Reviews tagging 'Biphobia'

Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin

27 reviews

noonanjohnc's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Biphobia, Death, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Grief, Murder, Outing, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Minor: Transphobia

itsjadenbaby's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

I can officially say that a book has  put me in a reading slump for being too good! The novel is perfection. There were lines in this that had my jaw on the floor because of how hard hitting yet beautiful they were.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Biphobia, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism

Moderate: Death, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment

madamegeneva's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

Any James Baldwin book is extremely powerful & moving, and this was no exception. The themes of social alienation, internalised homophobia, and masculinity shine through the pages - you can tell Baldwin himself knows both Paris & the lonely emigrant experience from how rich the prose is.

The story itself is bittersweet and beautiful, even though it completely rips your heart out. This book is a gut punch that will leave you in absolute awe of Baldwin’s skills with words (please read his other books!).

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Content Warnings

Minor: Biphobia and Homophobia

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

viiiolet_starlight's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Biphobia, Death, Homophobia, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, and Classism

goddessofwhatnot's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

Far sadder than I was expecting.  If this book is any indication, the level of self-loathing experienced by queer men at this time must have been unimaginable. 
Reading this was like bobbing out on the open ocean, life vest on, but seeing nothing but wave after wave of misery and devastation coming your way

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship

Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Homophobia, Infidelity, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, and Alcohol

Minor: Biphobia, Child death, Death, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Self harm, Xenophobia, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

honeybeewitched87's review against another edition

emotional sad tense 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Biphobia, Death, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

minary's review against another edition

reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Biphobia, Homophobia, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual harassment

im_eebee's review against another edition

dark reflective sad slow-paced

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

1.75

Beautifully written, but I hate the main character with a burning passion. I need him to get over himself yesterday. All he does is hurt people. I don’t like books where the main character is so deeply unaware of how their actions affect others. Some people will find that as the highlight of this book, but I find it frustrating to read. I’ll definitely check out Baldwin’s other work because the writing style was the only part of this that I liked, but this was a miss for me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Biphobia, Body shaming, Bullying, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Death of parent, Outing, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism

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