Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin

8 reviews

mattyvreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Baldwin is so impressive. This book came out in the early 50s, and it still reads incredibly modern and just as relevant. Besides that, the writing is perfection. It is beautiful, poignant, and the characters feel so real. They are complex, layered, flawed, and relatable.

Baldwin has an exceedingly rare understanding of humanity. He is able to show a character’s abject cruelty, show us why that character is the way they are, without trying to redeem or justify their actions. “This is true and this is also true.” We understand that character without forgiving them. By the same token, Baldwin can show the depth of, say, a mother’s love for her child and explain how she came to love him so much. We will fall in love with this character. And then he’ll go on to show us her disdain for her other son. There is nuance and depth in every line.

This story tackles religion, namely the oppressive weight of Christianity, and its (seemingly rare) healing qualities, as well. The way each character talks about religion is fascinating. These characters are G*d-fearing, not G*d-loving. They live terrified of sinning, and the anguish of Hell fire. Yet there is a line between living life to an impossible standard (never having sexual thoughts, never drinking, never feeling jealousy, etc..) and the other side. We see Christianity give John hope in his own head (even if it seems like he unwillingly submitted to the religion). We see Christianity steer bad people away from infidelity and violence, until those villains inevitably stray. So it seems largely ineffective, too.

It presents the good and the bad.

In The Fire Next Time, Baldwin states “If the concept of God has any validity or any use, it can only be to make us larger, freer, and more loving.“ I believe that that assertion colors this entire text. 

Loved this book and would love to read it again.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual violence

genstrong's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Bullying, Chronic illness, Death, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, and Grief

Minor: Hate crime, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Police brutality, Murder, and Pregnancy

lizziaha's review against another edition

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.75

I think that a lot of this book went straight over my head. I did appreciate the idea of a reckoning coming for some of the characters. And I liked Florence. And writing was, of course, beautiful. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, and Police brutality

Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Suicide

Minor: Infertility

annablume's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.5

impeccable writing, the first part was hard to get through for me

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Police brutality, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Death, Infertility, and Infidelity

Minor: Pregnancy

jotimarino's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Violence

jamieruwen's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

It was beautiful, but also extremely painful.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Racism, and Suicide

Moderate: Sexual violence

menomica's review

challenging dark informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

This book is so tense and at times emotionally demanding, and I mean that in a good way. The way the story unfolds is so incredible. There were moments where I had to put the book down because I was just getting flashbacks of growing up in church 😵‍💫.

I thought we were gonna get a John-gay-awakening arch, but that did not happen

Gabriel is a total bitch, and I love that Florence was there to clear his ass. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Racial slurs, Racism, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Child abuse, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racism, Suicide, Violence, and Death of parent

Minor: Infertility, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and War

the_casual_reader's review against another edition

dark 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? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I know it deserves more than 4.5 stars, but it was so dense, depressing and challenging, that I can't compare the experience reading it to the other 5 star books. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, and Religious bigotry