’s a tale of homosexual love that, pressed by the times in which it plays out and ideas of masculinity that are held at the core, lead to the destruction of two lives with significant consequences. I wanted to love it more but sadly I didn’t, but I think it’s a courageous work that deserves to be widely read. So far though, I prefer Baldwin’s non fiction work more. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

michaelion's review against another edition

emotional reflective fast-paced

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

3.5

Automatic negative points for being pro-Paris / pro-France and using the French language. AUTOMATIC !!!!!! I can't help my dislike, nay I say hatred of those baguettes!

Negative points also for the main characters, all characters being white. I understand that the story couldn't be told without them being white. It's just hard for me to relate to white stories. I don't understand them. Usually when I read them I think "Okay but you don't have real problems. Why are you complaining?" Which is only halfway a joke. 55% a jape.

I did relate to the main character however. For future me reading this, you just broke up with your first girlfriend. You only related in some, a few ways, not completely, but it was noticeable.

Despite my criticisms the writing was lovely. It feels like thee queer/gay book that mothered or grandmothered queer books. I loved the brief analysis into gender and heteronorms. It came out of nowhere but it really stood out. Every thing you feel for the first time has already been felt by the rest of humanity a billion times over. I also love when classics can still be relatable.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Infidelity, Grief, and Abandonment

Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Biphobia, Confinement, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Xenophobia, Car accident, and Death of parent